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

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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

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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.

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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

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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).

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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 ditch and the rampart surviving to a height of only some 0.45m (Jones & Putnam 1966). The ditch was only 0.61m deep and some 4.9m wide. It was separated from the rampart by a berm 2.4m wide. The recovery of a small number of sherds of medieval glazed ware and the construction method employed were considered sufficient evidence upon which to base a medieval date and the earthworks were considered to form an enclosure probably associated with the Norman motte located immediately to the W of the Cann Office Hotel. Their rectilinear form is reflected in an example at Mathrafal and is not considered significant (Jones & Putnam 1966, 155-6).

A 17th -century lease refers to Ty’n y Domen (‘domen’ meaning ‘a castle mound’). It seems likely that the ‘domen’ or ‘mound’ place-name element was dropped in favour of the ditches, which may have been more obvious at the time, as the name ‘Cann Office’ may derive from Cae’n y ffoss or ‘fortified or ditched enclosure’ (O’Neil, 1932). More recently, in the 19th century, Cann Office was a posting station on the turnpike road from Welshpool to Machynlleth.

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Archaeological Observation October 2015

4 Methodology

All archaeological works undertaken within the study area reflected accepted standards of professional and ethical procedure. These sources include Management of Projects in the Historic Environment: The Project Managers’ Guide (Lee 2015) and Standard and Guidance for an archaeological watching brief (CIfA 2014). BAL adheres to the CIfA Code of conduct (2014).

The Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (2014, 4) states that the purpose of a watching brief is:

 To allow, within the resources available, the preservation by record of archaeological deposits, the presence and nature of which could not be established (or established with sufficient accuracy) in advance of development or other potentially disruptive works  To provide an opportunity, if needed, for the watching archaeologist to signal to all interested parties, before the destruction of the material in question, that an archaeological find has been made for which the resources allocated to the watching brief itself are not sufficient to support treatment to a satisfactory and proper standard

The engineering groundworks comprised two phases of excavation. The initial phase of works was carried out on September 23rd 2015 and comprised excavation of two pits, Pit 1 (NGR: SJ 01284 10694) and Pit 2 (NGR: SJ 01255 10708), located in the N carriageway of the A458 and a section of trenching, Trench 1 (NGR: SJ 01304 10691), which was opened in the verge on the N side of the road. The pits and trenching were subsequently reinstated prior to commencement of the second phase of groundworks on September 28th 2015, which comprised two shallow trenches extending roughly SW across the road from the locations of the previously excavated pits, namely, Trench 2 (Pit 2) (NGR: SJ 01253 10708 – centre) and Trench 3 (Pit 1) (NGR: SJ 01281 10694 – centre) (fig. 2).

All excavations within the archaeologically sensitive area were subject to archaeological supervision down to engineering depth. Trenching excavated across the carriageway was opened in two phases to ensure the road remained open to traffic. Excavation of both stages took place under archaeological supervision.

Investigation was sufficient to define any identified archaeological deposits, features and structures in terms of their character, extent, quality and preservation and to enable an assessment of their worth in a local, regional, national or international context, as appropriate (CIfA 2014, 15).

4.1 Finds and sampling

No archaeological deposits or features were present on the site. No samples were taken and no finds were recovered.

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4.2 Recording

Full written, graphic and photographic records were made in accordance with BAL’s Archaeological Field Recording Manual (2014). The written record comprised detailed stratigraphic recording using individual pro- forma context sheets and a context numbering system.

Plans, sections and elevations were produced on gridded, archive-stable polyester film at scales of 1:10 or 1:20, as appropriate. Representative measured sections were prepared as appropriate showing the sequence and depths of deposits. Sections contained level information relative to OS data. All drawings were numbered and listed in a drawing register, these drawing numbers being cross-referenced to written site records.

A photographic record was made using a high-resolution digital camera, comprising photographs of archaeological features and appropriate groups of features and structures. An appropriate scale was included in each photograph and all photographic records were indexed and cross-referenced to written site records. Details concerning subject and direction of view were maintained in a photographic register, indexed by frame number.

