This post was last updated on March 10th, 2025 at 08:51 pm
Din Lligwy is the name of the ruins of an ancient village that dates to the late Roman Era in the 3rd and 4th centuries AD. However, structures dated outside the enclosure show that the settlement may have existed since the Iron Age. The site is a fascinating window into Wales’ past and well worth a visit when you’re in Wales!
One of many fascinating historic sites on Ynys Môn, the Din Lligwy stone-built hut enclosure is a Roman Era settlement dating between approximately 200 and 300 AD. During this period, the tribal Celts who lived on the isle preferred roundhouses but had been gradually adopting some Roman customs.
Inside this fascinating site on Ynys Môn (Isle of Anglesey) stand the remnants of two round huts and a few rectangular buildings. These dwellings, originally having thick stone walls with thatched conical roofs, were most likely part of a farming community. A stone wall still surrounds the village.
The village spans about half an acre. Standing within the crumbling, five-foot-thick wall encircling the village are the bases of two round huts and several longer, rectangular structures. The villagers most likely used the latter as workshops or barns. All of the stone structures are made from white limestone.
This post is about Din Lligwy, an ancient village in North Wales.
Din Lligwy
In the present, Din Lligwy lies within a grove of sycamore and ash trees. Visitors have claimed the place has a druidic and archaic feel, with the spirit of the Welsh ancestors still tinging the atmosphere. The small wood is recent, however. Back in the days of the Welsh tribes, the land was open, giving the villagers a spectacular, unobstructed view of Lligwy Bay. While time has worn away most of the houses, the centuries have left behind the buildings’ foundations and many artifacts.
In the early 1900s, archaeologists excavated the site. This dig unearthed Roman coins, glass, pottery, and a small ingot (block of metal) made of silver. Also recovered were many tools made of animal bones and a musical instrument. While the artifacts all date to the 3rd or 4th century, as mentioned earlier, the huts were likely in use as far back as 800 BC.
The ancient Welsh living at Din Lligwy also left evidence of their metalworking, such as smelting hearths and iron slag (waste material). The Celts of this period were skilled in working with many types of metals. While no large pieces have been found at Din Lligwy, you can see some excellent examples of their craft at Museum Wales.
Lligwy Burial Chamber
The Lligwy Burial Chamber is one of Wales’s most impressive Neolithic burial chambers. At the end of the Neolithic era, between 250 and 2000 BC, the ancient Welsh who lived in this area built the tomb in Lligwy. They used it as a communal grave for their farming community. Sometimes people call it “Din Lligwy Burial Chamber” because it is close to the village. In 1909, the chamber was unearthed during an archaeological dig. Unburned human and animal bones, pottery shards, countless snail and clam shells, and several flints were discovered within. In total, between fifteen and thirty adult and child remains were also discovered within the tomb’s walls. At least one of the excavation layers may point to the tomb having a later usage. Some of the pottery appears to date from the Bronze Age.
The Structure of the Burial Chamber
Eight stones of various shapes make up the burial chamber. The entire structure is supported by a massive boulder placed on the top (capstone) that is 5.6 meters long by 4.8 meters broad, 1.1 meters thick, and weighs around 25 tons. The builders used a naturally occurring gap in the boulder, which allowed the chamber to be around 1.8 meters high. They originally made the entry from the east, covered the structure with an earthen mound, and may have placed stones on top of that. During the investigation, archeologists discovered that the tomb included the remains of roughly 30 humans and various animal bones, mussel shells, and pottery shards.
Visit Din Lligwy
Except on holidays, guests can freely access the burial chamber. It is currently maintained by Cadw, a group dedicated to preserving and protecting Wales’ historical sites. If you’d like to visit, the village is about 1.2 kilometers north of Llanallgo. It is easily accessible on foot from the parking area at the road’s edge. One of the biggest and heaviest capstones in all of Britain is thought to be the Lligwy stone.
The Old Stones of Wales: A Field Guide to Megalithic and Other Prehistoric Sites by Andy Burnham
Is the Lligwy Burial Chamber Related to Bryn Celli Ddu?
Bryn Celli Ddu is another famous burial chamber in North Wales. There’s a good chance that it and Lligwy Burial Chamber may be related since they are both prehistoric burial sites located on Ynys Môn. They were also built by the same group of people who lived in ancient Wales: the Beaker Folk. This culture is named after the distinctive bell-shaped pottery vessels they produced and used for various purposes, including as grave goods in burials like those at Lligwy and Bryn Celli Ddu. The builders of these megalithic tombs most likely lived in cooperation as part of a larger farming community.
