Archaeologists discover 2,000 year old Roman settlement under housing estate

Heneb, a Welsh archaeology trust, discovered a significant Roman settlement and a jewellery workshop in Mancot, Flintshire.

Workers found the site during mining surveys for a new housing development. The discovery included a large collection of artefacts, including pottery, coins, and various pieces of jewellery. The excavation revealed that the settlement likely began during the Iron Age and remained occupied for a long period.

Archaeologists found coins from the reigns of Emperor Commodus and Emperor Constantine, which suggests the site was active for centuries. The discovery of lead moulds indicates that the workshop produced a wide range of decorative brooches to fasten clothing. These items likely served the nearby Roman city of Chester, though some pottery fragments suggest the inhabitants traded with mainland Europe. Project manager Chris Matthews stated that the find changes the historical understanding of north-east Wales.

Previous theories suggested a poor relationship between Romans and native people in the area, but these new finds suggest a more integrated industrial presence. Experts at the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff will now analyse the items to determine the metals used and the manufacturing techniques. The trust plans to eventually display the collection at the Mold Museum in 2027.