Llandeilo Fort Dig Diary
LLANDEILO ROMAN FORT, DINEFWR PARK
Introduction
The outstanding discovery of a Roman Fort in the
eastern part of Dinefwr Park, Llandeilo was made during an archaeological
survey in 2003. During late June and early July, Dyfed Archaeological Trust
will be following this work up with an excavation to discover more
about the date, character and the level of preservation of the fort.
In fact the work, using specialist geophysical
survey equipment, suggests the presence of not just one but two
overlapping Roman forts of different dates The first fort appears
to be much larger than the later fort and it may have been occupied
by a large military unit, perhaps even a legionary detachment. If
so, the presence of such a large unit so far west indicates the
existence of a fierce resistance to the Roman occupation. The later
fort was a much smaller affair and was probably occupied by an auxillary
unit or cohort comprising about 500 foot soldiers. The forts probably
date to the later part of the 1st century AD, soon after the military
conquest of Wales. It is likely that they were then abandoned early
in the second century AD.
The archaeological work forms part of a wider project
being undertaken by the National Trust with the aim of restoring
the designed landscape of Dinefwr Park, enhancing the natural landscape
and facilitating access to all. This work is being funded by the
Heritage Lottery Fund, the Welsh European Funding Office and the
National Trust. The excavation will begin on Monday 27th June. Channel
4’s Time Team will be carrying out live outside broadcasts
from the excavation on the nights of the 2nd and 3rd July as part
of their ‘Big Roman Dig’ week. There will be two public
open days on the 9th and 16th of July.
Plan showing location of trenches
The layout of the forts at Llandeilo
The geophysical survey provides a lot of information
about the layout of the later fort at Llandeilo. The fort was surrounded
by an impressive set of defences consisting of at least three substantial
sets of V-shaped ditches and ramparts. A timber palisade would have
run along the top of the inner rampart and would have had a series
of square interval towers at regular intervals. The four entrances
into the fort would have been flanked by massive timber gatehouses.
The defences surrounded an area approximately 150m long by 100m
wide; the equivalent of two rugby pitches sitting side by side.
A grid pattern of roads divided the interior into blocks of buildings
including barracks, granaries and other stores. In the centre of
the fort facing the main gateway would have been the headquarters
building or Principia and alongside this would have been the commandant’s
house.
The survey also suggests that the road approaching
the main gateway was flanked by a series of other timber buildings.
This may have been a small civilian settlement of vicus. The garrison
forts often attracted such informal settlements as members of the
native population took advantage of the presence of a group of well
paid Roman soldiers stationed far from home. This settlement provides
an excellent opportunity to examine the nature of the first non-violent
contact between the indigenous population and the Roman occupiers.
Approximately 200m to the northwest of the fort
the geophysical survey detected what appears to be a large rectangular
building. Was this a bathhouse attached to the military garrison?
It lies near to a stream that would have provided a vital water
supply for such a purpose. Only excavation will tell.
Although we can tell a lot of information from
the geophysical survey, many of these suggestions can only be tested
by excavation. Excavation will also provide the critical dating
evidence, coins and pottery that may confirm when the forts were
built and abandoned.
Link to the Llandeilo Fort
Projects page
Llandeilo Fort
Newsletter July 2006 in Adobe Acrobat format (opens in new window)
Day
1 (June 27th) – A very long and hot first
day. It began with the removal of the topsoil from three
areas of the fort with an excavator, expertly driven
by Eynon Price. Trench 1 was located across the defences
of the larger fort and Trench 2 was located in the central
area of the smaller fort where it intersects with the
defences of the smaller fort. The third area that was
started was Trench 7 which was located in the area of
the vicus (the civilian settlement) to the northeast
of the forts.
The first group of volunteers arrived
in the afternoon and soon began work on Trenches 2 and
7. The first surprise of the excavation was the discovery
of an intact pot at the northwestern end of the trench.
The discovery of fragments of burnt bone in the same
area suggests that it might have been part of a cremation
burial. Does this mean that the site was used as a cemetery
long after the forts were abandoned? Meanwhile in Trench
1 there was evidence for massive post holes and ditches
associated with the defences. Clearly, the archaeology
is going to be very exciting.
