Fferm Llwydfaen, Dyffryn Conwy 1 Olion: Palu am Hanes


Fferm Llwydfaen, Dyffryn Conwy 1

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-Subtitles

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-Subtitles

-

-Subtitles

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-My name's Dr Iestyn Jones. Some

-of you might know me as an actor.

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-I'm passionate

-about archaeology and history...

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-..which led me

-to obtain a doctorate in the field.

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-For more than 10 years, I've worked

-as a professional archaeologist.

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-Throughout this series, I'll visit

-sites up and down the country...

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-..that have never been excavated

-before, to uncover Wales' history.

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-We'll focus on new

-archaeological sites every week...

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-..giving the findings in each area

-a historical context.

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-Our journey begins in the

-Conwy Valley at the River Conwy...

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-..an ancient waterway and gateway

-to the mountains of North Wales...

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-..which define

-historical boundaries.

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-Llwydfaen is a 200-year-old farm...

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-..overlooking Bodnant Garden

-on the eastern bank of the river...

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-..situated less than a kilometre

-from the Tal-y-Cafn bridge.

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-We will return to this bridge

-later in the series.

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-Why have we chosen

-to dig in this field?

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-There's little to see here.

-At the moment, at least.

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-But back in 2006...

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-..bald patches appeared where

-the sun had scorched the grass.

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-Most of the markings were amorphous.

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-None were a definite shape.

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-But one of them

-looked rather interesting.

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-During very hot summers - yes, all

-those scorching summers we endure...

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-..outlines

-of ancient structures emerge...

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-..as the grass above old foundations

-is singed and turns yellow.

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-This is what happened in 2006...

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-..giving us a glimpse

-of what's beneath the earth.

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-Experts believe

-a 12th-century church stood here.

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-If so, why isn't it east-facing like

-other churches from the same period?

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-I'm going to need assistance.

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-Luckily, we've enlisted the help

-of local volunteers.

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-Rhys Mwyn, an expert

-on North Wales' archaeology...

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-..Hannah Morris

-an archaeology graduate...

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-..and Jerry Bond

-and Dr Erika Guttmann-Bond...

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-..who have decades of experience

-in archaeology.

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-With the digger at the ready...

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-..we decided

-where to dig our first trench.

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-Across the apse,

-in the southern portion of the ruin.

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-We've just started digging,

-but it's not quite what we expected.

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-The earth is very dry.

-What are your thoughts, Rhys?

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-It's incredibly dry. Very little

-rain has penetrated the soil.

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-As Jeff is demonstrating,

-it's very hard down there.

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-It's going to be tough. There's

-a cluster of stones in the middle.

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-It's forming some kind of line,

-as if a wall once stood there.

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-It's not as structured and formal

-as I thought it'd be.

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-What's strange is that the

-aerial view shows very clear lines.

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-I expected to uncover foundations...

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-..that had remained intact.

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-This looks more like the remnants of

-a wall, or stones that have fallen.

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-But it's our job to clean it up...

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-..and see what it reveals.

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-Enough talking.

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-On every dig, modern soil

-must be removed carefully...

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-..to reach the ancient remains.

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-It must be raked

-and scraped with a trowel...

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-..to reveal

-the archaeological layers.

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-It's meticulous

-and laborious work.

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-We decided to dig a second trench...

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-..across the northern end...

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-..hoping to find an entrance

-or remains from the Middle Ages...

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-..when our church

-was originally built.

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-By removing the earth, the wall

-appears a little straighter now.

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-We're using the mattock...

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-..and clearing the earth

-with a trowel.

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-Hopefully

-it'll reveal a straight line.

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-The wall begins to emerge, although

-it appears slightly crooked.

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-I'm quite certain

-it's the recess of an apse...

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-..with its stones dislodged,

-making it look crooked.

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-Or the stones

-have been moved by a plough.

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-Meanwhile, in the second trench...

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-At this end,

-we've dug down to the wall.

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-There's some yellow stuff there,

-which might be to do with the wall.

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-We've found the same thing

-over there, which is interesting.

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-There's something very dark here.

