1. On the north-western side of Henllwyn Bay, close to one end of a post-medieval field wall at SH 11346 21009, the eroding coastal section above the beach has revealed prehistoric flints and remains of a limpet shell midden. The findspot is on and close to a small rocky spur extending from the coast edge from which all the recent topsoil has eroded. During field survey for the EU-funded CHERISH Project of the coast on 20-22nd May 2018 four pieces of prehistoric flint were recovered from a sandy silt layer exposed c. 0.48m - 0.75m below the modern ground surface. Close to the flints, at 0.97m below the modern ground surface a dense deposit of calcined limpet shells was seen in section and sampled as a potential midden deposit.

The flints was analysed and drawn by Ian Dennis for the CHERISH project in 2019 and comprise:

• Flint bladelet snapped at both ends (14mm x 11.88mm)
• small point with proximal end retouch and the point missing. (21mm x 6.88mm). This point does not appear to be flint or chert, it may be another locally sourced highly siliceous mineral.
• Utilised flint flake, with wear and usage visible on all edges (39.89mm x 28mm).
• Broken flint point, possibly from the end of a blade, with signs of utilisation (25mm x 10.5mm).

The small size of the worked flint assemblage is characteristic of Wales and other regions where only small quantities of natural flint occur (usually pebble flint deposited by glacial flow or rivers). It is likely that the majority of the worked flint derives from local pebble flint. The lithics from this assemblage are consistent with Mesolithic flint industries, suggesting Mesolithic occupation and activity in the area (Dennis, 2019). 

2. These finds build on earlier flint finds from this location recorded on 1/10/2009 by Dr Richard Kennedy who found four flints of similar character 5cm below the eroding edge of the turf. Recorded on GAT HER as PRN 59978. The flints described as a small blade suitable for a microlith and two of the pieces that have been burnt have been donated to Gwynedd Museum (Kenney and Hopewell 2016).

3. See main record for Porth Solfach and Henllwyn for a wider account of the CHERISH Project coastal recording work here (NPRN 424528).

Toby Driver, Louise Barker and Daniel Hunt, RCAHMW-EU-funded CHERISH Project.

Record updated: January 2025.

Survey for the CHERISH Project. Crown: CHERISH PROJECT 2018. Produced with EU funds through the Ireland Wales Co-operation Programme 2014-2020. All material made freely available through the Open Government Licence.

References:

Barker, L., Driver, T. and Hunt, D. 2019. Bardsey Island, Henllwyn Eroding Isthmus (SH 1151 2109). Archaeology in Wales 59, 119-122

Dennis, I. 2019. Report on the lithic finds from Bardsey Island (unpublished)

Hunt, D., Barker, L., and Driver, T. 2019. CHERISH Project Lidar Capture and Analysis for the Islands of Wales. Archaeology in Wales 59, 91-96.

Kenney, J. and Hopewell, D. 2016. Ynys Enlli Heritage Management Plan. Gwynedd Archaeological Trust Report No. 1304. Unpublished.