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Parc Cybi, Holyhead: Post Excavation Assessment of Potential Report Volume I

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Parc Cybi, Holyhead: Post Excavation Assessment of Potential Report Volume I 954 Pare Cybi, Holyhead: post excavation assessment of potential report volume I GAT Project No. 1701 Repo rt No. 954 June 2011 Ymddiriedolaeth Archaeolegol Gwynedd Gwynedd Archaeological Trust Craig Beuno, Ffordd y Garth, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2RT Parc Cybi, Holyhead: post excavation assessment of potential report volume I Report No. 954 Prepared for Atkins on behalf of the Welsh Assembly Government June 2011 By Jane Kenney, Neil McGuinness, Richard Cooke, Cat Rees, and Andrew Davidson with a contribution by David Jenkins Front cover: sketch by Tegwyn Jones of view across the site in 1953, looking towards Tyddyn Pioden and the wind mill beyond and photograph of similar view with archaeologists working on the roundhouse settlement Ymddiriedolaeth Archaeolegol Gwynedd Gwynedd Archaeological Trust Craig Beuno, Ffordd y Garth, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2RT PARC CYBI, HOLYHEAD (G1701) ASSESSMENT OF POTENTIAL FOR ANALYSIS Contents List of Tables......................................................................................................................................................3 List of Figures.....................................................................................................................................................3 List of Plates.......................................................................................................................................................3 SUMMARY .............................................................................................................................................................4 INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................................................4 Background.............................................................................................................................................................5 Topographic background....................................................................................................................................5 Geology ..............................................................................................................................................................6 Archaeological and historical background..........................................................................................................7 Project background.............................................................................................................................................9 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ....................................................................................................................................9 EXCAVATION METHODOLOGY ....................................................................................................................10 QUANTIFICATION OF RESULTS....................................................................................................................11 Site records .......................................................................................................................................................11 Environmental samples.....................................................................................................................................11 Finds .................................................................................................................................................................12 EXCAVATION RESULTS..................................................................................................................................12 Stratigraphic and structural data ...........................................................................................................................12 Mesolithic.............................................................................................................................................................13 Early Neolithic......................................................................................................................................................13 Early Neolithic rectangular timber building (PRN 31570)...............................................................................13 Early Neolithic Activity in Area E (PRN 18406) .............................................................................................22 Early Neolithic Activity in Area M (PRN 31571) ............................................................................................23 Later Neolithic......................................................................................................................................................25 Classic pit clusters ............................................................................................................................................25 Later Neolithic activity in Area J......................................................................................................................29 Bronze Age...........................................................................................................................................................33 Burnt Mounds...................................................................................................................................................33 Timber roundhouse in K1 (PRN 31588)...........................................................................................................38 Bronze Age pits and related features in K1 ......................................................................................................40 Ceremonial complex in areas M2 and M4........................................................................................................41 The Tŷ Mawr Standing Stone (PRN 2501).......................................................................................................55 Areas B2 and F1 (PRN 14599).........................................................................................................................56 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................56 Natural substrate...............................................................................................................................................56 Topography and the marsh ...............................................................................................................................56 Bronze Age (phase I)........................................................................................................................................58 Iron Age (phases II-III).....................................................................................................................................60 Roman Period (Phase IV) .................................................................................................................................72 Later features (Phases V-VII)...........................................................................................................................74 Finds .................................................................................................................................................................75 Area north-west of roundhouse settlement .......................................................................................................76 Field boundaries to east of settlement (PRN 31594) ........................................................................................78 Iron Age roundhouses in area K (PRN 31595).................................................................................................79 Roman period .......................................................................................................................................................89 Building complex in area K9 (PRN 31596)......................................................................................................89 Trackway and possible field system (PRN 31597).........................................................................................100 Area K5 and the potential of another roundhouse settlement (PRN 14602)...................................................102 Pit group 19073 and possibly related features in area I ..................................................................................103 Early medieval....................................................................................................................................................103 Early medieval long cist cemetery (PRN 31600)............................................................................................103 1 Medieval.............................................................................................................................................................109 Corn drying ovens ..........................................................................................................................................109 Post medieval......................................................................................................................................................110 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................110 Farmsteads......................................................................................................................................................111
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