Welsh Journals

THE EXCAVATION OF AN EARTHWORK AT CASTELL BRYN-GWYN, LLANIDAN PARISH, ANGLESEY BY G. J. WAINWRIGHT I. INTRODUCTION THE excavation of Castell Bryn-Gwyn, Llanidan Parish, in south-east Anglesey (SH. 106465670), was undertaken by the writer on behalf of the Ministry of Works for two seasons during the summer months of 1959 and 1960. The total length of the excavation was thirteen weeks, during which time the writer had the assistance of a labour force employed by the Ministry of Works and a number of volunteers. The writer would like to express his gratitude to the staff of the Ministry of Works for their ready co-operation at every stage of the excavation, to G. C. Boon for his analysis of the Romano-British materials, and to C. R. Musson for his assistance in the execution of the general site plan. In addition, the writer wishes to thank Dr. I. F. Smith and Professor R. J. Atkinson for their comments on the Neolithic pottery and Mr. Dennis Britton of the University of Oxford Pitt Rivers Museum for the report on the metal awl. The finds from the site are now housed in the National Museum of Wales. II. DESCRIPTION OF THE EARTHWORK FROM SURFACE INDICATIONS Castell Bryn-Gwyn consists of a roughly circular area about 180 ft. in diameter enclosed by a bank about 12 ft. high and 40 ft. wide (Fig. 2). It is sited on low ground below the 50-ft. contour in the valley of the Braint-a position which is entirely unsuitable for defence. The sub-soil is a loose river gravel which includes rounded quartzites, micas, occasional pieces of basalt, and tiny fragments of abraded flint. A feature of the mineral component are large quantities of Hornblende Schists which were probably derived from local outcrops by the river and redeposited in the river gravels. Even during the exceptionally dry summer of 1959, no indications of a surrounding ditch were visible on the surface. Two gaps are visible in the bank of which the westerly one is certainly modern, and previous to the excavation it appeared that the south-west gap may be original. Unfortunately, although the interior of the site is free from obstructions, the rampart is mutilated