Pentre Ifan

Today's the day ........................ for a sacred place

We've spent the day in a very ancient and sacred part of Wales - the Presceli Mountains.

Not that they would be considered mountains in most parts of the world because they are more more the size of hills - but they are dotted with prehistoric remains, including evidence of Neolithic settlement. Even today, it's easy to imagine that our ancestors would have found them to be a very special place. After the 2nd World War - they were actually destined to become an area where the military troops would train and the public would have no access. But thanks to a successful campaign by local people who felt very strongly that this should not happen - the Prescelis were saved.

These large stones can be found at Pentre Ifan and they are thought to be the remains of a chambered tomb for the communal burial of the dead. It would have been used for some period before being finally sealed and dates from the Neolithic Age - perhaps as early as 3,500BC.

The burial chamber itself would have been partially covered by a great cairn 120ft long, extending well to the rear - but the stones have long since been removed. The enormous capstone which is nearly 17ft long and probably weighs over 16 tons is supported on just three stones.

There is a theory that the inner circle of Stonehenge was built from the local bluestone - so perhaps it was a sacred place to a wider population ...................