Time Team - Ffrith, Flintshire, Wales - Archaeological Evaluation and Assessment of the Results

Wessex Archaeology

The results from both the magnetic and resistance geophysical surveys in the playing field (SAM 164a) proved disappointing. The magnetic data were severely distorted by both modern and earlier playground furniture. In addition, metal fences and buildings on the periphery of the survey grids resulted in disturbed areas. The resistance survey identified a few regions of high resistance; however, these proved to be of natural origin. Ground penetrating radar survey identified Victorian and modern features in the Blue Bell car park and adjacent garden, but no Romano-British features or deposits. Resistance survey in one back garden proved inconclusive as did a GPR survey of a driveway / parking area.

Excavation in the area of previous excavations exposed three of the previously identified masonry walls, all of which appeared to be broadly contemporaneous, overlying the truncated remains of earlier, possible timber, buildings. Only a very small area of the possible timber building or buildings, comprising small areas of clay floors, several stake holes, a hearth and associated occupation deposits were investigated. Although finds from these deposits were scarce, and any dating is therefore tentative, an early 2nd century date is suggested. Environmental evidence from these deposits, along with the few finds and the structural remains themselves, suggest a domestic function.

The three masonry walls were dated to the 2nd or early 3rd century. The walls were all constructed using unworked, or roughly trimmed, local sandstone and limestone; however, three different building methods were apparent. A well-built mortar bonded wall with associated mortar floor and external surface was interpreted as part of a substantial building, which earlier observations suggested contained at least one room with a hypocaust. Approximately 7m to the south was a clay bonded wall of broadly similar date. This appeared to represent the north-western corned of a separate structure, possibly a small workshop or storage building. The third wall, a curvilinear dry stone wall, was traced for approximately 8m. Earlier excavations suggested that this represented the apsoidal end of a substantial building. However, the rather crude construction and irregular form, along with the complete absence of associated floors or surfaces indicate that this is very unlikely and is more probably an enclosure wall, possibly surrounding the substantial building to the north and east. The truncated remains of a 2nd century ditch was found approximately 12m to the north-west of the mortared wall and is assumed to be broadly contemporary.

A possible buried topsoil and an overlying alluvial deposit, both of which contained Romano-British material were located in trenches at the southern end of the village, but no features of this date were found. All of the Romano-British features and deposits encountered during the evaluation were concentrated in the area of the earlier excavations. Trenches elsewhere in the village, while often producing residual Romano-British finds, were generally devoid of features and deposits of this date.

The results of the evaluation therefore suggest that the Romano-British settlement at Ffrith comprised at least one substantial and relatively high status building, possibly with other ancillary buildings, surrounded by a dry stone wall. However, this appears to have been confined to the northern end of the present village.