The Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust
Historic Environment Record
 

The following information has been provided under the terms and conditions of access as detailed on GGAT’s website www.ggat.org.uk.  Copyright is reserved on all data supplied by the GGAT HER Charitable Trust. All output resulting from the use of the data must acknowledge the source as follows:-
Derived from information held by the GGAT HER Charitable Trust copyright.

The data below is intended to be used for information and research only and is not for use as part of a commercial project.  If you wish to use information derived from material held by the GGAT HER Charitable Trust for publication in printed or multimedia form or to compile resources for commercial use, prior permission must be obtained in writing. For further information or to arrange a visit to the Trust please send an enquiry form http://www.ggat.org.uk/her/english/enquiry_form.html to her@ggat.org.uk.

Industrial Area, S Gate of Cardiff Roman Fort

Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 03509s
Trust : Glamorgan Gwent
Community : Castle
Unitary authority : Cardiff
NGR : ST1808676563
Site Type (preferred type first) : Roman annexe / Roman vicus / Roman iron working site / Roman Structure
Status : registered parks and gardens

Summary :
Structures and evidence for iron smelting and smithing found to the south of the south gate of the Roman forts 2 and 3 at Cardiff, found during the excavation of the castle. This must have been in an annexe to the fort or the vicus (civil settlement).

Description :
Structures and evidence for iron smelting and smithing found to the south of the south gate of the Roman forts 2 and 3 at Cardiff were found during the excavation of the castle in the 1970s. This must have been in an annexe to the fort or in the vicus (civil settlement).
(Webster 1981)

Features and structures relating to the extramural settlement (vicus) were found during the excavations in 2005-06, in advance of a new visitor centre at Cardiff Castle. They were located to the south of the second and third forts, within the confines of the first fort and close to the limit of the fourth fort. They largely comprise of industrial activity on both side of the contemporary road, including a kiln and numerous small pits. The industrial deposits extend over the foundation deposits of the 1st century road and are were finds rich. They included the remains of a kiln, two stone walls (or two faces of the same wall from which the core had been removed), a cobbled spread, and a pit containing hammerscale. Rubbish pits were also present, and seem likely to represent part of the rubbish disposal system of the forts.
Similar features were noted by Webster (1981) during previous investigations to the south of the third fort, north of the area excavated in 2005-06. He noted significant industrial activity in the area, including large quantities of tap slag, together with furnace lining, and it is possible that the features noted during both excavations formed part of a larger area of extra-mural activity.
Dunning 2011

Sources :
Evans, E M , 2001 , Romano-British southeast Wales settlement survey: Final report ( © GGAT)
01/PM Desc text/1981/Webster/PV/Morgannwg/25/pp42-44

Events :
E001657 : Romano-British Southeast Wales Settlement Survey (year : 1998-2001)

Related records
GGAT Historic Environment Record (HER) 00101s

Compiled date : 10-05-2002


April 3, 2025, 12:25 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
Data supplied by in partnership with Local Authorities, Cadw and the partners of ENDEX © GGAT HER Charitable Trust, 2025 (and in part © Crown, 2025).