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The pottery vessel found in a small pit just
below the ploughsoil in Trench 2
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The site director Gwilym Hughes giving instructions
to some of the volunteers in Trench 1
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Day
2 (June 28th) – Most of the day was spent
cleaning the surface of the archaeology in Trenches
1 and 2. The large post pits in Trench 1 suggest that
we might have found part of the foundations for one
of the gateways into the larger fort. The cleaning of
Trench 2 suggests that there is a very complex sequence
of archaeology in this area. However, it is not yet
clear whether the ditches of the larger fort are later
or earlier than the smaller fort.
We had a number of distinguished visitors
today including Dr Barry Burnham and Dr Paul Rainbird
(both from the University of Lampeter) and Dr Jeffrey
Davies (from the University of Aberystwyth) who all
provided some very useful advice including the identification
of some of the pottery. It seems that the majority of
the material that has been found so far sits comfortably
in the late first century AD and the early second century
AD.
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Trench 2 has now been fully cleaned
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The volunteers and staff being treated to a lecture
during their tea break
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Dr Jeff Davies (Universrity of Aberystwyth) discussing
some of the pottery finds with Dr Emma Plunkett-Dillon
(National Trust) and Dr Paul Rainbird (University
of Lampeter)
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Day
3 (June 29th) – We have now begun excavating
features in Trenches 1, 2 and 7. Overnight thunderstorms
have helped soften the ground and at least this has
made excavating the features much easier.
In Trench 1 we have started to excavate
a section across the inner defensive ditch of the larger
fort and one of the large post pits that we think may
relate to the gateway.
In Trench 2 we have started examining
two linear features that we think might represent slumping
into the defensive ditches of the earlier fort. A group
of local volunteers was also on site for the afternoon
helping to define the features and layers at the northwestern
end of the trench.
In Trench 7, which is located approximately
100 m to the northeast of the forts, we have started
excavating what appear to be ditches either side of
a roadway approaching the entrance to the smaller fort.
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A possible roadside ditch in Trench 7
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Local volunteers defining features in Trench
2
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Work in the area of the fort defences in Trench
1
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Day
4 (June 30th) – Our first really wet
day with almost continuous rain. This slowed down our
progress substantially. The post pits in Trench 1 seem
to be cut into the natural clay and bedrock. It seems
that there is no trace of the rampart suggesting that
the whole area may have been heavily truncated. Our
interpretation of the two linear features in Trench
2 is now changing. We are beginning to think that they
might represent drainage ditches either side of a road
inside the smaller fort. Although there are no signs
of the road surface between these two ditches, we suspect
that this might have been cut away by later ploughing.
The stony fill of the ditches may be the remains of
this road surface.
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Excavating one of the square post
pits in Trench 1 |
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The dark filled gullies in Trench
2. Are they roadside ditches? |
The rain has started in Trench 2
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Day
5 (July 1st) – We spent much of the day
recording the features in Trench 2 including the possible
roadside ditches and completing the excavation of a
section across the defensive ditch in Trench 1. We now
believe that the post pits in Trench 1 form part of
the side of one of the gateway towers.
In the afternoon we received a visit
from the local member of the Welsh Assembly Government
– Rhodri Glyn Thomas. Meanwhile the production
crew from Time Team arrived to prepare for the filming
over the weekend.
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Planning the roadside ditches in
Trench 2 |
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The Site Director Gwilym Hughes
with Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM
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Day
6 (July 2) – Today was extremely busy
with the excavation being filmed for the Time Team’s
Big Roman Dig. Much of the filming was broadcast live
at about 8.30 in the evening which meant a very long
day for everyone involved. We also opened three new
trenches – Trench 3 in the area of the barracks
of the earlier larger fort, Trench 4 in the area of
the vicus or civilian settlement to the northeast of
the later smaller fort and Trench 6 in the field to
the north to investigate the site of the possible bath
house.
Unfortunately, Trench 6 proved to be
very disappointing with all the evidence suggesting
that in fact we had a post-medieval brick kiln not a
bath house! However, Trench 4 (the vicus) was full of
archaeology including pits, post-holes and ditches.
One post pit was packed full of Roman pottery.
