Palaeolithic

The first people came to Pembrokeshire during the Old Stone Age, around 20,000 years ago. At that time the landscape was very different from the present day.

There was no St Bride's Bay, and the offshore islands of Ramsey and Skomer were protruding headlands guarding a coastal plain.

The people came in pursuit of their prey as it followed the retreating ice and sought shelter in caves. They kindled fires in the cave entrance as a protection against the weather and wild beasts and left animal bones and flint tools as evidence of their presence.

There are a number of caves in the limestone belt on the south coast of Pembrokeshire. Many of these caves were excavated during the Victorian period and the excavators discovered large quantities of finds. There are caves found at Hoyle's Mouth, near Tenby, Priory Farm at Monkton and below Pembroke Castle.