On Easter Sunday, Mr. Smith obtained permission from the owner of the land to carry out further investigations. Several additional artefacts were found before excavation took place, including more roof tiles, some Samian ware, a flue tile, and most importantly of all, a tile inscribed LEGXX.

Mr. Smith spent two years excavating the site, and discovered part of a fosse (ditch) marking the boundary of an enclosure resembling a camp. The sections he uncovered were a 50 yard length of ditch on the south side of the camp, a similarly-sized length on the east side, and the rounded corner which joined these two lengths. These are now situated under the playing fields of Ysgol y Llys (formerly St. Chad's School) on Princes Avenue. Also discovered was an ancient Roman roadway approaching the site on the lower ground to the south side. It was constructed with great ingenuity, across what must have been very marshy ground. Being over 100 yards in length, it consisted of a mass of brushwood (mostly hazel branches) spread to a depth of several feet, covered by baulks of Scotch fir laid diagonally, and then slabs of sandstone and Roman tiles. The sandstone slabs may have been brought from the sandstone quarry at nearby Gwespyr. The stones and tiles fitted perfectly together, rather like crazy paving.

During the excavation, Mr. Smith came across some interesting items. These included a number of roof tiles, one having the imprint of a wild boar, which proved to be the badge of the 20th Legion, based at Chester. Other finds were a kiln prop, a bore needle, numerous fragments of Samian pottery, parts of cooking pots, water and wine jars, amphorae (a two-handled vessel) - including a fragment mended with lead strips and rivets, much window and bottle glass, a bronze brooch, and a bronze harness ring. Several small pieces of waste lead were found, suggesting that lead from Graig Fawr, at nearby Meliden, was smelted here. A Roman smithy must have existed at the location, as a number of iron nails and various iron objects were found. Glass beads were discovered, and also large quantities of animal bones, many of which had been broken for marrow extraction. In addition were found a bone threader, two bone counters, and a Roman coin - Duponduis of Hadrian, A.D. 128.

Mr. Smith's excavations were eventually continued for three years by Professor Robert Newstead, F.R.S., of Chester. During trial cuts, he discovered animal remains, charcoal, pottery and pieces of window glass.

In 1936, the structural remains of three buildings, all sited on a slope to the south of the ditch were explored. One was rectangular in shape, and divided into three compartments. In one room, a small bronze coin - Vespasian A.D. 71, more Samian pottery, and finally a bead of peculiar workmanship were all discovered.

In the second building, only the footings of one wall of Gwespyr sandstone were discovered, together with a large amphora fragment.

The third building proved to be a bath house; this bath house was re-excavated in 1984, while the first two buildings currently lie underneath the garden of the large house just north of the bath house. The furnace for the hypocaust was found to be flagged with large blocks of purple sandstone from the St. Asaph District. Finds of a general nature from the bath house site included broken tiles and fragments of Samian pottery.

Interestingly, further trial cuts around the same time indicated that prehistoric man had also inhabited the immediate area during the Stone Age. Numerous flint chippings from the chert quarry at Gronant, together with charcoal and two molar teeth of an ox supported this fact.

During the Summer of 1937, trial cuts carried to a depth well below the Roman occupation were made in the area surrounding the structural remains of the three buildings. Four post stones were found which proved to be of Roman origin due to the presence of Roman pottery found nearby. Also found was more window glass and a bronze enamelled brooch, pin hinged, and apparently working in a cylindrical cover. The Samian pottery suggested the site was occupied during the second century A.D., while the coarse pottery found carries the occupation of the site well into the third and possibly fourth century A.D..

Professor Newstead summed up his findings in July 1945: "The Prestatyn site seems to have been a small military station occupied by a unit of the Twentieth Legion, and if so, then the barrack blocks and the headquarter buildings must have been erected within the lines of the defensive ditch on the elevated ground. The presence of the bath house outside the defensive ditch on the south is quite consistent with the general layout of Roman forts or small military stations. But why there should be traces of other buildings outside the defensive ditch is puzzling. I can offer no explanation, nor have I been able to find a parallel. As to Varae, this site is also puzzling and I doubt if anything can be said about it. It seems to me that its history will have to be written with a spade".

