Cefn Caves are a group of four interlinked caves in the limestone cliffs of the Elwy valley, north of

Denbigh Denbigh (; cy, Dinbych; ) is a market town and a community in Denbighshire, Wales. Formerly, the county town, the Welsh name translates to "Little Fortress"; a reference to its historic castle. Denbigh lies near the Clwydian Hills. History ...

, in Denbighshire, North Wales. Early excavations found both human and animal remains dating back to the

Paleolithic The Paleolithic or Palaeolithic (), also called the Old Stone Age (from Greek: παλαιός '' palaios'', "old" and λίθος ''lithos'', "stone"), is a period in human prehistory that is distinguished by the original development of stone to ...

period. The cave network is a

Scheduled Ancient Monument In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a nationally important archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorised change. The various pieces of legislation that legally protect heritage assets from damage and d ...

. The network of caves was first excavated in the 1830s by the Rev E. Stanley, finding fragments of stone tools along with numerous animal bones which had been laid down over a wide period, probably accumulated in the caves by water action. The 'Old Cave' passage is a remnant of a former underground course of the

River Elwy The River Elwy (''Afon Elwy'' in Welsh language, Welsh) is a river in Wales forming a tributary to the River Clwyd. The source of the river is sometimes said to be on the northern flank of Moel Seisiog, south-east of Llanrwst, at Ordnance Survey ...

, eroded through the limestone and then left behind by the continued downcutting of the gorge. The cave complex is used for caving activities by a nearby outdoor activity centre.

References

{{reflist Caves of Wales Archaeological sites in Denbighshire Scheduled monuments in Denbighshire

See also

References