Significant Roman Settlement with Jewellery Workshop Found Under New Housing Estate

The BBC UK reported that Heneb, the trust for Welsh archaeology, made an unexpected discovery of a "very significant" Roman settlement, which featured a jewellery workshop dating back almost 2,000 years, beneath a new housing estate. This find was described by Heneb as "one of the biggest" Roman artefact collections in the county, and project manager Chris Matthews stated the discovery was "very exciting" and altered previous understandings of the region's history.

The excavation site, located on Gladstone Way, has since had homes built over it, though numerous items such as pottery, coins, and jewellery were removed before construction. Mapping of the area revealed that the settlement extended beneath the village of Mancot, which is situated between Hawarden and Queensferry.

Matthews noted that despite its location overlooking the important Roman city of Chester, very little related archaeology had been found in north-east Wales until recently. This lack of finds had previously led to debates among local archaeologists and historians regarding a potential "poor relationship" between the Romans and the native population, but recent discoveries, including those in Greenfield and Rossett in Wrexham, suggested this might not be the case.

Matthews indicated that the Mancot site might have originated during the Iron Age, prior to the Roman arrival, and experienced successive occupations over an extended duration. This possibility was supported by the recovery of two coins: one from the reign of Emperor Commodus (AD 177 to 192) and another depicting Constantine, who reigned approximately 200 years later.

Evidence from the jewellery workshop excavations demonstrated that there was local industry utilizing the area's rich metal resources to create "important commodities for Roman society." The discovery of lead moulds showed the production of a "wide range" of brooches, which were functional items for fastening clothing but were often highly decorative and featured animal depictions. While it is believed the workshop supplied Roman society in Chester, pottery fragments recovered from the site also indicate that trade reached as far as mainland Europe.

Experts in Cardiff will now examine the brooches to determine details about their creation, the metals employed, and their origins. There is a hope that these items will eventually be displayed at Flintshire Museums Service, as part of a long-term plan to consolidate all Roman discoveries from north-east Wales. Matthews suggested this discovery marked the start of a potentially long series of finds in the area.

Sophie Fish, museums manager at Gwella, which manages the councils libraries and leisure, expressed her hope that some of the most interesting items from Mancot could be exhibited at the Mold Museum in 2027. She specifically mentioned her excitement regarding the recently excavated Roman brooches from Mancot, stating that they offer a unique glimpse into life from nearly 2,000 years ago.