Great Orme Prehistoric and Medieval Landscape

Description
Visiting Information

A special site of global significance

The Great Orme, Llandudno is a headland of ancient limestone that formed on a tropical seabed some 300 million years ago. The name ‘Orme’ is said to be derived from an old Norse word for a sea serpent, a creature that the headland is thought to resemble. It is a site of huge importance, both geological and archaeological, with evidence of human occupation dating back to the Upper Palaeolithic period around 10,000 BC.

So many important sites exist on the Great Orme that only the briefest of summaries may be given here. Artefacts from the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic eras have been uncovered in a series of natural caves, including an incised bone from a horse jaw, considered to be the oldest work of art yet discovered in Britain. Moving on to the late Bronze/early Iron Age, we have the hillfort of Pen-y-Dinas with its remains of stone-built walls and roundhouses – around 65 in total. It is thought probable that the fort was built to protect the copper mines of the Great Orme, where production appears to have peaked around 1500 BC. Older still is the portal dolmen of Llety’r Filiast and the numerous unexcavated mounds and cairns to be found on the Orme.

Evidence of agriculture exists from the Iron Age onwards, but the most extensive remains are medieval, with a wealth of ridge-and-furrow field systems and the remains of stone buildings from the three medieval townships of Y Gogarth, Cyngreawdr and Yr Yddfid. A trip up the Great Orme, including the Summit Complex (Café, Amusements, Gift Shop and Terminus of the Great Orme Cable Car) and Visitor Centre, is a must.

An Audio Trail and Itinerary have been created for this site. To download them, please see here

Below are pdf copies of interpretation panels dotted around the Great Orme.

Documents

Cloddio / Quarrying application/pdf / 0.37 MB Copr / Copper application/pdf / 0.38 MB Tanio / Firepower application/pdf / 7.29 MB Gwreiddiau Cristnogaeth / Christian Roots application/pdf / 0.35 MB Oesoedd canol / Medieval times application/pdf / 0.37 MB Cloddio cynnar / Early mining application/pdf / 0.32 MB Llety'r Filiast application/pdf / 0.32 MB Bryngaer Pen Dinas Hillfort 1 application/pdf / 0.36 MB Bryngaer Pen Dinas Hillfort 2 application/pdf / 0.3 MB Amser Rhyfel / At War application/pdf / 0.31 MB

Accessible by Public Transport
Parking
Info Point
Buggy Access
Good Walks Nearby
Children's Facilities
Toilets
Family Walk
Picnic Area
Viewpoint
Wheelchair Access

Directions

By Road

Follow road north from the Great Orme summit towards the cemetery.

By Rail

Llandudno - 1 1/2 miles

By Bus

Nearest bus stop Palladium on Gloddaeth Avenue

Walking

Follow road and paths up Great Orme. This is an uphill walk for 20 minutes from Tram Station. From summit head downhill towards cemetery. Long huts are just below summit café.