Work on a water pipeline being laid by Dwr Cymru Welsh Water revealed a medieval roadway that led out of the back gate of Chepstow Castle. It was confusing to find quite a lot of Roman brick used as road metalling mixed up with medieval pottery. It was concluded that this was the brick left over from constructing the Norman hall in the castle – it was not uncommon in the Middle Ages to recycle Roman material in new buildings.

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The stone wall of the 11th-century Norman hall has courses of red Roman brick within it. These had been used as levelling courses in the stone wall. Where had this Roman brick come from? The intriguing thing is that either there might have been an important and large Roman building nearby or perhaps it was brought from the Roman town of Caerwent or Roman fortress of Isca at Caerleon.

For further information contact Mike Ponsford