Sweyne’s Howse

Tidal island of Burry Holms – a Mesolithic flint working site has been discovered here – pre-dating the Neolithic chambered tombs up on Rhossili Down

Sweyne’s Howse chambered tomb is made from slabs of local Old Red Sandstone conglomerate

Neolithic tomb on Rhossili Down – the pillars are in fact large slabs of rock viewed end on.

Sweyne’s Howse chambered megalithic tomb dating from the Neolithic period about 6,000 years ago

View of the Worm’s Head and Worm’s Head Causeway (where the strange stone that might be an axe was found) from up on Rhossili Down

Sweyne’s Howse Neolithic tomb – dot in the middle distance where the heathland finishes and the cultivated fields begin

Sweyne’s Howse tomb on Rhossil Down was made by Neolithic people who left many stone axes behind.

Sweyne’s Howse Neolithic megalithic chambered tomb on Rhossili Down

Heathland of Rhossili Down with scattered stones of ancient tumuli

Sheep among the flowering heathland on top of Rhossili Down

In the earlier  discussion about the strange stone that might be an ancient axe – which was found on the Worm’s Head Causeway on the Gower  Peninsula – I mentioned the nearby Neolithic chambered tombs. The most frequently found ancient tools in this area are the polished stone axes from the Neolithic. There are some earlier tools – but these are flint, and were probably made on a flint-working site that existed on the tidal island of Burry Holms at the north end of Rhossili beach. (The Worm’s Head Causeway is at the southern end of Rhossili beach).

The Neolithic period started about 6,000 years ago and was marked by an influx of farming communities who cleared the land for grazing and cultivation. These people left tools behind them, the ones most frequently found being the polished stone axes that have been recovered from sites such as Paviland, Oystermouth and Barland. The most noticeable remains of these people are the large megalithic structures. On Rhossili Down are the remains of chambered tombs belonging to this category: the best known of which are Sweyne’s Howses (there are two of them).

The images in this post show the location of Sweyne’s Howse on Rhossili Down – positioned on the land the Neolithic settlers cleared, at the junction between freely-drained and poorly drained soils, recognisable by the heathland vegetation on the one hand and the fertile cultivated fields on the other. The upland is covered with vibrant pink flowering Ling and Heather in the summer, and the ground is still grazed by sheep, cattle, and roaming wild ponies.

The tomb is now located amongst cleared bracken on the lower slopes of the Down. It looks very different from various angles, being comprised of massive slabs of local Old Red Sandstone Conglomerate – slabs that look like pillars when viewed end-on. The rocks are covered with a thick layer of lichens.

From higher up on Rhossili Down, it is possible to look down towards the north-west and see the island of Burry Holms where there was an earlier Mesolithic flint-working site. Looking down to the south-west, you can see the Worm’s Head and its Causeway where the strange stone was found.

I now have an appointment to take the stone to an archaeologist who is a specialist in stone tools at the National Museum of Wales; and a geologist will also be on hand to give their opinion. I am hoping that the stone is an axe – but I am also prepared to be disappointed because I know how easy it is for an amateur like myself to be mistaken about this kind of thing.

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