Professor Newstead's reference to Varae at the end of his summary highlights an unanswered question which has caused arguments amongst historians for many years. During the Roman Conquest of North Wales, a chain of forts were built, one day's march from each other across North Wales, commencing at Chester. One such fort exists south of Conway, at Caerhen; this would place the intermediate fort between Conway and Chester - either in the Vale of Clwyd, or in its immediate vicinity. Some historians believe it existed at Bodfari (Bodvarae), and others at St. Asaph, below the Cathedral site, as evidenced by the Roman road on either side. However, other historians now believe that recent excavations at Prestatyn strongly suggest that this may be the site of the long lost Roman fort of Varae.

In 1973, during construction of the Meadows Estate, immediately west of the baths, salvage excavations recovered traces of a ditch filled with sandstone rubble, including dressed blocks of stone and fragments of a sandstone column. This material was dumped not later than A.D. 150, and suggests the existence of a building of some importance in the immediate area, perhaps just south of the baths, but as yet undiscovered.

During the extremely dry summer of 1976, Professor Barri Jones of Manchester University traced the possible western and northern sides of the fort (or an annexe) by aerial photography. Subsequent excavations revealed one outer and two inner ditches fronting a substantial clay rampart, which was later deliberately dismantled into the ditch.

Archaeological excavation work by the Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust commenced on May 14th, financed by grants from the Welsh Office and the Manpower Services Commission.

Roman Bath House Remains

One of the tiles discovered at the bath house was made at Holt near Chester and probably was transported round the coast to the harbour at Prestatyn. Before firing in the kilns, the tiles were left to dry in the sun. While this particular tile was drying, a dog stepped on it, leaving behind the imprint of its paws.

Immediately next to the bath house was sited the main area of new excavation, which revealed three Roman timber buildings, all dating to the second century A.D.. The timber building in the centre of the site was built entirely of post-in-hole construction, and several of the massive oak timbers survived as post butts in the ground. Nearby finds suggest the building was perhaps a bronzesmith's workshop, as quantities of crucibles, slag, bronze waste and clay moulds were found.

The site of another building nearby revealed well-preserved timbers, including sill beams founded on stone-filled trenches, upright posts and vertical planking. Inside, clay floors and hearths yielded traces of slag and crucible lid fragments - evidence of further probable bronze working. Sixteen bronze brooches were found, and eleven of them were found within layers contemporary with the timber building.

Below these timber structures, drainage gullies and pits which may date to pre-Roman times were excavated. However, there was intense interest on the site when a human skeleton was discovered. It proved to be an infant aged between six months and one year. The grave, surrounded by wicker fencing, stood at the foot of a tree. It is certain the burial took place very early within the occupation of the settlement.

One of the most significant finds on the site were large amounts of lead waste. Over sixty fragments were discovered, together with five lead spindle whorls. Lead was used extensively by the Romans for water pipes, plumb bobs, bath linings, water tanks, cisterns, spindle whorls, weights, coffins, and containers for cremated remains. The amount of lead found on the site reinforces the belief that lead mined at Graig Fawr, Meliden was smelted here, and cast into inscribed moulds weighing about 80-90kg. The lead would then be shipped from the nearby harbour, round the coast to Chester.

As well as smelting lead on this site, excavations revealed another industry was carried on here - that of glass or enamel working. An unusually large quantity of window glass fragments were discovered, and far more than would have been discarded as waste. It seems likely this glass was hoarded for re-use to form the base around which new glass or enamel was formed. Scraps of bronze slag and bronze off-cuts suggest that bronze brooches may have been enamelled and possibly manufactured on this site. In addition, lead found on the site would be important constituent of the glass used to produce successful enamels.

A number of interesting questions relating to the site still remain to be answered.

• Were the timber buildings domestic or semi-industrial in function?
• Where was the focus of the site?
• How did it relate to the harbour, and where were the warehouses?
• Were the native settlers under the control of the army, or did the army just protect the Roman haven now covered by the Meadows estate?

Finally, there are strong grounds for believing an ancient Roman port existed on the western edge of the Meadows Estate near Fforddisa. This used to be a damp, low lying area, forming part of Prestatyn Gutter. At this point, there is a much silted inlet which once gave access to the sea during the Roman period, when the sea level is thought to have been relatively higher. It was from this point Roman ships probably took on cargoes of lead and sailed north eastwards for the River Dee and Chester. Proof of the possible existence of this ancient port may come from deep waterlogged deposits on the southern most limits of the 1984 excavations.

The Roman Bath House remains are located at the bottom of Melyd Avenue. Melyd Avenue is on the left, just after Tiny Tots day nursery, when travelling into Prestatyn along Meliden Road. Additional information on the Bath House can be found on the Virtual Stroll Around the Walls of Chester website and on the Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust website.

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