Bant's Carn is a Bronze Age burial chamber on St Mary's, close to the remains of Halangy Down settlement. This typical Scillonian communal grave is a great example of its kind: large and well-preserved. It's now cared for by English Heritage.
There are around 80 entrance graves in the Scillies, and in Britain, they're found only here and in West Cornwall. They consist of a large, round mound, containing a roofed funerary chamber, which is reached by a long passage: the passage alone at Bant's Carn is around 15 feet. The chamber is roofed by four gigantic capstones. When Bants was excavated in 1900, they found cremated human bones and shards of pottery at the far end of the chamber.
Like most entrance graves, Bant's Carn is up a hill. It's about two miles from Hugh Town, and the best way to reach it is by pedal power or foot. Combine your visit here with a trip to the slightly newer Halangy Down settlement (both are free to explore, and are open during daylight hours). It's beautiful up here at the north of the island: stay a while, enjoying the view and the sense of peace.
