Residents in Cardiff are helping dig for clues into what archaeologists believe could be an Iron Age settlement, hidden beneath their local park. The dig in Trelai Park, Ely, is half a mile from Caerau Hillfort, a heritage site of national significance.
Cardiff University archaeologists and the local community have previously discovered Neolithic, Iron Age, Roman and medieval origins at the Caerau Hillfort. Now a new dig at Trelai Park will zone in on an area of the park 200m south of Ely Roman Villa, a structure which was excavated 100 years ago.
The dig is being run by the Caerau and Ely Rediscovering (CAER) Heritage Project, a partnership between Cardiff University, Action in Caerau and Ely (ACE), local schools, people living in the area and heritage partners.
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Sir Mortimer Wheeler, the first lecturer in archaeology at Cardiff University, discovered the villa 100 years ago. He showed it was built around AD130, approximately 60 years after the Roman conquest and at least 100 years after the hillfort was abandoned.
The occupant of Ely villa was thought to have been an incoming Roman. Now surveys by the CAER Team and Dr Tim Young of GeoArch in April this year have revealed an additional enclosed settlement, containing a roundhouse rather than a Roman building. This latest dig is the first time this newly discovered “Trelai Enclosure” has been investigated.
As well as the dig, which goes on until July 15, a community open day with activities for children is taking place on Saturday July 2 between 11am and 3pm.
CAER Heritage Project Co-director Dr Oliver Davis, from Cardiff University said: “After a challenging two years during the pandemic, we are excited to be back out conducting an archaeological dig at Trelai Park, an area steeped in history, even though it’s perhaps more well-known nowadays as a green space popular with sports clubs, dog walkers and families.
“Although we don’t have confirmation of what lies beneath the land yet, the enclosed settlement is typical of many late Iron Age sites in the region. It is tempting to suggest that this site, as well as the nearby Ely Roman Villa, may well have origins in the Iron Age, possibly around the time Caerau Hillfort was abandoned.
"Is it an earlier ‘precursor’ to the villa, perhaps the residence of an important family who moved out of the hillfort?. Or could it be part of the villa estate, possibly the homestead of estate workers or even an industrial complex?
In the early 20th century, Trelai Park was the location of the Cardiff Racecourse. It has also been used as an airfield and was a barrage balloon site during the Second World War.
Pupils from Cardiff West Community High School, which adjoins the park, will also be taking part in the dig. So far, four young people from the school have received CAER Heritage scholarships, which provide support to help students onto a degree programme.
Cardiff West Community High headteacher Martin Hulland said: “We are delighted to be partnering up with ACE and Cardiff University again to explore the rich heritage of our part of the city. Year 7 pupils will be actively involved in the dig and they hope to assist in the discovery of a range of exciting artefacts.
Last year, a new £650,000 community and visitor attraction - The Hidden Hillfort Community Heritage Centre – was opened near Caerau Hillfort.
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