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Excavating a pot filled post hole
in the Vicus (Trench 4) |
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Carenza Lewis from the Time Team
and the possible cremation pot
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Day
7 (July 3rd) – The second day of filming
for the Time Team. Trench 3 was fully cleaned revealing
the evidence of timber foundations of at least two distinct
phases. It seems possible that the earlier phase relates
to the barracks of the early fort and the later phase
to an annex attached to the later fort. Work began on
excavating two of the possible cremation pits in Trench
2. These are thought to post date the abandonment of
the later fort during the early part of the second century.
One appeared to be associated with a post hole containing
a single large ‘melon-bead’.
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Trench 3 - the cut features of the
barracks area
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The film crew from Time Team in
Trench 2
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Day
8 (July 4th) – We began to excavate a
number of features in Trench 4 (the Vicus area) including
what appears to be either a bread oven or a corn drying
kiln. Near the gateway of the early fort in Trench 1
we excavated a small pit that contained the remains
of an amphora, although there was no trace of either
the handles or neck. It may have been re-used as a container
for collecting urine for fulling. |
Excavating the kiln or oven in Trench
4
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The crushed amphora in Trench 1
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Day
9 (July 5th) – It rained all day! There
was no possibility of doing any work on site and so
most of the morning was spent washing the finds in one
of the tents. We are still receiving visitors, even
in the pouring rain. A welcome visit from Peter and
Janet Webster (University of Cardiff) to discuss the
dating of some of the finds. So far there is nothing
that is earlier than the late first century AD and nothing
that is later than the early second century AD. The
latest dateable item is a single sherd of Samian Ware
that might be Hadrianic in date (AD 117-138). |
Showing visitors the site in the
rain including finds specialists Peter and Janet Webster
from the Univesrity of Cardiff
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Washing pottery in the finds processing
tent
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Day
10 (July 6th) – It was very windy today
but at least it was dry. The first coin from the excavation
was found in Trench 4 – a bronze coin of the Emperor
Trajan (AD 97–117). Meanwhile, a deposit of charcoal
containing a large quantity of charred grain was recovered
from the bottom fill of the defensive ditch in Trench
1. The first of many school parties visited the site
today (Llandeilo County Primary School) and they were
guided around by the site education officer, Richard
Jones. We also welcomed another group of volunteers
who helped to define the wall trenches of the barracks
in Trench 3. |
Charcoal from the basal fill of
the defensive ditch in Trench 1 containing charred grain |
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The first school visit from Llandeilo
CP |
Volunteers working in Trench 3 |
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Day
11 (July 7th) – Many important visitors
during the day including Cadw Monuments inspectors –
Sian Rees, Kate Roberts and Jonathon Berry. We also
received further school visits – this time from
Ysgol Teilo Sant and from Ysgol Llangynnor.
In Trench 2 we completed the excavation
of two of the possible cremation pits, one of which
also appears to have contained a substantial post.
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Excavating the pit with cremated
bone in Trench 2
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Ken Murphy from Dyfed Archaeological Trust
describing features in the Vicus arae to members of
staff from Cadw
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School groups from Ysgol Teilo Sant
and Ysgol Llangunnor at Trench 2
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Day
12 (July 8th) – The excavation of features
associated with the vicus continued in Trench 4. One
of the ditches in this area proved to be very substantial
(over 1m deep and over 2m wide). There is now a suggestion
that this might be one side of a ‘practice camp’
outside the garrison fort. |
Showing students around from the
University of Glamorgan
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Levelling features in Trench 2
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Day
13 (July 9th) – A highly successful open
day. Various estimates of the numbers of visitors ranged
between 750 and 1000. The very hot day clearly brought
out the crowds. The visitors enjoyed exhibitions of
the results of the excavation so far and of the Time
Team filming the previous weekend. There was also a
display of work from Ysgol Gynradd Ffairfach using teaching
resource packs that have been produced to assist with
the school visits to the excavation. |
Hannah Bowden showing visitors some
of the finds
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The Open Day inside the exhibition
tent
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Day
14 (July 10th) – Day off! |
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Day
15 (July 11th) – The hottest day so far.
