Cardiff Castle Disabled Access

Disabled Access, Cardiff Castle, Cardiff Archaeological watching brief March 2009

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A report for The City and County of Cardiff by Rowena Hart BSc MA

GGAT report no. 2009/008 Project no.P1323 National Grid Reference: ST 18098 76504

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The Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust Ltd Heathfield House Heathfield Swansea SA1 6EL

Disabled Access, Cardiff Castle, Cardiff: archaeological watching brief

Contents

Page

Summary.............................................................................................................................. 2 Acknowledgements .............................................................................................................. 2 Copyright notice.................................................................................................................. 2 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 3 1.1 Project background and commission............................................................................ 3 1.2 Location and geology ................................................................................................... 3 1.3 Archaeological background.......................................................................................... 3 2. Methodology ....................................................................................................................... 6 3. Results ................................................................................................................................. 8 4. Conclusions ....................................................................................................................... 12 Bibliography ..................................................................................................................... 13 Appendix I: Inventory of contexts ............................................................................... 14

Figures Figure 1. Development area (shown in red)................................................................................. 5 Figure 2: Trench location ............................................................................................................. 7

Plates Plate 1: View to the north over blocked surface 003. Cobbled surface 001 to each side of the excavation............................................................................................................................ 9 Plate 2: View of the south facing section showing cobbles 001, sub-base 002 and block surface 003 ................................................................................................................................ 9 Plate 3: View to the north showing service trench 004 and concrete fill 005............................ 10 Plate 4: View to the south over mid-section of trench. Showing blocked surface 003 and cobbles 001 to the sides........................................................................................................... 10 Plate 5: View to the north over the southern section of the trench. Blocked surface 003 and cobbles 001 visible. New stone surface visible in the top half of the photograph. ................. 11

Front cover: Showing the early 20th century blocked paving underlying modern cobbled surface. The new disabled access path is visible behind the ranging rods. View to north with the North Gate in the top centre of the photograph. GGAT 1

Disabled Access Cardiff Castle, Cardiff: archaeological watching brief

Summary Cadw have granted conditional Scheduled Monument Consent (A-CAM001-02-0938-47) for disabled access works at Cardiff Castle, Cardiff (Gm 171). One of the conditions stated that a suitably qualified archaeologist must be present for all intrusive ground works. All of the works are located within the confines of the castle and therefore in areas where it is possible that archaeological remains relating to the post-medieval, medieval and Roman settlement of the area may survive. Therefore, the City and County of Cardiff have commissioned an archaeological watching brief during the ground works, the findings of which form the subject of this report. The development works revealed a block surface laid in c1920. The depth of the excavation was sufficiently shallow to ensure that the stratigraphy encountered was of early twentieth century date. No archaeological finds were encountered. Acknowledgements The project was managed by Richard Lewis BA MIfA and the fieldwork was undertaken by Rowena Hart BSc MA of GGAT Projects. The report was written by Rowena Hart and the illustrations prepared by Paul Jones (Senior Illustrator). Copyright notice The copyright of this report is held by the Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust Ltd, which has granted an exclusive licence to the City and County of Cardiff and their agents to use and reproduce material it contains. Ordnance Survey maps are reproduced under licence (AL 10005976). Annotations are GGAT copyright.

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Disabled Access Cardiff Castle, Cardiff: archaeological watching brief

