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Image Credit: University of Aberdeen
Prehistoric Cave Beneath Pembroke Castle May Transform Understanding of Britain Past
Archaeologists are preparing for a major new investigation of a large cave beneath Pembroke Castle in Wales after early excavations revealed rare evidence of human and animal activity spanning more than 100,000 years.
Known as Wogan Cavern, the site lies beneath the 11th-century castle and was long thought to hold little archaeological potential. However, limited excavations carried out between 2021 and 2024 uncovered an important sequence of finds, including stone tools and the well-preserved bones of animals such as mammoth, woolly rhinoceros, and hippopotamus.
Researchers believe the hippopotamus remains may date to the last interglacial period, around 120,000 years ago, when climates were warmer and such animals ranged far beyond their modern habitats. The discoveries suggest the cave could preserve an exceptional environmental and archaeological record extending across major climatic changes.
The evidence recovered so far also points to human presence at different periods. Archaeologists say the site may contain rare traces of early Homo sapiens in Britain, as well as possible evidence of earlier Neanderthal occupation. If confirmed through larger excavations, the cave could offer valuable insight into how prehistoric communities lived and adapted to changing environments over tens of thousands of years.
A new five-year research programme led by the University of Aberdeen will now expand work at the site. The project aims to document a long sequence of occupation, from hunter-gatherer activity after the last Ice Age to much earlier phases of human presence.
The finds from Wogan Cavern will be curated locally in Pembroke, where the project is also being seen as an important addition to the castle’s historical significance. While Pembroke Castle is best known for its medieval heritage, the cave is now emerging as a site of far greater chronological depth, with the potential to reshape understanding of Britain’s prehistoric past.
Published on: 16-04-2026
Edited by: Abdulmnam Samakie
Source: BBC