Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Longhole Cave
Port Eynon, Swansea, Wales
The record
- Designation
- Scheduled monument
- Site type
- Cave
- Period
- Prehistoric
- Date of designation
- 23 March 1977
- Community
- Port Eynon
- Unitary authority
- Swansea
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates (centre of the scheduled area)
- 51.54312, -4.23478
- SAM number
- GM391
- Cadw record number
- 3630
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesNational Library of Scotland
Shown on 5 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1636 "Cornubia : Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia, Glocestria ..." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
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.
Long Hole is a cave situated approximately 40m above OD in a small limestone crag surrounded by grassy slopes, above the sea cliffs 2km to the west of Port Einon. The south south-east facing entrance is 3.5m wide, however, the width narrows to 2m along the 13m length of the cave. The height varies between 1.6m and 2.3m. Excavations undertaken in the 1861 and 1969 produced a finds assemblage dating from the Early Upper Palaeolithic and the Middle Palaeolithic ages.
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.
Nearby in the register
- Overton HouseDomesticunder 1 mi
- The Culver HoleMiscellaneousunder 1 mi
- Culver Hole Dovecotdovecoteunder 1 mi
- Lifeboatmen's Memorial at south east corner of St Cattwg's churchyardCommemorativeunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.