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An area just north of the farm was flattened to provide hard standing for agricultural machinery during the winter of 2003/4. It was realised that this surface had cut Roman deposits, so excavation was undertaken in summer 2004 to record this area before further damage could occur. The excavations were organised and directed jointly with Dr Peter Guest of Cardiff University. Excavations were supported by Cardiff University, THe National Museum of Wales and The Board of Celtic Studies. The 2004 excavations include the area outside the west gate of the early Flavian fort. The pair of N-S ditches on the east of the site are the western defences of the fort. The outer ditch curves inwards on either side of the entrance to form a "parrot's beak". To the south of the gateway, the outer ditch is linked by a overflow gully to the probable roadside ditch heading west (the road itself was not preserved). On the north side of the gateway a drainage gully running out through the gateway emptied into a shallow ditch trending westwards. |