Waylands Smithy - Oxfordshire

Wayland's Smithy is one of the most impressive and atmospheric Neolithic burial chambers in Britain. Somehow this ancient grave became associated with Wayland, the Saxon god of metalworking, from whom it takes its name.

The burial chamber underwent two distinct phases of construction, identified during excavations in the 1960's. In the first phase an oval mound was erected, which covered a wooden and stone structure with a floor paved with Sarcen stones.