Cylchgronau Cymru

Chwiliwch trwy dros 450 o deitlau a 1.2 miliwn o dudalennau

^rtfrneotoflta Camftrensts* No. XIV.—APRIL, 1849. ROMAN REMAINS LATELY FOUND AT CAERLEON. The excavations which have lately been made at Caerleon are of considerable interest; it seldom happens that so excellent an opportunity of observation has been afforded to the antiquary. The alterations which have been made in the grounds of John Jenkins, jun., Esq., have fortunately been on the site of a mediaeval castle and of a Roman villa, the former having been built on the ruins of the latter. His garden contains the well-known hill, called the "Castle Mound," which appears to have been situated just on the outside of the city walls, and, whatever may have been its origin, to have been included within the defences of the Norman castle: this seems clear from the remains of two towers at its foot, evidently forming a narrow gateway, in front of which a mass of masonry, at a short distance, makes it nearly conclusive that a drawbridge had been thrown across to the entrance. The staples for the hinges were to be seen a short time since. These two towers have occa¬ sionally been considered to be of Roman workmanship, but they do not seem to agree in any manner with the founda¬ tions of the Roman villa; besides which, if it be true that there were a drawbridge, this would necessarily imply a moat, and we shall shortly see that the ground, which in all probability was thrown out in making the moat, contains no Roman remains. No traces of walls surrounding the mound are now to be seen; but, within the last few years, many alterations have been made here, and it is quite probable that they may have existed one or two generations since, and yet that arch^ol. camb. VOL. IV.] L