A community excavation at a popular Cardiff park has led to an extraordinary discovery — an ancient Bronze Age burial ground hidden beneath Trelai Park, near Caerau Hillfort.
Volunteers from the Caerau and Ely Rediscovering Heritage Project (CAER) uncovered several burial pits, at least three containing cremated human remains estimated to be more than 3,000 years old. The graves were found beside a roundhouse previously identified as one of the earliest known homes in Cardiff.
Dr Oliver Davis, co-director of the project, called the discovery “hugely exciting,” saying it offered a glimpse into the lives and beliefs of the city’s prehistoric residents. “The cremations being so close to the roundhouse suggest these people were buried among family members or ancestors,” he said. “It may also indicate the site had ceremonial significance.”
The team also found a smaller structure near the roundhouse and evidence of a timber circle thought to date back to between 2000 and 1600 BC. These discoveries suggest the settlement may have been larger and more complex than previously believed.
Davis told the BBC the smaller building could have served as an additional home, a food preparation area, or a workspace. “The dwellings here were surprisingly spacious and well-built,” he said.
Today, Trelai Park is a busy public space for sports teams and dog walkers, but beneath its surface lies a rich archaeological record spanning from the Neolithic to the medieval period. A Roman villa located just 200 metres away adds to evidence of continuous occupation in the area.
For young volunteers such as 19-year-old Hannah Secker from Grangetown, the excavation has been a powerful experience. “It’s unbelievable to find artefacts that could be 3,000 years old and imagine the people who once lived here,” she said.
CAER co-director Dr David Wyatt said the steady stream of discoveries shows that Trelai Park could be one of South Wales’s most significant heritage sites, with potential to attract visitors and benefit local communities. “The finds just keep coming,” he said. “This site could become a key centre for learning and tourism.”
Cardiff West Community High School, located nearby, has also joined the project, allowing students to learn directly from the excavation. Headteacher Mike Tate said, “Our pupils literally get their hands on the past. It’s an incredible way to connect with their local history.”
Archaeologists believe they are only beginning to uncover the full story of Cardiff’s earliest inhabitants — people who lived, worked, and buried their loved ones beneath what is now one of the city’s busiest parks.
🧵 1/7 Volunteer archaeologists dig deeper at city park
⛏️ A mysterious ceremonial monument is set to be uncovered for the third phase of an archaeological dig in Trelai Park.
📽️Vivian Thomas
🖱️ https://t.co/fksHLjYEyh pic.twitter.com/eSUnfFB6Pc— Cardiff University (@cardiffuni) June 24, 2024