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5 Results

5.1 Pit 1

The pit measured 2.30m (N/S) × 1.10m (N), 0.90m (S) × 1.0m

Finds Context Matrix Item Type Interpretation Discussion Small Sample Comments No. Phase Pot Bone Misc. Find No. Existing road Hard, black & blackish-grey tarmac & sub-base; 0.20m 1 101 Deposit surface & sub------thick. Overlying (102) base Made-ground Greyish-brown clay silt, frequent large angular stones & 2 102 Deposit for modern gravel; 0.55m thick, trench wide. Underlying (101), - - - - - road overlying above (103) Natural Sterile, firm light yellowish-brown silt clay (seen in Natural 3 103 Deposit - - - - - deposition base); >0.25m thick, trench wide. Underlying (102). deposits

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Archaeological Observation October 2015

5.2 Pit 2

The pit measured 2.30m (NE/SW) × 1.0m (NW/SE) × 1.0m

Finds Context Matrix Item Type Interpretation Discussion Small Sample Comments No. Phase Pot Bone Misc. Find No. Existing road Hard, black & blackish-grey tarmac & sub base; 0.20m 1 201 Deposit surface & sub------thick. Overlying (202) base Made-ground Greyish-brown clay silt, frequent large angular stones & 2 202 Deposit for modern gravel; 0.60m thick, trench wide. Underlying (201), - - - - - road overlying (203) Natural Sterile, firm light yellowish-brown silt clay (seen in Natural 3 203 Deposit deposition - - - - - base); >0.50m thick, trench wide. Beneath (202). deposits

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Archaeological Observation October 2015

5.3 Trench 1

The trench extended WNW/ESE in the carriageway and measured 3.50m × 1.20m × 0.70m

Finds Context Matrix Item Type Interpretation Discussion Small Sample Comments No. Phase Pot Bone Misc. Find No. Existing road Hard, black & blackish-grey tarmac & sub base; 0.25m 1 001 Deposit surface & sub - - - - - thick. Overlying (002) base Made-ground Greyish-brown clay silt, frequent large angular stones & 2 002 Deposit for modern gravel and occasional brick fragments; 0.60m thick, - - - - - road trench wide. Underlying (001), overlying (003) Natural Sterile, firm light yellowish-brown silt clay (seen in Natural 3 003 Deposit - - - - - deposition base); >0.50m thick, trench wide. Beneath (102). deposits Red ceramic drain pipe, 0.10m diameter (approx.) Modern oriented E-W, visible in S-facing section (at depth of 4 004 Drain ceramic storm 0.85m below ground level). No cut for drain pipe drain discernible

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Archaeological Observation October 2015

5.4 Trench 2

The trench extended NE/SW across the road and measured 5.10m × 0.90m × 0.70m

Finds Context Matrix Item Type Interpretation Discussion Small Sample Comments No. Phase Pot Bone Misc. Find No. Existing road Hard, black & blackish-grey tarmac; 0.20m thick. 1 301 Deposit - - - - - surface Overlying (302) Aggregate bedding Friable, greyish-brown sandy clay, frequent grey stone; 2 302 Deposit material - - - - - 0.30m thick. Underlying (301), overlying (303) forming road sub-base Bedding Firm, bright yellowish-grey clay, frequent medium 3 303 Deposit - - - - - material angular stones; >0.20m. Underlying (302) Moderately compacted – loose, mid-greyish-brown silty Disturbed 4 304 Deposit clay & aggregate, occasional plastic & food wrapping; subsoil 0.30m thick. Underlying (305) Friable mid-brown silty clay, moderate small-medium 5 305 Deposit Topsoil in verge rounded & sub-angular stones, rooting; 0.20m thick. Overlying (304)

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5.5 Trench 3

The trench extended NE/SW across the road and measured 3.10m × 0.90m × 0.75m

Finds Context Matrix Item Type Interpretation Discussion Small Sample Comments No. Phase Pot Bone Misc. Find No. Existing road Hard, black & blackish-grey tarmac; 0.30m thick. 1 401 Deposit - - - - - surface Overlying (402) Greyish-brown clay silt, frequent large angular stones & 2 402 Deposit Road sub-base - - - - - gravel; 0.35m thick. Underlying (401), overlying (403) Natural 3 403 Deposit Stiff greyish-yellow clay; >0.10m thick. Underlying (402) - - - - - deposition Linear; aligned NE/SW; break of slope top sharp, sides near vertical, break of slope base sharp, base flat; 4 404 Cut Cut for service - - - - - measured >0.90m (NW/SE) × 0.8m (NE/SW). Filled by (405), cuts (406) Fill of service Moderately compacted mid-yellowish-grey silty clay. Fill 4 405 Fill - - - - trench [404] of [404] Disturbed ground Firm mid grey silty clay & loose mid-pinkish-brown 5 406 Deposit extending to sandy clay; frequent gravel, occasional tarmac & - - - - - depth of concrete, lighting cable; 0.40m thick. Cut by [404] natural (403) Friable mid-brown silty clay, frequent small-medium 6 407 Deposit Topsoil in verge rounded & sub-angular stones, frequent rooting; 0.25m - - - - - thick. Overlying (406)

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6 Discussion

No archaeological deposits or features were identified during the course of this programme of archaeological observation.

