This week has seen our warden Denise out on the reserve in an effort to unearth a piece of history. Denise has been working on the site of a Scheduled Ancient Monument called Capel Llochwydd to expose the stonework that has been hidden under the gorse for many years.
A Scheduled Ancient Monument is a site that is deemed to be of national importance and is protected under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act, 1979, amended in 2016 by the Historic Environment (Wales) Act.
As custodians of Holyhead Mountain, the RSPB have been asked by CADW (the body responsible for ensuring such sites are looked after) to look at clearing some of the vegetation away from the remains at Capel Llochwydd.
The monument dates from the Iron Age and is made up of three conjoined circular huts set within boundaries of a contemporary enclosure. There are also remains of a later stone building. This site is of national importance because of its potential to enhance our knowledge of prehistoric settlement practices. It is hoped that the internal and external floors of the monument will be well preserved.