Cefn Cave

Cadw's description

Summary description and reason for designation

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument.

The monument consists of a cave containing archaeological deposits that can date from as early as the Palaeolithic period. A cave may have been used for occupation, storage, burial, refuse, or as a temporary shelter.

Cefn Cave is a cave complex located at the base of a limestone cliff 650m south south-east of Plas-yn-Cefn and above a precipitous slope down to Avon Elwy. The entrance is 4m high and 3m wide, from which a complex of passages extends into the limestone cliff. The passages vary between 2 to 5m in height and 1 to 3m in width. They are generally at one level, except where passages lead up rock-cut flights of steps. Flints and fauna found in the 19th Century indicate occupation from the Palaeolithic.. Investigative work undertaken in 1982 discovered faunal remains dating to 125,000 years BP.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of prehistoric settlement, ritual and funerary practices. It retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of associated archaeological features and deposits.

The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.