-It looks like charcoal.

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-It's obvious something's burnt.

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-There are also bits

-of orange and pink in the middle...

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-..that might be

-fragments of pottery.

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-It's impossible to tell

-what sort of pottery it is...

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-..but it certainly indicates

-that it's been made my hand.

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-This charcoal is very black.

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-Good.

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-Finding charcoal

-isn't revolutionary...

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-..but it proves that humans

-have left their mark on the land.

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-It's a small indication

-of man's intervention.

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-Are there more signs?

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-This is very odd. We've received the

-findings from the magnetic reading.

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-I expect it to be the same shape

-as the singed markings on the field.

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-This doesn't look the same shape,

-does it?

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-You'd expect

-these stones to have been burnt.

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-You'd see charred remains.

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-These don't look

-as if they've been burnt.

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-There are some over there

-but none here.

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-Why are we

-talking so much about burning?

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-One theory is that the Normans

-erected a church on this site...

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-..and the Welsh burnt it

-to the ground...

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-..which would explain

-its disappearance.

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-I'm very happy.

-Things are going well.

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-In the southern part,

-there's an apse.

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-Apses are typical architectural

-features of early Norman churches.

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-Talking of early churches...

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-..one of Wales' oldest

-is a mile in that direction.

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-Llangelynin.

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-Not only is it

-one of Wales' oldest churches...

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-..it is certainly one of the

-country's quaintest and most remote.

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-The church was named after

-the sixth-century saint, Celynin.

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-On the same site are the ruins

-of an early roundhouse...

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-..where, according to romantic

-tales, St Celynin himself lived.

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-From this beauty spot, nestling

-in the Tal y Fan mountain...

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-..you can look out to sea

-and the Conwy Valley...

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-..and follow the river for miles.

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-Naturally,

-this isn't the original church.

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-A more primitive structure

-would've existed here originally.

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-Most of the building, as it appears

-now, dates back to the 12th century.

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-If the Normans

-established a church here...

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-..knowing a Welsh church

-existed less than a mile away...

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-..it would've taunted the Welsh.

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-It explains why natives

-would want to burn it down.

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-But where are

-these charred remains?

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-Where are

-those large chunks of charcoal...

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-..and stones

-discoloured by the heat?

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-Where's the evidence to prove this

-church was built in the Middle Ages?

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-No evidence

-has come to light so far.

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-There are foundation stones

-to be seen, and ancient mortar...

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-..but nothing to provide

-an accurate date.

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-It's frustrating, with everyone

-purposefully digging and sifting.

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-Iestyn!

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-I think it's a Roman coin.

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-That's nice. There's a cross on it.

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-It could be a token or a coin.

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-Quite possibly Roman. We'll

-get an expert to authenticate it.

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-A Roman artefact? What's that doing

-in a medieval church?

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-How strange.

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-.

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-*

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-Before the break...

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-..we unearthed a Roman artefact...

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-..in the second trench,

-the northern trench.

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-We'll hear more about

-the Romans in the area later...

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-..but we're still searching

-for an entrance or other objects.

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-Back in trench number one...

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-Iestyn,

-it's worth taking a look at this.

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-It raises a few questions.

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-We've unearthed

-some stones in the centre here...

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-..and I suspect what we have...

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-..is what I would call

-a clay corner structure...

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-..because it comes right the way

-around the other side.

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-From afar, it looks like

-there's a clay surface...

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-..and the stones

-have been added later.

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-I agree. That colour's

-very different from this colour.

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-Though it's dry,

-there's a clear difference.

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-If you stand away from it,

-it's more noticeable.

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-The stones are enclosed too.

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-It's interesting.

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-Some of the stones

-are interesting too.

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-This one, in particular.

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-It looks as if

-it's been cut into that shape.

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-When you see

-a stone at an angle like this...

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-..it suggests

-that the stones lean into a hole.

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-As if they've caved in.

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-We have an outline of a circular

-shape outside the church...

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-..to the west

-of the exterior stone wall.

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-Is the yellow colour significant?

-Is it elsewhere here?

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-How's it going, Hannah?

