Carreg Samson Dolmen
Samson's Stone · Carreg Samson Burial Chamber · Longhouse Dolmen
Early Neolithic (c.3800–3600 BCE)·Western Neolithic (Pembrokeshire)·🇬🇧 Pembrokeshire, Wales, United Kingdom
About
About Carreg Samson Dolmen
Picturesque Neolithic portal dolmen on cliff-top field 300 m from Abercastle harbour, North Pembrokeshire, sited on gentle slope with sea view. Capstone ~4.7 x 3.0 m, 1 m thick (c.8 tonnes) supported on three basalt / dolerite orthostats (two portals, one backstone) standing ~1.6 m high above partly buried chamber with low mound remnant. Built c.3800–3600 BCE (portal dolmen tradition). Surrounds include other megaliths (nearby Carn Ingli, Coetan Arthur). Legends: capstone placed by St Samson. Excavated 1936 by William Grimes, finds include fragmentary pottery. Exposed location makes it one of Wales's most photographed dolmens.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Whether chamber faced sea deliberately or land — portal southeast orientation ambiguous
- 02Relationship to Abercastle coastal hut settlement
Theories
- 01Pembrokeshire portal dolmens as maritime navigation markers for Neolithic Irish Sea voyaging
- 02Carreg Samson capstone dragged from nearby Abercastle outcrop less than 1 km
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 3800–3600 BCE
- Period
- Early Neolithic (c.3800–3600 BCE)
- Culture
- Western Neolithic (Pembrokeshire)
- Purpose
- Collective portal dolmen tomb with sea-facing orientation
- Excavation
- Excavated
c. 3800–3600 BCE
Initial construction
c. 1119 CE
Abandonment
On the ground
Structures & features
51.9545° N · 5.1058° W · 35 m · 3 mapped features
Capstone
capstoneEnormous 4.7 m dolerite slab covering chamber
51.9545° N · 5.1058° WThree Orthostats
portal stoneTwo 1.6 m portal stones and rear stone supporting capstone
51.9545° N · 5.1058° WLow Mound Remnant
moundCircular mound kerb trace ~10 m diameter around dolmen
51.9544° N · 5.1059° W
Gallery