‘Diggers were left on ancient burial ground’
ADEVELOPER has apologised amid claims it left diggers and construction materials on top of a scheduled monument.
Welsh historic monuments body Cadw has visited the site in Frondeg Terrace, Llanelli, where developer Jehu is building 29 homes.
It follows complaints alleging that machines used to build the properties for social housing provider Pobl had been placed on top of an ancient cemetery – feet away from skeletons and a scheduled monument.
Jehu has now apologised for the situation, and said it is looking at carrying out additional training for its site operatives.
The site was declared an area of national importance in 2010 after excavation work revealed it dated back to the medieval period.
Carbon dating showed there had been burials within the cemetery dating from AD1010 to AD1430.
A report following an archaeological evaluation in the area by Cambria Archaeology in 2007 said various trenches had been dug on land behind Frondeg Terrace.
It continued: “Multiple human burials were discovered within five of the trenches, located within the upper field around the area of the supposed chapel.
“The burials, which were all aligned roughly east-west, clearly represent a Christian cemetery, possibly of relatively long standing and were well-preserved.”
Sections of a large stone wall were also uncovered, which appeared to represent the remains of a chapel.
In the description of the monument’s scheduling, Cadw said: “The site is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of medieval religion, burial practices and ceremony.
“The survival of human skeletal remains is rare in west Wales, and also allows an opportunity to examine people’s
diet and lifestyle as well as their death and burial.
“The undisturbed nature of the site, with a lack of later development, further enhances the archaeological potential, and it is possible that earlier burials also survive.”
It said samples from four skeletons were taken and shown to date back as far as the 11th century.
Clive Cole, who lives in nearby Capel Isaf Road, said planning consent for the Pobl development was granted on the understanding the medieval cemetery site would be fenced off.
He alleged that contractor Jehu had been storing JCB diggers, heavy plant machinery and building materials, such as concrete blocks, there.
He said: “This scheduled monument is a rare find and is of national importance, since it dates back to between the 10th and 13th centuries – that’s the same era as Kidwelly Castle and Owain Glyndwr. We couldn’t believe that such a rare find was sitting in an unassuming field next to our home of 40 years. It’s a national treasure.
“When the archaeologists opened the graves we saw the ancient remains, skeletons facing east-west. Just inches below the surface lay this vast insight into life from almost 1,000 years ago.”
He recommended that the authorities demand a survey to investigate any potential damage.
A spokeswoman for Jehu said: “The archaeological area is to be retained in the new affordable housing scheme design and is to be fully landscaped.
“We recognised that there was an error on our part, we have apologised and we are working with Cadw to put everything right.”
A Cadw spokesman said: “We take these matters seriously. A Cadw officer has been on site to assess the situation and investigations are ongoing.”