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-It's going well.

-We can see a new layer emerging.

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-Beneath the top layer of soil

-is the yellow clay.

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-It's the same hard yellow stuff

-that's in the wall.

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-We've been able

-to accurately measure the apse.

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-It's four metres long

-by four metres wide.

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-We know

-there's a building in Llwydfaen...

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-..that's 20m long

-by eight metres wide.

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-Five miles to the north are the

-ruins of a much bigger structure...

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-..with a very bloody history.

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-These are the ruins

-of Deganwy Castle.

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-A court or a castle has stood on

-this site since the sixth century...

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-..when Maelgwn Gwynedd was king.

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-Archaeologists excavated here in the

-1960s and discovered an amphora...

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-..a large earthenware jug

-to hold wine.

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-It's obvious that wine

-was imported during this era.

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-This was an area of high status.

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-Later, the site

-was invaded by the Normans...

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-..before Llywelyn the Great

-built a castle here.

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-Archaeologists

-found a sculpture of a head...

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-..which could have possibly been

-Llywelyn the Great himself.

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-Large towers

-stood on both these hills...

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-..with an adjoining stone wall.

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-The castle

-was extended and fortified...

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-..by both the Welsh and the Normans

-over many centuries.

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-But the fort was eventually razed

-by the Welshmen of Gwynedd...

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-..to prevent English occupation.

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-By the end of the 13th century,

-when King Edward came to Wales...

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-..he built a castle on the

-opposite side of the River Conwy.

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-The Welshmen's ancient fort,

-high on the hills near Deganwy...

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-..would've overlooked

-the river and the estuary.

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-But it was Edward's intention

-to prevent access to the river.

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-The fact the men of Gwynedd erected

-a fort on the southern bank...

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-..was a powerful statement of

-their intent to rule the territory.

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-Edward built his castle

-on the western bank...

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-..to demonstrate

-his intention to seize Gwynedd.

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-The banks of the river

-became battlefields...

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-..the most famous of which

-was the Battle of Cymryd...

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-..fought near Glan Conwy.

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-This stretch of river has seen

-numerous battles over the years.

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-Around 1,200 years ago,

-a bloody battle took place here.

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-The Battle of Cymryd, between

-the Anglo Saxons, led by Ethelred...

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-..and the men of Gwynedd,

-led by Anarawd...

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-..became known as

-"God's vengeance for Rhodri"...

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-..following the death

-of Rhodri the Great.

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-The Welsh were victorious...

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-..forcing the Anglo Saxons

-out of North Wales.

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-If a Norman church

-is unearthed here...

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-..then

-the new arrivals must learn...

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-..that we're here to stay.

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-But no other ruins

-have been detected.

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-The geophysical technology hasn't

-detected neither a path nor a hedge.

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-We've unearthed walls

-of Romanesque architecture...

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-..which are typical

-of 12th-century churches...

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-..but no medieval discoveries -

-not one single Norman artefact.

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-There's a strange dip

-outside the church.

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-It's rather baffling.

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-We've reached the end of day two.

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-We've dug down to the apse,

-which is clear to see.

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-There's something strange over

-there. We'll find out more tomorrow.

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-Come with me to trench number two.

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-This is

-a little bit more complicated.

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-The structure's wall is beginning

-to emerge, and we can see it here.

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-It's a white stripe with stones.

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-Hopefully this is the northern wall

-of the building, which you can see.

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-Interestingly, there's some

-clay here that has been burnt.

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-Hopefully this is

-the top of the wall...

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-..which leads

-all the way from over there.

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-We'll reveal more

-as we dig deeper tomorrow.

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-We've gone

-from one extreme to the other.

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-It was too dry yesterday

-and now it's too wet...

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-..although water doesn't affect

-archaeology, so we'll carry on.

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-Water clears the dust, which is a

-pain when you've cleaned an area...

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-..only for dust

-to settle on it again.

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-Discolourations are visible

-when it's wet.

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-You can see natural brown earth

-and the yellow mortar of the walls.

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-We've found the remains

-of huge circular stones...