1. Introduction 1.1 Project background and commission Cadw have granted conditional Scheduled Monument Consent (A-CAM001-02-0938-47) for disabled access works at Cardiff Castle, Cardiff (Gm 171) comprising the partial removal of the existing cobbles and replacement with a level sandstone path. One of the conditions stated that a suitably qualified archaeologist will be present during all intrusive groundworks. The works are located within the confines of the castle and therefore in areas where it is possible that archaeological remains relating to the post-medieval, medieval and Roman settlement of the area may survive. The City and County of Cardiff have commissioned Glamorgan Gwent Archaeological Trust (GGAT Projects) to undertake the archaeological watching brief, the findings of which form the subject of this report. The watching brief was undertaken during January and February 2009. 1.2 Location and geology The development area was located within the castle grounds, leading northward from the South Gate (see Figure 1). The ground is currently cobbled having been laid c1927. The castle is listed as ‘unsurveyed’ on the Soil Survey of England and Wales (SSEW 1983), although the underlying geology is known to be Triassic mudstones (including Keuper Marl, Dolomitic Conglomerate and Rhaetic) (Blockley 2002). 1.3 Archaeological background Excavations conducted at Cardiff Castle between 1974 and 1981 by Dr Peter Webster have suggested a sequence of four overlapping Roman forts. A large Neronian fort first occupied the area in the mid 1st century AD, extending beyond the limits of the current castle. It has been suggested that on the basis of the presumed principia in the northeast quarter of the castle, the fort covered an area of 12ha. The second fort (occupied in the late 1st century AD) covered an area roughly one-fifth of this size, but retaining elements of its north-south axial road and northern defensive line. The third fort was aligned on very similar lines, although located slightly to the south. The late Roman stone fort is the last of the quartet with its lines dictating the alignment of the medieval castle (RCAHMW 1991, 163). Despite suggestions of a Roman origin for the castle as early as 1862, it was not until 1889 that a Roman wall was identified within an earthen bank on the east side of the castle perimeter. Between 1889 and 1923, intermittent excavations eventually revealed the entire circuit of the Roman walls. Indeed, five separate observations noted that the medieval curtain wall followed and incorporated Roman fabric at lower levels (RCAHMW 1991, 163). A limited excavation by Dr Michael Jarrett in 1960 to the west of the south gate indicated that the Roman ditch had been completely removed by the larger medieval ditch (RCAHMW 1991, 210). A series of unpublished excavations were conducted in the late 19th century for the 3rd Marquis of Bute, details are scarce although the piles of a timber bridge were recorded in the motte ditch and fragments of a drawbridge were recovered from the adjacent Middle Gate. Excavations in the Outer Ward by Dr Peter Webster revealed late medieval buildings, with the most notable being the Shire Hall. Evidence of occupation dating to the early medieval period was limited to rubbish pits, suggesting that any buildings dating to this period were timber constructions (RCAHMW 1991, 211). 3

Disabled Access Cardiff Castle, Cardiff: archaeological watching brief

An archaeological desk-based assessment has been undertaken (Blockley 2002) which provided a detailed and site specific archaeological background in advance of an excavation conducted by GGAT Projects in 2006, prior to the construction of a new Interpretation Centre. Numerous features and structures were uncovered during the course of the investigation, including a lime mortar preparation area and post-medieval and medieval cess pits. Two Roman banks were excavated, as well as a Roman road and a large timber building. Prehistoric activity was also noted, in the form of small pits and post-holes. In addition, a line of stakeholes at least 15m long was discovered, and probably forms the remains of a prehistoric fenceline or boundary. This discovery provides some of the earliest evidence for the occupation of the area that is now Cardiff city centre. (Dunning 2008) Excavation was an archaeological watching brief was conducted within the castle grounds by GGAT Projects in 2008 in advance of the installation of a viewing platform and external signs. These works revealed significant archaeological remains including Roman deposits, elements of the Inner Bailey wall and post-medieval deposits (Dunning 2008).

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Disabled Access, Cardiff Castle: archaeological watching brief

North Gate

Motte Moat

Line of Inner Bailey Castle Green Castle Lawn

Western Apartments

Area shown in Figure 2

South Gate

Duke Street

Castle Street

GRID N

0

50

100metres

Figure 1. Development area (shown in red)

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Disabled Access Cardiff Castle, Cardiff: archaeological watching brief

2. Methodology A single trench was excavated through the cobbled surface having a length of 27m and a width of 1.6m, except at two junction areas where the width was 3.15m (Figure 2). The average depth excavated was 0.18m and the maximum being 0.2m. The excavation took place in three stages. The first excavation was undertaken at the north of the area, this was recorded and then the path laid, followed by the mid-section and lastly the southern section. A written and photographic record was made of all archaeological features and deposits in accordance with the GGAT Manual of Excavation Recording Techniques. Contexts were recorded using a continuous numbering system, and are summarised in Appendix I. All significant contexts were photographed using a digital camera (with a minimum resolution of 8mp). The excavated area was located in relation to standing buildings and/or published boundaries. All context depths were measured from the present ground surface. The project archive will be deposited with an appropriate receiving organisation, in accordance with the UKIC and IFA Guidelines (Archaeological Archives: a guide to best practice in creation, compilation, transfer and curation (2007). A copy of the report and archive index will be deposited with the regional Historic Environment Record, curated by the GlamorganGwent Archaeological Trust, Swansea and a further copy of the archive index will be deposited with the National Monuments Record, Royal Commission on the Archaeological and Historical Monuments of Wales (RCAHMW), Aberystwyth.