The ground is becoming very dry and it is getting very
difficult to excavate. However, we began excavating
the linear gullies in Trench 3. We think that these
are the foundation slots for timbers associated with
the barrack block. However, several phases are clearly
present with some of the foundations at different orientations.
We also continued to process and sort the finds from
the excavation.
A group of approximately 20 teenagers
spent the day on the site as part of a work experience
for Careers Wales. They helped to begin work on three
2m x 2m test pits in the vicus area to test the depth
of the archaeological stratigraphy in the area of a
small pond. Part of a large melon bead was recovered
from the topsoil in one of these test pits.
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Processing the finds from the excavation
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Coping with the sun in Trench 3 |
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Day
16 (July 12th) – The sun continues to
shine. In Trench 1 we continued the excavation of the
outer defensive ditch near to the gateway of the earlier
fort. It was surprisingly narrow and shallow and unfortunately
completely lacking in finds.
In Trench 2, we excavated to large
square post pits. These structural features maybe associated
with the Principia (Headquarters) of the fort.
Meanwhile we were treated to a drive
past by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall
although they did not have time to stop and visit the
excavation!
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Excavating a post pit in Trench
2 - possibly part of a colonade associated with the
principia |
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Excavating the outer ditch near
the gateway in Trench 1 |
A fly past from Prince Charles and
the Duchess of Cornwall after having lunch at Newton
House
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Day
17 (July 13th) – The cut features in
Trench 3 are proving to be very complicated. We now
think that we can identify part of the plan of a large
rectangular building – probably a barrack block.
However, the pictures is confused by a number of other
inter-cutting features representing later phases of
building. |
The complex rock cut gullies in
Trench 3 |
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Working in Trench 2
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Day
18 (July 14th) – All the features associated
with the later fort in Trench 2 appear to be cut though
a thick layer of clay silt that may be a levelling layer
over the remains of the earlier fort. By excavating
a section though this layer we hoped that we might identify
the defences of the earlier fort. By the end of the
day we do indeed appear to have identified a large cut
feature that may be one of the defensive ditches. We
hope to clarify this tomorrow. Meanwhile we have been
excavating a large pit also in Trench 2 that has contained
a large assemblage of Roman pottery and glass. |
The dark fill of the cut feature
in Trench 2. This could be the fill of the defensive
ditch of the early fort |
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Excavating a large pit of gully
in Trench 2 |
Students of Ysgol Tregib being given
a talk on the pottery from the excavation
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Day
19 (July 15th) – An extremely busy day
as we tried to tie up all the loose ends before finishing
the excavation. We welcomed a second group from Careers
Wales with another 20+ youngsters spending a day on
the excavation as part of their work experience. We
also welcomed back a BBC Wales TV film crew together
with the presenter Jamie Owen. They were featuring the
excavation as part of a future BBC2 series on the landscapes
of Wales.
A final set of photographs was taken
from each of the trenches using a photographic tower.
Although we have achieved all our objectives the excavation
is far from complete. In particular we very much hope
to return to continue the excavation of Trenches 2 and
4. In Trench 2 we have had tantalising glimpses of the
headquarters building – the Principia and have
finally identified part of the defences of the early
fort beneath a levelling horizon for the second, smaller
fort. However, we have only scratched the surface of
what is clearly a complex stratigraphy. Trench 4 has
demonstrated the potential that the site has for addressing
the key questions about the process of Romanisation
in southwest Wales.
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Final photograph of Trench 3
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Final photograph of Trench 2
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Final photograph of Trench 4
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Day
20 (July 16th) – The second Public Open
Day and the final day of the excavation – the
site is backfilled on Monday. There was an even bigger
turnout for the Open Day than the previous Saturday
with estimates suggesting over 1000 visitors. It was
very tiring for those giving talks at the various trenches
but it was also very rewarding to have such a large
public response.
This has been a hugely successful excavation
and a very big thank you to all the staff of both Dyfed Archaeological Trust and the National Trust and to all the volunteers
who have worked so hard during the three weeks. We very
mush hope that we will be able to secure funding and
support for future programmes of work at what is clearly
a very rewarding and exciting site.
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Open day |
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The defensive ditch of the early
fort underlying the later fort in Trench 2
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