GGAT00218m

The Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust
Historic Environment Record

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Roman Villa, Dan-y-Graig House, Porthcawl

Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 00218m
Trust : Glamorgan Gwent
Community : Porthcawl
Unitary authority : Bridgend
NGR : SS84037803
Site Type (preferred type first) : Roman Villa
Status : listed building II, Scheduled Monument

Summary :
Site of a Roman villa, partly excavated in the 19th century and surveyed by magnetometry and resistivity in 1989. Excavation revealed 8 phases of activity, mostly between the mid 3rd-mid 4thC, and survey showed the larger extent of the building complex.

Description :
Villa site partly excavated in 1985-86 and surveyed by magnetometry and resistivity in 1989. Excavation revealed a sequence of 8 phases of activity, some quite minor; most of the activity took place between the mid 3rd century and the mid 4th century. The earliest features noted in the excavation was a post-hole structure or structures of indeterminate type and unknown date, possibly of more than one phase.

The post-holes were overlain by patches of metalling, within one of which was part of a badly robbed rectangular building in coursed rubble laid with pink mortar, 7.70 wide and at least 6.22m long, and containing a T-shaped kiln which appears to have been used for drying corn or malting. Later features included a large void, a series of post-holes cut into the metalled surfaces and a boundary bank, followed in the 19th century by landscaping.

The geophysical survey indicated that the excavated area formed part of a complex of masonry buildings of which the main range seems to have run at right-angles to the excavated building, possibly with other ranges or detached buildings to north and east. A winged corridor plan seems most likely. Finds recovered from the excavation, and from the site in the 19th century, included painted wall plaster, opus signinum and hexagonal roofing slates in Pennant sandstone.

This appears to be a well-preserved Roman villa site consisting of a dwelling with agricultural processing structures. Roman villas are not common in Wales, and this particular example is likely to come under threat from development pressures. (Evans 2001)

Sources :
Evans, E M , 2001 , Romano-British southeast Wales settlement survey: Final report (

© Geophysical Surveys of Bradford (GSB))
Newman, R. , 1990 , Excavations of a Romano-British building at Dan-y-Graig, Porthcawl, Mid Glamorgan (SS 8407 7805) , Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies : 37 : 247-280
Newman, R. and Price, I.M. , 1989 , Preliminary Report on Excavations at Dan-y-Graig House, Porthcawl (

© GGAT)
RCAHMW , 1976 , An Inventory of the Ancient Monuments in Glamorgan: Vol I Pre-Norman; Part II The Iron Age and Roman Occupation
The Handley Partnership , HAAbase built heritage assessment system: Buildings at Risk database
02/PH Desc Text//Knight Rev.H/1853/Archaeol Cambrensis/p.96-7;
01/MM Record Card/OS//1956/SS 87 NW 31/;
06/MM Photos/GGAT/Morgan J/October 1985//;
03/PM Desc Text///1927-9/Bull Board Celtic Stud/Vol.4 p.259;
05/MM Record Card/OS//1978/SS 87 NW 31/;
07/MM Desc Text/GGAT/Dowdell G/1985/Archaeology in Wales/Vol.25 p.30
08/pm desc Text//Newman R/1990/Bull Board Celtic Stud/Vol 37 247-80
04/PM List/RCHM//1976/Glam Invent/No.757;
09/Pm Desc Text/Prelininary Report on Excavations at Dan-Y-Graig House, Porthcawl/GGAT1989/GGAT SMR Report Archive
10/Desc Text/Cadw/New Entry to the Schedule of Monuments/27/06/2005/Copy in further information file.031
010/Desc Text/Cadw/Full Management Report/2007/Copy in further information file.

Events :
E000161 : Dan-y-Graig House (year : 1985)
E001657 : Romano-British Southeast Wales Settlement Survey (year : 1998-2001)
E000919 : Preliminary excavation at Dan--y-Graig House (year : 1989)
E000155 : Dan-y-Graig House, Porthcawl (year : 1989)
E001490 : Dan-y-Graig, Porthcawl (year : 1989)
E002346 : Dan-y-Graig, Newton, Porthcawl (year : 1998)
E006299 : South Wales Police Headquarters, Bridgend (year : 2018)
E008403 : Land at Cypress Gardens, Newton, Bridgend (year : 2021)
E008569 : Land of the A48, Pyle, Bridgend (year : 2018)

Related records
GGAT Historic Environment Record (HER) 01885m
GGAT Historic Environment Record (HER) 04732-5m

Compiled date : 01-02-1977

April 14, 2025, 2:50 pm - HTML file produced from GGAT HER Charitable Trust Ltd. Heathfield House, Heathfield, Swansea SA1 Tel. 01792 655208; Fax 01792 474469 website: www.ggat.org.uk email: her@ggat.org.uk Registered Charity no. 505609
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