This early medieval cemetery lies within an area of blown sand some 700m inland from the Brownslade/Linney Burrows dune systems. 1.6km south-west of St Michael and All Angels Church, whose site may be early medieval in origin. 550m north-east of a large Iron Age enclosure (NPRN 94106) and 660m north-north-west of a smaller Iron Age enclosure(NPRN 94224). Excavations were first undertaken in the 1880s. Due to severe badger disturbance he site was excavated in 2006. Following excavation the on-site badger sett which had disturbed the burials was relocated close by, and the barrow then fenced and restored. A fragmentary cross-carved stone, Castemartin 2 (NPRN 422366) was found within the barrow during the 1880 excavation. It is thought to have functioned as an early medieval or later grave marker.

The site is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, the barrow mound itself measuring some 40m x 30m. The cemetery was found to span several cemeteries, radiocarbon dates providing a date range from AD 5430 to AD940. A stone grave marker, thought to have been shaped by pecking, was found at the head of one of the graves. 219 sherds of medieval and post-medieval pottery dating from the 12th century onwards was recovered from topsoil and badger-disturbed deposits. A rectangular stone building measuring 6m x 4m, but excavation failed to reveal a date or function. Excavation revealed 52 individuals associated with simple dug graves and cist graves.

Sources include:
Dyfed Archaeological Trust, 2003, Early Medieval Ecclesiastical Sites Project, Pembrokeshire gazetteerGroom, P. Schlee, D. & Ludlow, N. 2011, `Two early medieval cemeteries in Pembrokeshire: Brownslade and West Angle Bay?, Archaeologia Cambrensis 160, 133?203

N Vousden, 17 November 2017