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Historic Environment Record
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Granary, Penydarren Roman Fort
Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 00826m
Trust : Glamorgan Gwent
Community : Park
Unitary authority : Merthyr Tydfil
NGR : SO05080678
Site Type (preferred type first) : Roman Building
Summary :
The foundations of a large buttressed building were found during excavations in 1902-4. The building had a series of transverse walls. Probably a granary or storebuilding.
Description :
Granaries were normally located close to fort gates, to allow supplies to be brought in easily. The granary at Penydarren appears to follow this pattern.
Only the northern end of the granary was excavated (James 1906, 202-3). It is recorded as measuring 35ft (10.6m) in length and at least 60ft (18.5) in length, with the one exposed short wall not quite at right-angles to the long walls. It plan was typical of a Roman stone granary, with buttresses on the external walls (including the end wall), and closely spaced cross walls. It was noted that the buttresses on the east side were exactly 10ft (3.05m) apart, but those on the west wall were not exactly in line with them. Roman foot measurements vary somewhat, but are close enough to British imperial feet to suggest that this 10ft measurement was probably a deliberate design feature. The external walls were 2ft 6in wide (0.76), reduced to 2ft 1in above the offset foundation courses in the northwest corner, and the spaces between the cross walls was irregular, but generally averaged about 3ft (1m). The text indicates that ten transverse walls were excavated, but the plan (Fig 6 in the report) shows eleven. No width is noted for the cross wall, although the text indicates that they were ‘thin’, and at least some of them had gaps in the centre. The walls were constructed from coursed rubble with some indications of lime mortar, from which the lime content had apparently been leached in at least some cases leaving a fine reddish sand. The only finds noted were a large quantity of nails, a square brick with 20in (0.5m) sides, charcoal and piece of carved tufa.
Sources :
James, F T , 1906 , Roman Remains: Penydarren Park, Merthyr Tydfil , Archaeologia Cambrensis : 61 : 193-208
01/MM Record Card/OS//1957/SO 00 NE 8.4/;
02/PM Desc Text//James FT/1906/Archaeol Cambrensis/Vol6 pp193-208;
03/PM Desc Text//Haverfield F/1908-9/Trans Hon Soc of Cymmrodorion/
Events :
E000265 : Penydarren Fort (year : 1902-4)
Related records
GGAT Historic Environment Record (HER) 00823m
Compiled date : 01-12-1977
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February 7, 2026, 5:55 am
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