The Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust
Historic Environment Record
 

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Wyndcliffe Roman Settlement

Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 00764g
Trust : Glamorgan Gwent
Community : St Arvans
Unitary authority : Monmouthshire
NGR : ST52829766
Site Type (preferred type first) : Roman Settlement
Status : Scheduled Monument

Summary :
Roman building or enclosure visible on aerial photos. A fragment of a stone rampart identified on the ground, with a stone finial found similar to that from Llantwit Major.

Description :
Remains on ground reported as 'double walls...with a distance of about 5 ft between them, extend[ing] 70 yards' to where is disappeared in dense undergrowth'. At the bottom of the western slopes of the hill between an old limekiln and the path which leads through the Woods from St Arvans to the summit of the Wyndcliff is seen the unmistakable fragment of a stone rampart of different construction to those above; as this one is a single wall 7 or 8 yards wide.' APs show a possible rectilinear structure or enclosure. Finds include stone finial similar to that from Llantwit Major. (Nash Williams 1928, 266). More recently a series of metal detector finds have been made, including part of a bronze statue (Trett and Hudson 1993). Boon (1973, 44) surmised that this site was a temple, probably because of the location on a waterless hilltop. (Evans 2001)

Aerial photographs under drought conditions show buried wall foundations of a rectangular building with a set of internal rooms on either side. No signs of other activity in the immediate vicinity so possibly not a villa but a religious building. Building is in a prominent position on a limestone ridge. Photograph also shows a hill top encircling ditch and linear banks or trackways. The ditch appears to be a demarcation and not a defensive perimeter. if the Roman building were temple then possibly built on a previous native religious site. (Sorrell 2017)

Sources :
Cadw , New Entry to the Schedule of Monuments
Evans, E M , 2001 , Romano-British southeast Wales settlement survey: Final report ( © GGAT)
Sorrell. J. , 2017 , Hidden History: Archaeology from the air in South-East Wales
01/Mm AP Gazeteer/2004 January/Sorrell John/Aerial Archaeological Photographs of Gwent/SMR
02/Desc Text/Cadw/ancient monuments and archaeological areas act/2009/copy in further information file
Boon, G C, 1973, An illustrated guide to the ancient monuments of Wales 4: The Roman occupation
Nash-Williams, V E, 1928, Topographical list of Roman remains found in South Wales, Bull Board Celtic Stud 4, 246-71
Trett, B and Hudson R, 1993, Newport Museum, enquiries, Archaeol Wales 23, 62
Anon, 1893, Archaeol Cambrensis 5 ser 10, 340-1

Events :
E001657 : Romano-British Southeast Wales Settlement Survey (year : 1998-2001)
E001665 : Field visit to Wyndcliff (year : 1999)
E008773 : GGAT52: Monmouthshire Historic Settlements, Caldicot & Raglan (year : 1999)

Related records
GGAT Historic Environment Record (HER) 06146g
GGAT Historic Environment Record (HER) 02975g
National Monuments Record NPRN 410589 http://www.coflein.gov.uk/en/site/410589/details/wyndcliff-roman-site

Compiled date : 02-03-1988


Images :



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