Archaeological studies have uncovered the historical landscape of Five Mile Lane
Archaeologists working for the Vale of Glamorgan Council have made significant historical finds at Five Mile Lane (A4226) in Barry.
Rubicon Heritage Services Ltd, began excavation of the site in 2017 ahead of the Council’s A4226 road improvement project.
The study site was initially subject to a desk-based assessment and a geophysical survey which identified the key areas that needed further exploration.
Three areas were identified as highly significant with extensive remains and so were fully excavated.
The excavation uncovered various fascinating artifacts and structures, providing evidence of the people who inhabited the area from early prehistory through to the Roman period.
Finds included the remains of what is thought to have been a Roman mercenary buried alongside his sword, iron age farming tools, ancient burial sites and the remnants of a series of round houses.
Throughout the excavation work, representatives of the National Museum of Wales, GGAT, Cardiff University and Cadw, visited the site and liaised with Rubicon.
Following the investigations, Rubicon Heritage have published an archaeological e-book on the works undertaken between 2017-2019 and an interactive story map of their findings.
The detailed academic findings will be made available towards the end of 2022 when the experts complete their analysis.
Emma Reed, head of Neighbourhood Services and Transport said: “It’s great to learn that the archaeological study at Five Mile Lane has uncovered such a detailed history of the area.
“The scheme has uncovered fascinating and at times surprising remains, that help us to understand the shaping of the agricultural landscape that we see today.”
Mark Collard, Director of Red River Archaeology Group, which includes Rubicon Heritage Services Ltd said: “It was a privilege for our team to have delivered a project which added so many new discoveries about the archaeology and history of the Vale of Glamorgan.
“We are very pleased to be able now to share the results in such an accessible format with the communities of the area.”