Llangadfan Powys
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Archaeological Observation Amey Construction Maes Glas to Foel Phase 4: Llangadfan Powys Report Specification: Report Ref: Compilation: BA1547MGFL Katherine Crooks BA Grid Reference: Artwork: NGR: SJ 01289 10691 Holly Litherland BA OS Licence No: Editing: 100055758 George Children MA MCIfA Date: Final Edit & Approval: October 2015 Neil Shurety Dip.M G M Inst M Cover: View WNW showing Cann Office Hotel and outbuildings on N side of A458 road at Llangadfan General Enquiries: E: [email protected] | T: 01568 610101 Border Archaeology Regional Offices Bristol Milton Keynes Park House, 10 Park Street, Luminous House, 300 South Row, Bristol, BS1 5HX Milton Keynes, MK9 2FR T: 0117 907 4735 T: 01908 933765 Leeds Newport No 1 Leeds, 26 Whitehall Road, Merlin House, No1 Langstone Business Park, Leeds, LS12 1BE Newport, NP18 2HJ T: 0113 3570390 T: 01633 415339 Leominster (Administration) Winchester Chapel Walk, Burgess Street, Basepoint Business Centre, Winnal Valley Road, Leominster, HR6 8DE Winchester, SO23 0LD T: 01568 610101 T: 01962 832777 London 23 Hanover Square, London, W1S 1JB T: 020 3714 9345 Bristol | Leeds | Leominster | London | Milton Keynes | Newport | Winchester Border Archaeology Limited: Registered Office: 45 Etnam Street, Leominster, HR6 8AE Company Registration No: 07857388 Archaeological Observation October 2015 Contents: 1 Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................................... 1 2 Introduction....................................................................................................................................................... 2 2.1 Soils & Geology .......................................................................................................................................... 2 3 Historical and Archaeological Background ........................................................................................................ 3 4 Methodology ..................................................................................................................................................... 5 4.1 Finds and sampling .................................................................................................................................... 5 4.2 Recording................................................................................................................................................... 6 5 Results ............................................................................................................................................................... 7 5.1 Pit 1 ........................................................................................................................................................... 7 5.2 Pit 2 ........................................................................................................................................................... 8 5.3 Trench 1 ..................................................................................................................................................... 9 5.4 Trench 2 ................................................................................................................................................... 10 5.5 Trench 3 ................................................................................................................................................... 11 6 Discussion ........................................................................................................................................................ 12 7 Copyright ......................................................................................................................................................... 14 8 Bibliography .................................................................................................................................................... 14 1 Archaeological Observation October 2015 1 Executive Summary Border Archaeology was commissioned by Amey Construction Ltd on behalf of Severn Trent Water to undertake archaeological observation of engineering groundworks located to the southeast of the village of Llangadfan Powys relating to the installation of a replacement water main extending between Maes Glas and Foel. The groundworks comprised pit and trenching excavations both within the carriageway and verges of the modern A458 road, adjacent to the earthwork remains of a rectilinear enclosure believed to be of medieval origin. The function of the earthwork enclosure is unknown but it is possible that it had an association with the motte located at the Cann Office Hotel, some 130m to the northwest. The earthworks appear to have been truncated at their northwest extent by the construction of the modern road, leaving only the southern and parts on the eastern and western enclosure boundaries in the field to the south. It was considered possible that further evidence of the enclosure potentially survives as sub-surface deposits beneath the road and in the fields to the north. However, no archaeological features or deposits were identified during the course of this programme of archaeological observation. 2 Archaeological Observation October 2015 2 Introduction Border Archaeology Ltd (BAL) was commissioned by Amey Construction Ltd on behalf of Severn Trent Water to undertake archaeological observation (‘watching brief’) of open-cut trenching (1.2m wide) for the installation of a replacement water main extending between Moel Glas and Foel Llangadfan Powys. The water main runs either within the A458 road or in the flanking verges and the programme of archaeological work related to a section of main to the SE of the village of Llangadfan (centred on NGR: SJ 01289 10691), where the road appears to cut across the projected N extent of a rectangular earthwork structure of probable medieval date (PRN: 6094) which may have been associated with the castle motte located immediately W of the Cann Office Hotel (fig. 1). Site work took place on 23rd and 28th September 2015. Fig. 1: Site location 2.1 Soils & Geology The engineering works took place within an area of cambic stagnogley soils of the CEGIN series (713d) consisting of slowly permeable, seasonally waterlogged fine silty and clayey soils, with well-drained fine loamy soils over 3 Archaeological Observation October 2015 rock in places (SSEW 1983). The bedrock geology is of the Nantglyn Flags Formation consisting of Mudstone, Siltstone and Sandstone (British Geological Society). Fig. 2: Plan showing locations of pits and trenching in relation to the projected extent of the rectangular earthwork enclosure feature (PRN: 6094) of probable medieval date 3 Historical and Archaeological Background A number of standing stones and cairns of Bronze Age date attest to occupation around Llangadfan, the closest of these being the Dol y Pebyll Barrow (PRN: 1232), the Nant Bran Cairn (PRN: 1231) and the Gwynyndy Cist (PRN: 1207). There is little evidence for occupation predating the Bronze Age. The closest monument dating to the Iron Age is the Gogarddan hillfort (PRN: 499). 4 Archaeological Observation October 2015 There is little evidence for Roman occupation in the area. A Roman road runs N from Caersws, which has led to attempts to find Roman settlements in the Banwy valley, and a further Roman road runs E from Llangadfan to Wern, some 28km to the W. Llangadfan (PRN: 15719) is traditionally associated with the Breton Saint Cadfan who, it is claimed, after fleeing the Franks in 510 or 515AD, established a monastic cell in the vicinity, before becoming the first abbot of Bardsey Island. The place name Llankadvan is first mentioned in documentary records in 1254 (‘Church of St Cadfa’). The name first appeared in its present form in 1291 (Silvester, Martin & Watson 2012, 76). There is no evidence for a shrunken medieval village around the church (PRN: 7576) and it is thought that further development during the middle ages may have been slight. However, the establishment of a church is likely to indicate a settlement nearby. The original raised churchyard (PRN: 7577) was hemispherical in shape, with the lych gate (PRN: 97382), which dates to the early 19th century, built into the original enclosure bank. During the 19th and early 20th century, the churchyard doubled in size, although the original boundary is still present. The church was extensively rebuilt and refitted in the second half of the 19th century and the perpendicular window and part of the roof are all that survive of the 15th -century fabric. St Cadfan’s Well (PRN: 1230) is a Grade II listed structure that was housed in a well building at the end of the 18th century; it has an arch and a plaque and lies next to the road below the church. The engineering groundworks were located at a point where the A458 crosses the projected northern extent of an earthwork enclosure of probable rectangular form (PRN: 6094), the visible remains of which lie in the field immediately to the S of the road. These earthwork remains were originally thought to be of Roman date; however, subsequent excavation disproved this interpretation (Jones & Putnam 1966, 156). Sections were excavated through the E and W ramparts, the principal trench running through the E rampart, which was found to have a core of dumped stone, topped with gravel and faced with clay and turf. The rampart was about 6m (21 feet) thick. Much of it had been ploughed-out, with part of the core deposited in the