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Cardiff Castle Disabled Access: archaeological watching brief

Castle Green

003

005

Service Trench

004

003

Area of new disabled access

Black Tower

Barbican Tower

South Gate 0

5

10metres

Figure 2. Trench location (shown in red)

GRID N

Disabled Access Cardiff Castle, Cardiff: archaeological watching brief

3. Results The basal context encountered was a concrete block laid surface (003) (Plates 1-5). These blocks were cube in shape with equal dimensions of 0.23m. They were made of a dark grey concrete, which contained fragments of broken brick within the fabric. Cut through this surface was a service trench (004) with a width of 1.34m, which runs at right angles to the line of the trench. The upper fill of 004 was a concrete deposit (005) (Plate 3). This was not excavated. Overlying 005 was the concrete sub-base (002) (Plate 2) for the overlying cobbles (001) (Plate 1-5). The sub-base varied in depth between 0.1 – 0.14m in depth with the cobbled surface having a depth of between 0.09m and 0.15m.

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Disabled Access Cardiff Castle, Cardiff: archaeological watching brief

Plate 1: View to the north over blocked surface 003. Cobbled surface 001 and sub-base 002 to each side of the excavation

Plate 2: View of the south facing section showing cobbles 001, sub-base 002 and block surface 003

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Disabled Access Cardiff Castle, Cardiff: archaeological watching brief

Plate 3: View to the north showing service trench 004 and concrete fill 005

Plate 4: View to the south over mid-section of trench. Showing blocked surface 003, sub-base 002 and cobbles 001

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Disabled Access Cardiff Castle, Cardiff: archaeological watching brief

Plate 5: View to the north over the southern section of the trench. Blocked surface 003, sub-base 002 and cobbles 001 visible. New stone surface visible in the top half of the photograph

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Disabled Access Cardiff Castle, Cardiff: archaeological watching brief

4. Conclusions The results of the watching brief were conclusive in showing that no archaeologically significant remains were found beneath the cobbled surface. The concrete moulded blocks were laid in c1920 and the overlying cobbles laid in c1927 (Matthew Williams – Cardiff Castle Curator pers.comm.). This work revealed no archaeological remains or finds. The shallow depth to which the excavation reached ensured that the archaeology was not disturbed

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Disabled Access Cardiff Castle, Cardiff: archaeological watching brief

Bibliography Dunning, R, 2008, External Signs and Viewing Platform, Cardiff Castle, Cardiff: archaeological excavation and watching brief. GGAT Unpublished Report 2008/040 Blockley K, 2002, Cardiff Castle, Cardiff: archaeological desk-based assessment, Cambrian Archaeological Projects Report no. 203 RCAHMW, 1991, Inventory of Ancient Monuments in Glamorgan Volume III Part 1a: The Early Castles From the Norman Conquest to 1217, HMSO SSEW, 1983, 1:250,000 Soil Map of England and Wales and Legend, Soil Survey of England and Wales, Harpenden

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Disabled Access Cardiff Castle, Cardiff: archaeological watching brief

Appendix I: Inventory of contexts Context

Type

001

Structure

Average Depth below ground level 0m-0.12m

002

Deposit

0.12-0.19m n.b.

003

Structure

0.19-n.b.

004

Cut

0.19m-n.b.

005

Deposit

0.19m-n.b.

Description

Period

A cobbled surface comprising river washed cobbles varying in size from 0.11m – 0.34m. A dark grey mortar containing coal dust and fragment up to 10mm. The mortar also contain small rounded pebbles up to 20mm. A laid surface comprising solely of cubic mortar/concrete blocks. The blocks had a common dimension of 0.23m. Not mortared together. This surface was not removed. A trench cut through 003 to contain services. Runs at right angles to the trench. Fill of trench 004. The deposit revealed was a sandy concrete fill. Not excavated.

Modern

14

Modern

Modern

Modern Modern