Whilst natural deposits (represented by a firm, sterile light yellowish-brown silty clay) were revealed in the base of Pits 1 & 2 and Trench 1, excavated on the N side of the road (at an approximate depth of c.0.75-0.80m below existing ground level), no archaeological deposits or features were identified. Within Trench 1, a modern ceramic storm drain (approximately 0.10m diameter) was identified at a depth of 0.85m below ground level in the S- facing section of the trench, but it was not possible to identify the cut for the drain, chiefly due to the heavily waterlogged conditions within the trench.

Subsequent trenching carried out on the S side of the road did not exceed the depth of the carriageway sub-base material and there was thus no potential for the identification of archaeological deposits or features. Within the grass verge, considerable disturbance was evident as a result of utility works associated with existing services.

Plate 1: View W of Pit 1 showing E-facing section, with probable natural deposits visible in the base of the trench beneath the road sub-base and made-ground deposit.

It should be noted that the likelihood of encountering isolated features surviving within the enclosure was low due to the limited trench size. Moreover, it is possible that slight or ephemeral features would have been damaged or destroyed during previous road-construction activity and the installation of modern drainage features. Additionally, it should be noted that the enclosure rampart had incurred considerable

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Archaeological Observation October 2015 plough/horticultural damage, which had reduced its height and dispersed the rampart material over a considerable distance, including filling the ditch (Jones & Putnam 1966). It is therefore possible that archaeological features had been damaged prior to road construction.

Plate 2: View W showing E-facing section of Pit 2

Plate 3: View S showing N-facing section of Trench 1

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Plate 4: View N of S-facing section of Trench 1 showing deposits revealed within the roadside verge and a modern ceramic storm drain revealed in section towards the base of the trench

7 Copyright

Border Archaeology shall retain full copyright of any commissioned reports, tender documents or other project documents, under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 with all rights reserved; excepting that it hereby provides a licence to the client and the Council for the use of the report by the client and the Council in all matters directly relating to the project as described in the Project Specification to use the documentation for their statutory functions and to provide copies of it to third parties as an incidental to such functions.

8 Bibliography

Campbell, G., Moffett, L. & Straker, V., 2011, Environmental Archaeology: A Guide to the Theory and Practice of Methods, from Sampling and Recovery to Post-excavation (2nd Edition), Historic England

CPAT Regional Historic Environment Record, http://www.cofiadurcahcymru.org.uk

DCLG, 2012, National Planning Policy Framework

Lee, E., 2015, Management of Research Projects in the Historic Environment: The MoRPHE Project Managers’ Guide, Historic England

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CIfA, 2014, Code of conduct

CIfA, 2014, Standard and guidance for an archaeological watching brief

CIfA, 2014, Standard and guidance for the collection, documentation, conservation and research of archaeological materials

Jones G. D. B. & Putnam W. G., 1966, ‘The Earthwork at Cann Office (Llangadfan)’, Miscellanea; Montgomery Collections 59, parts 1-2, pp 155-8

MGC, 1994, Standards in the museum care of archaeological collections

O’Neil B. H. St. J., 1932, ‘Cann Office, Its history and archaeology’, Collections, Historical and Archaeological relating to Montgomeryshire 42, pp 126-31

Silvester, R. J., Martin, C. H. R. & Watson, S., 2012, Historic settlements in Montgomeryshire, CPAT Report No 1134

SSEW, 1983, Soil Map of England & Wales Scale 1: 250000, Soil Survey of England and Wales

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Report Title Report Ref

Archaeological Observation: Maes Glas to Foel Phase BA1547MGFL 4: Llangadfan Powys Archaeological Observation Report written by Katherine Crooks BA

Reported edited by George Children MA MCIfA

Issue No. Status Date Approved for issue

Neil Shurety Dip. M G M 1 Final October 2015 Inst M