Margam Country Park, located approximately 40 kilometers west of Cardiff, offers visitors a journey back in time, steeped in history and intrigue.
The park’s lower grounds feature the remnants of an ancient abbey, which has stood for 879 years and bears the scars of the bubonic plague. Meanwhile, the majestic Margam Castle, constructed in the 19th century, occupies a higher terrain, providing sweeping views over Port Talbot.
Recently, the park has become the site of an unexpected archaeological find linked to the Roman Empire.
This remarkable discovery was made when a team of geophysical surveyors, hired by Langlands, extended their exploration beyond the abbey’s grounds to a seemingly ordinary field within the park.
“They called us over, saying, ‘I think you might want to come over, we’ve found something,'” a spokesperson explained.
“The moment I laid eyes on it, I couldn’t help but think, ‘Wow, that’s impressive.’,” the spokesperson added.
The exact location of the site within the park’s grounds is being kept confidential to protect it from treasure hunters.
It is sitting about half to 1.8 metres below the surface, spanning out across an area of about 500 square metres.
Scans have detected portions of walls and the foundations of several structures including the villa and a basilica-like structure, believed to be more than 1600 years old.
Langlands said the discovery suggested the Romano-British people were living more peacefully and prosperously in this area than previously thought.
“This find changes the narrative I think for south Wales and for western Britain more generally,” he said.
“Often we talk about Wales as being a sort of ‘edge of empire’, a ‘frontier zone’ prone to instability and raiding from the west.
“But actually, to have something this fancy – something that would not be out of place in somewhere like Somerset or Gloucestershire – suggests that you’ve really got a civilised and peaceful way of life all the way here in West Glamorgan.
“To find one this size is really exceptional.”
The ‘Pompeii of Port Talbot’
Researchers are hoping there may be other artefacts waiting to be discovered at the site like coins, pottery or even mosaics that would explain more about the former inhabitants of what was once known as Britannia.
They are hoping to be granted national funding to begin meticulous excavation works.
Councillor Cen Phillips from Neath Port Talbot Council said the site would likely draw international tourists and had already been given the nickname “Pompeii of Port Talbot”.
“We already have so much heritage just in the park, from the Bronze Age right through to the 19th Century industrialists and their tremendous mansion,” he said.
“To be able to add this missing link to the story is going to be huge for our communities.”
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