Ogof Pant-y-Wennol

Ogof Pant-y-Wennol is a cave on the Little Orme, the limestone headland that closes Llandudno Bay to the east in Conwy County Borough, North Wales. There are no ticket booths or visitor displays here. It is one of the region's significant archaeological sites, and its Welsh name translates roughly as "cave of the swallows' valley".

What is Ogof Pant-y-Wennol?

It is a natural cave set in a rock face. The national record Coflein (NPRN 300821) places it on the south-east side of a ruined cottage. The cave is a scheduled monument (reference Cn 190), so it is treated as an archaeological site rather than a place to explore.

What was found here?

Excavations took place in 1974-77 under M. Davies and again in 1979 under T. A. Stone and B. Smith. The remains of at least seven people were recovered: five adults and two juveniles. The scheduling record speaks of six Neolithic burials sealed under stalagmite. Totals differ between publications because bone counts depend on the method used.

Radiocarbon dates on the human bone are Neolithic, roughly 4,600 to 5,000 years old. Alongside the burials, the finds include:

• Mesolithic flint and chert scrapers, flakes and blades,
• Neolithic and Late Bronze Age pottery,
• a bone needle of the Creswellian type, from the Late Upper Palaeolithic,
• animal bones.

Isotope analysis of one skull suggests a diet based mostly on hunted and gathered food from the land, not seafood. Taken together, the finds show that this limestone headland was used by people over thousands of years, from the end of the Ice Age into the Bronze Age.

Where can you see the finds?

The objects are held by the National Museum Wales in Cardiff and by Llandudno Museum. For the bone needle and other artefacts, start there. The cave itself works best as a waypoint on a walk around the Little Orme.

How do you get there?

The Little Orme sits at the opposite end of Llandudno Bay from the better-known Great Orme. Reach Llandudno by train or car, then continue on foot towards the headland. The cave is not a standard tourist attraction, so check the current rules for the area before you set out, and do not enter the protected monument without permission from its custodian.

When is the best time to visit?

Choose a dry day with good visibility for a coastal walk, typically from late spring to early autumn. Limestone slopes get slippery after rain, so wear sturdy footwear.

Frequently asked questions

Can you go inside Ogof Pant-y-Wennol? It is a protected archaeological site. View it from outside and respect any restrictions in force at the location.

How old are the finds? The oldest item is a Late Palaeolithic bone needle. There are also Mesolithic tools, Neolithic burials about 5,000 years old and Late Bronze Age pottery.

Is it on the Great Orme? No. It lies on the smaller Little Orme, across Llandudno Bay.

Where are the excavated objects now? At National Museum Wales in Cardiff and at Llandudno Museum.