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-..that the plough couldn't move.

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-But what else?

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-We've been very busy cleaning.

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-Brian has cleaned

-the western wall of the structure.

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-This line

-defines the wall beautifully.

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-The difference in the earth

-is very clear.

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-Beneath the grass,

-the wall stretches along here...

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-..through the second trench.

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-It'll become clearer later.

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-If we go over here...

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-..the northern section of the wall

-runs through here under my feet...

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-..which means that

-the corner is somewhere here...

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-..if the geophysical plot

-is correct.

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-We're going to dig a trench

-all the way from there...

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-..to see if this is the corner.

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-But the constant rainfall...

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-..put paid

-to our archaeological work.

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-I hope they come back tomorrow!

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-It rained

-for most of the day, worse luck...

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-..but we've managed to dig deeper.

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-This is trench number one.

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-In trench number two over here,

-we're planning out the area...

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-..to make sure it's all on record.

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-We're digging deeper

-and tidying up.

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-There's a great deal of work

-to be done before we finish.

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-I don't know why I'm smiling.

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-We've uncovered walls...

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-..and an outline

-of a possible Norman church...

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-..on the Welsh side of the river,

-but no concrete evidence as yet.

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-Before digging further

-to the depths of the site...

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-..we must record what's visible

-after removing the top layers.

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-We must note every stone and mark

-the size and location of each area.

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-It's a laborious process...

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-..but completely necessary.

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-I need evidence

-to be able to date the site.

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-I'm worried

-we'll find nothing at all.

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-Now, where's that trowel?

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-I'm digging deeper into this hole

-for a very good reason.

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-This was removed from there.

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-I'm sure it's sandstone...

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-..but it's very different

-from all the other stones.

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-From looking around,

-all the stones are curved.

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-There are no edges.

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-But this

-has been carved and it's square.

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-It's a building block,

-probably from a wall.

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-A great deal of work

-has gone into this.

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-I want to find out

-if there are more in this hole.

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-It's a good start, and once digging

-resumes after the recording...

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-..the earth

-reveals more of its secrets.

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-We've found another coin.

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-Take a look.

-I just found this over there.

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-It looks Roman to me.

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-It looks Roman to me.

-

-It's definitely Roman.

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-It's a Roman coin.

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-You can see the face...

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-..and also a beard.

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-Is there writing?

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-Is there writing?

-

-Yes, but I can't see the letters.

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-That's interesting.

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-More Roman artefacts.

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-This is the second coin.

0:21:100:21:12

-In no time at all,

-more items emerge.

0:21:130:21:15

-Slate and pottery.

0:21:150:21:18

-Small fragments

-which are difficult to authenticate.

0:21:180:21:21

-By dating the pottery, we'll

-have a definite date for our church.

0:21:220:21:26

-We can use pottery

-to date buildings...

0:21:260:21:29

-..because the type of clay

-used to make the pottery...

0:21:290:21:33

-..varied from place to place

-over the centuries.

0:21:330:21:36

-Amid all the excitement

-comes another shock.

0:21:360:21:39

-Did this come from over there?

0:21:400:21:42

-Let me inspect

-this piece of pottery.

0:21:530:21:56

-This is interesting.

0:22:030:22:05

-This is Samian ware pottery.

0:22:060:22:10

-It had a high Roman status

-though it's from France.

0:22:100:22:15

-What's this doing here?

0:22:170:22:19

-Well, I was expecting to find

-medieval objects here...

0:22:220:22:28

-..in keeping

-with a church from the Middle Ages.

0:22:280:22:32

-But this is definitely Roman

-and we've unearthed Roman coins.

0:22:320:22:36

-Is this a Roman building...

0:22:400:22:43

-..rather than a medieval church?

0:22:440:22:46

-This radically changes things now.

0:22:470:22:50

-Uncovering a Roman building

-on the banks of the River Conwy...

0:22:500:22:55

-..would change

-the area's history overnight.

0:22:550:22:58

-Next time, the story

-behind this remarkable site unfolds.

0:22:580:23:02

-S4C Subtitles by Adnod Cyf.

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