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Tooth Cave, Llethrid is a prehistoric cave situated in the Glamorgan area of Wales. The cave is formed within Dinantian limestone, a carboniferous rock sequence laid down during the Mississippian period, which comprises predominantly limestone with subordinate sandstone and argillaceous rocks. This geological setting is typical of the South Wales Coalfield region, where numerous caves have been exploited by humans throughout prehistory.
The cave appears to have been occupied during the prehistoric period, though detailed chronological evidence would require archaeological investigation. Caves of this type in the limestone geology of South Wales have yielded evidence of human activity spanning the Palaeolithic through Bronze Age periods. The site's accessibility and shelter would have made it an attractive location for periodic habitation or temporary refuge.
Tooth Cave, Llethrid is protected as a scheduled monument by Cadw under reference GM284, recognising its archaeological potential and significance as a record of human occupation and adaptation to the Welsh landscape in prehistory. The cave's preservation within limestone bedrock offers the possibility of recovering deposits undisturbed since ancient times, providing valuable evidence for understanding past human settlement patterns and behaviour in this region.
Tooth Cave, Llethrid is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference GM284. View the official record →
Tooth Cave, Llethrid is a prehistoric cave situated in the Glamorgan area of Wales. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference GM284.
Tooth Cave, Llethrid dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a cave. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Tooth Cave, Llethrid is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Cadw — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Wales. The official designation reference is GM284.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Penmaen Burrows Burial Chamber (2.8 km), Penmaen Burrows Ringwork (2.9 km), Bishopston Valley Camp (4.9 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Tooth Cave, Llethrid's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Tooth Cave, Llethrid stands on Dinantian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Mississippian. The rock here is limestone with subordinate sandstone and argillaceous rocks.