Carreg Samson

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Carreg Samson
Burial chamber Abercastle.jpg
Shown within Pembrokeshire
Location Pembrokeshire
grid reference SM84853351
Coordinates Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Type Dolmen
History
Periods Neolithic

Carreg Samson (also known as Carreg Sampson, Samson's Stone, or the Longhouse) is a 5000-year-old Neolithic dolmen located half a mile west of the Abercastle near the Pembrokeshire Coast Path in Wales.

Name

It is called "Samson" because of a local legend that Samson placed the capstone in position with his little finger.[1]

Description

Carreg Samson has a capstone, 4.7 metres by 2.7 metres and 1.0 metre thick.[2] The capstone rests on three of six stones 1.1 to 2.2 metres high.[2]

The whole burial chamber was once covered by a mound of earth or stones and once these were removed stones were used to block the holes in the sides of the tomb so that it could be used as a shelter for sheep.[3]

The site was excavated in 1968 which revealed four additional stone-holes, one having supported a further chamber stone, the others indicating a possible passage leading off to the northwest.[2] Slight traces of a covering cairn were found to the south and it was shown that the monument had been raised over a pit 0.8 metres deep, filled with clay and stones. Finds included a small quantity of burnt bone, pottery, and flints.[2]

References

  1. Chris Barber, John Godfrey Williams (1989), The ancient stones of Wales, page 122. Blorenge
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

Media related to Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. at Wikimedia Commons