CPAT Regional Historic Environment Record
The following information is from the on-line database 'Archwilio'.
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Ffynnon Beuno Cave

Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 102158
Trust : Clwyd Powys
Community : Tremeirchion
Unitary authority : Denbighshire
NGR : SJ0853272414
Site Type (preferred type first) : PALAEOLITHIC CAVE OCCUPATION
Status : scheduled monument

Description :
Cave complex excavated in 1885 (Prn 39975) consisted of a number of chambers and tunnels. Occupational evidence included Aurignacian and proto-Solutrean flintwork plus Pleistocene fauna.

Located high on N side of the ravine. As in description above. (CCC, 1982)

No change since 1982. (CCC, 1988)

Scheduling revised 22/8/90.

NMGW collection holds: replicas of 6 tools and two original flakes, all Upper Palaeolithic. Originals in Natural History Museum, London (Figgis 1999, 110). (CPAT Lithics, 2001)

A detailed description of the work and finds is given by Davies (1949, 333-8).

Ebbs locates this cave more accurately; his website provides further information, as follows:
Cave length, 38m. A 2m diameter short entrance passage leads to a rift running off to left and right. At this junction is a 3m wide chamber where a 7m shaft opens to the surface. A smaller passage on the left (when entering the chamber) leads back to the surface. Finds include mammoth bone C14 dated to 18,000 +/-1,300 years BP. This cave has recently been partially excavated and studied by Rob Dinnis and Chantal Conneller, the excavations taking place within the cave and just outside its entrance.
(https://sites.google.com/site/cavesofnortheastwales, accessed December 2014)

Ffynnon Beuno Cave is currently being excavated by Rob Dinnis (British Museum) and Chantal Conneller (Manchester University) who hope to return each summer season. They have carried out laser surveying of the cave and excavated three small trial pits within the cave, and six outside the entrance to identify the extent of 1880s' waste tips. Undisturbed deposits have been found in one of these pits near the junction of the side passage with the chamber. The latest information, following recent work, is that the two caves have been confirmed as containing artefacts associated with groups of both the last northern European Neanderthals immediately prior to their extinction (42,000 - 40,000 BP) and the first Homo sapiens to occupy Europe (37,000 - 36,000 BP): Hence one of only three such sites known to exist in Britain containing archaeological material from both periods, and the most northerly. The cave is therefore of international significance. Excavation carried out in 2011 (and 2012) has identified that the 1880s' waste tips contain significant archaeological material amongst which were found remains of woolly rhino, mammoth and hyaena (65,000 - 10,000BP). (Conneller and Dinnis, 2012). (MB 15/12/14) (Hankinson, 2015)

Sources :
Aldhouse-Green, S , 1997 , title unknown - Ffynnon Beuno Cave
Burnham, H., 1995 , A Guide to Ancient and Historic Wales: Clwyd and Powys
Cadw , 1985 , Cadw Field Monument Wardens Report - Fl069(DEN)
Cadw , 1990 , Scheduling map - Fl069(DEN)
Cadw , 1997 , Scheduling map - Fl069(DEN)
Cadw , 2012 , Scheduled Monument consent letter ( © Cadw)
Cadw , 2014 , Scheduled Monument consent letter ( © Cadw)
Campbell, J B , 1977 , Upper Palaeolithic Britain 2
Clwyd Archaeology Service , 1982 , Site visit record - PRN102158
Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust , 2002 , CPAT Project Archive - lithics
Conneller, C and Dinnis, R , 2011 , Last Neanderthals, first humans: excavations at Ffynnon Beuno cave 2011 , Archaeology in Wales : 51 : 23-6
Conneller, C, Dinnis, R, Bates, M, & Cole, J , 2012 , Ffynnon Beuno Cave Project:: Interim Report 2012
Davies, E., 1949 , The Prehistoric and Roman Remains of Flintshire
Davies, J , 1999 , The Making of Wales
Garrod, D A E , 1926 , The Upper Palaeolithic Age in Britain
Grimes, W F , 1951 , Prehistory of Wales
Hankinson, R , 2015 , Caves of North-East Wales: Archaeological Assessment 2014-15 ( © Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust)
Hicks, H , 1886 , Results of some recent researches in some bone caves in North Wales , Journal of the Geological Society of London : 42 : 3-11
Hicks, H , 1888 , title unknown - Ffynnon Beuno Cave
Ordnance Survey , 1959 , OS record card SJ 07 SE 10
Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales , 1912 , Inventory of the Ancient Monuments in Wales and Monmouth II - County of Flintshire
Silvester, R. J., & Owen, W. J , 2002 , Early Prehistoric Settlement in Mid and North-East Wales: the Lithic Evidence ( © Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust)
Valdemar, A E & Jones, R D , 1970 , An initial report on the archaeological and palaeontological caves and rock shelters in North Wales , Transactions of the Cave Research Group of Great Britain : 12 : 99-107
Wheeler, R E M , 1925 , Prehistoric and Roman Wales

Events :
39975 : Ffynnon Beuno Cave, excavation 1885 (year : 1885)
113237 : Early Prehistoric Settlement in Mid and North East Wales: The Lithic Evidence, desk-based assessment 2002 (year : 2002)
132573 : Caves Scheduling Enhancement Programme (year : 2014-17)
130439 : Caves Scheduling Enhancement Programme follow up, desk based assessment 2014-15 (year : 2014-15)
141895 : Ffynnon Beuno Cave, project 2011ff (year : 2011ff)
142248 : Ffynnon Beuno Cave, topographical survey 2011 (year : 2011)
142246 : Ffynnon Beuno Cave, excavation 2011 (year : 2011)
142247 : Ffynnon Beuno Cave, excavation 2012 (year : 2012)

Related records

Compiled date : 31-07-1986


Images :



Archaeological data, from the Historic Environment Record, supplied by The Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust in partnership with Local Authorities, Cadw and the partners of ENDEX © CPAT, 2025 (and in part © Crown, 2025). It is intended to be used for private research only and is not for use as part of commercial projects. If you wish to use this information for publication in printed or multimedia form or to compile resources for commercial use, prior permission must be obtained in writing. Use of this information is subject to the terms and conditions of access to HER data published on CPAT's website. Please contact the HER if you have any further questions regarding this information. Please quote the Primary Reference Numbers (PRNs) in any correspondence.

March 30, 2025, 4:10 am - File produced for Archwilio from CPAT's Regional HER.
Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust, The Offices, Coed y Dinas, Welshpool, Powys, SY21 8RP
tel (01938) 553670, email her@cpat.org.uk, website www.cpat.org.uk

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