What Is The Lost City Of Trellech Project?
The excavation of once the largest urban centre in Mediaeval Wales, Trellech, by people of all ages, backgrounds and skills allowing them experience of archaeology at first hand and to provide a valuable research tool to the wider community.
What Does The Project Aim To Achieve?
It is the aim of this excavation to gain a better insight into the nature and workings of Trellech and provide an educational resource for all.
Where is it?
The site can be found at Ordinance Survey grid reference SO 5020 0500, or the nearest postcode is NP25 4PE
Why is it important?
Overall it is clear that this part of Trellech began around 1250 and became an important building complex that lasted at least in part until the mid 1600’s. This is further strong evidence for the town of Trellech, once the largest in Wales, to be principally situated along the Catbrook road to the south of the present villa.
Summary of the dig so far. What has been found?
We have discovered a Manor House with two halls and a courtyard that is enclosed with curtain walls and a massive Round Tower six metres across. Within the manor house complex we have discovered several different rooms one with a fireplace and chimney stack and one with a central fireplace. At the centre of the courtyard lies a well in which many interesting finds have been uncovered including a nearly complete mediaeval pot, metal work, wooden objects and parts of leather shoes. Surrounding the manor house at parts of at least five other buildings have been discovered as well as a possible horse pond to the rear. In all, these buildings seem to date from 1300 A.D. when the town was reorganised and built in stone after the attacks by both English and Welsh forces in the previous decade. Evidence of the earlier town has been found below some of the buildings and occupation on the site may have started 100 years previously. By 1400 some of the buildings had fallen into ruin and by 1650 after the civil war the last of the buildings were abandoned.
Excavation on a nearby field started in 2002 with excavation on this site starting in 2005. The excavation site covers most of the east side of the High Street as well as 3/4 of on side of a minor side road/lane. It is the aim of this excavation to gain a better insight into the nature and workings of Trellech, once Wales's largest urban centre and provide an educational resource for all.
Excavation on a nearby field started in 2002 with excavation on this site starting in 2005. The excavation site covers most of the east side of the High Street as well as 3/4 of on side of a minor side road/lane. It is the aim of this excavation to gain a better insight into the nature and workings of Trellech, once Wales's largest urban centre and provide an educational resource for all.