Lligwy Burial Chamber is located near the village of Moelfre on the island’s east coast. It consists of a large stone chamber that was once (but is no longer) covered by a mound of earth and stones.
Bryn Celli Ddu
Bryn Celli Ddu is also a Neolithic chambered tomb. It is located on the southeastern side of Ynys Môn, near the village of Llanddaniel Fab. Unlike the Lligwy tomb, Bryn Celli Ddu retains its earthen mound. Its name means the “Mound in the Dark Grove” in English, and it’s one of Anglesey’s most well-known ancient monuments. Here, builders constructed a henge with a circle of stones in the early Neolithic period. Later, they made a chambered tomb beneath a mound that could have been up to 85 feet in diameter. A lengthy, narrow passageway opens to an 8-foot-wide octagonal room where archaeologists have discovered artifacts, including human bones, arrowheads, and engraved stones.
The Secret of This Megalithic Site
This megalithic tomb has a secret, and if you’re lucky, you can witness it—but you can only see the “secret” once a year! Shafts of light shine down the tomb’s corridor with the sunrise on the summer solstice and illuminate the inner chamber. Bryn Celli Ddu is the only tomb on the island with this unique feature.
Life in an Ancient Celtic Village
What would a typical day have been like for an ancient Celt living at Din Lligwy village? While we have limited information about the site at Din Lligwy specifically, we can get a pretty good understanding of the way people lived at the time by studying other Celtic societies, especially those of surrounding ancient Britain. The following books suitable for children, young adults, and adults, allow us to peer into the daily lives of the Celts.
Daily Life of a Celtic Girl: Middle Grade and Young Adult Historical Fiction (Daily Life Through the Ages) by A. L. Marlowe
From the blurb: A Fierce and Unforgettable Journey into Ancient Celtic Britain! In Daily Life of a Celtic Girl, step into the world of Brenna, a brave young girl of the Iceni tribe, as she navigates the untamed lands of 1st-century Britannia. In a time when druids read the omens, warriors paint their bodies with woad, and Rome looms on the horizon, Brenna must choose her own fate—will she become a healer, a warrior, or something more?
Experience Life in a Celtic Hillfort: Gather herbs with the healers, forge weapons with blacksmiths, and feast in the great hall by firelight. Learn from the druids, whose wisdom shapes the tribe’s future. Train in secret with the warriors, knowing that war with Rome is inevitable.
Witness the Battle for Freedom: As the Roman legions march north, the Celts must decide—surrender or fight? Inspired by the legendary Queen Boudica, Brenna faces her own test of courage. Will she wield a spear in battle, or will she find another way to protect her people?
An Epic Tale of Strength, Spirit, and Survival: Based on real history, Daily Life of a Celtic Girl is a thrilling and immersive journey into the heart of ancient Celtic society, where women fought alongside men, druids preserved sacred knowledge, and every decision could change the fate of a people.
Celtic Way of Life
From the blurb: A colorful and warlike people, constantly on the move, the Celts spread from Central Europe to Ireland, bringing with them their beliefs and customs, new crafts and skills, tools and weapons of iron, and a Celtic language. Here, we explore their home life, work, political structures, and leisure. Illustrated with photographs of Celtic artifacts, maps, and superb, archaeologically-informed reconstruction drawings of Celtic life. Originally written by the Curriculum Development Unit of Trinity College and the City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee, this book has been a favourite of adults and children for over ten years. Tourists and natives alike have found it invaluable for brief yet detailed information.
Visit Din Lligwy
To access this historic site in the twenty-first century, there’s only one way to get there: a narrow footpath through the trees. On the way, you’ll pass the ruins of Hen Capel Lligwy (Old Lligwy Chapel), which dates to the twelfth century. Click to learn more about the village and surrounding area and find the best times to visit Din Lligwy.
Din Lligwy is more than a popular tourist attraction but remains a fascinating piece of Welsh history with an ancient, otherworldly atmosphere. It lets us reflect on the lives of those who made their homes here nearly two thousand years ago. This ancient window into the past will always contribute to Welsh heritage.
This post was about Din Lligwy, an ancient village in North Wales.
You may also enjoy the Copper and Cobalt Trilogy, a fantasy series set in North Wales. Click here for all eReader formats: Universal Book Link and here for Amazon Kindle and paperback: Amazon
Leave a Reply