About Phil Cox
Caer Alyn Volunteers at the Artic CircleMembers of the Caer Alyn Project have just returned from a visit to Happaranda - Sweden. The volunteers took part in a heritage and storytelling festival funded by Grundtvig as part of its Life Long Learning Programme.
302 visits |
Caer Alyn Community ArchaeologyOver the last two years the Caer Alyn Project has been working closely with other community groups across north Wales and Europe to help them explore the heritage and history of their communities. This year will see the culmination of our work with some of these communities resulting in a series of excavations and community involved activitie across the region, which will involve all members of the Caer Alyn Project. 391 visits |
New Roundhouse under construction at Caer AlynImages of new roundhouse under construction at Caer Alyn.
The work on the new roundhouse will be completed by the end of March 2013. If you would like to help in the construction and have a few hours to spare why not contact the project and we will give you details on how to be involved. 638 visits |
New Round House under construction at Caer AlynImages of new roundhouse under construction at Caer Alyn.
The work on the new roundhouse will be completed by the end of March 2013. If you would like to help in the construction and have a few hours to spare why not contact the project and we will give you details on how to be involved. 606 visits |
New Roundhouse at Caer AlynThis week saw the start of the building of our new roundhouse at Caer Alyn. Supported and funded by Northern Marches Cymru, the roundhouse will complete the reconstruction of an Iron Age settlement on site. It is hoped that the roundhouse will be completed by the end of March, (weather dependent!!!!) Visitors are welcome to visit the site on Saturdays, between 10,00am and 2,00pm, to have a look at the work being done. 813 visits |
Welcome to the Ladies of LIthuaniaSenior Volunteers form Lithuania arrive in WrexhamFor more details of this project visit the project blog:
http://uklithuania.blogspot.com/
1271 visits |
CAER ALYN AT HOME - 8th SEPTEMBER 2012OPEN DAYCaer Alyn is holding its annual open day on Saturday September 8th 2012 .Come and see the archaeologists at work and visit our Iron Age settlement.
See www.alynlodge.co.uk for directions to site
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Pont Y Capel Lane. 1657 visits |
I Am Your Guide - History in Your Backyard"we found your project to be very worthwhile and interesting. In particular it was
positive to see such high levels of attendance at the Wrexham Heritage Festival, and
that such a high number of mobilities took place".
Comments by Grundtvig Assessors on final report submitted for the Grundtvig partnership programme 2009-2011 1464 visits |
MERRY CHRISTMASThe Caer Alyn Project wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Peaceful and Happy New Year. 2383 visits |
National Award for Caer AlynI Am Your Guide - History in Your Own Backyard Grundtvig Project 2009-2011Phil Cox, Caer Alyn Archaeological and Heritage Project, accepting his award from Althea Warner from the Department for Education.
“It has been a great experience for our volunteers working with like-minded partners from across Europe and a marvellous opportunity for our community volunteers to meet with and understand the cultural work of local communities and organisations across Europe. 1811 visits |
CAER ALYN AT HOME - 3rd SEPTEMBER 2011 - CAER ALYN - WHERE THE PAST IS ALWAYS PRESENTCaer Alyn is holding its 6th open day on September 3rd. Come and see the archaeologists at work and visit our Iron Age settlement.CAER ALYN AT HOME
Pont Y Capel Lane. Llay, LL12 8SA
3rd September 2011
11.00AM – 3.30PM
Archaeology - Heritage
Visit the archaeological site on your own doorstep
Meet the archaeologists
Explore the Iron Age Caer Alyn Hillfort and Settlement 3098 visits |
LIFE ON THE EDGEThe biodiversity of the Caer Alyn RidgeThe Caer Alyn Project has been running for over 8 years and we are now looking to expand our work at the archaeological and heritage site over the coming years. The new project – Life on the Edge - will be based at Caer Alyn, Pont y Capel Lane, Wrexham and will develop a programme of activities that will allow individuals, communities and local schools to gain knowledge about their own environment. 1952 visits |
Archaeological Reports, Diaries and Articles produced by the project from 2006 will be available online over the next few weeksCaer Alyn will be publishing reports, diaries and articles on line over the coming months. The first in the series 'Landscape Survey - Caer Alyn' and 'Archaeological Investigations - Caer Alyn Hillfort' will be available on line week commencing 11th Ju374 visits |
SUMMER SCHOOL 2011WE HAVE 1 PLACE AVAILABLE FOR THE FIRST WEEK OF THE DIG, 1 PLACE AVAILABLE FOR THE SECOND WEEK AND ONLY 1 PLACE AVAILABLE FOR THE LAST WEEK OF THE DIG. REGISTER NOW AND BOOK YOUR PLACECAER ALYN ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROJECT - Wrexham
SUMMER DIG 2011
DATES:
1ST - 5TH AUGUST 2011
8TH - 12TH AUGUST 2011
15TH-19TH AUGUST 2011
Join the Caer Alyn team in excavating potential prehistoric enclosures at Bryn Alyn hillfort
In 2008, Dr Meggen Gondek, University of Chester, completed a geophysical survey of the interior of the hillfort and an area just outside the southern entrance to the Bryn Hill fort, the results of which indicated that there are possible features in both areas. 7899 visits |
CAER ALYN IN BELGIUMCaer Alyn Heritage Project visit Belgium and local communities in Ghent, Belgium, along with our fellow partners from Austria, Lithuania, Malta and Spain.Caer Alyn Heritage Project hosted the partners during their visit in February when they visited the local communities of Llai , Cefn Mawr and Holt to learn more about the heritage work they are doing and tour the unique heritage landscape of the region. 1 comment 1581 visits |
Grundtvig Visit 2nd - 5th February 2011 UPDATEThe first week of February will see our partners from Belgium, Austria, Lithuania, Malta and Spain visit Wrexham, part of the 'I am Your Guide - History in your Own Back Yard' project that has been running for over 18 months.visit https://picasaweb.google.com/114794041592251655695 to see images from the visit
During their visit they will be visiting the local communities of Cefn Mawr and Holt to discuss more about the work they do, as well has taking in the unique heritage our our region. 4085 visits |
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL FROM THE CAER ALYN PROJECTA BUSY YEAR AHEAD FOR THE TEAMDuring 2011 Caer Alyn has some exciting projects that will involve local communities and people of all ages in the heritage and archaeology of the area. Starting in February when we host an international event for our fellow European partners, from Belgium, Austria, Lithuania, Malta and Spain in the Grundtvig ' I Am Your Guide - History in Your Own Backyard' project. 3963 visits |
Photograph LinksClick on links below to view images from the project's recent visit to Utena,Lithuania. The visit was part of a Life Long Learning partnership funded by Grundtvig2984 visits |
VOLUNTEERS FLY THE FLAGON WEDNESDAY THE 2OTH OCTOBER FOURTEEN MEMBERS OF THE CAER ALYN HERITAGE PROJECT WILL FLY OUT TO UTENA IN LITHUANIA ON A EUROPEAN HERITAGE CULTURAL VISIT.IN 2009 THE CAER ALYN HERITAGE PROJECT WAS SUCCESSFUL IN GAINING GRUNDTVIG EUROPEAN FUNDING TO FORM A PARTNERSHIP WITH ORGANISATIONS FROM BEGIUM, AUSTRIA, MALTA SPAIN AND LITHUANIA TO DEVELOP A HERITAGE PROJECT ' LET ME BE YOUR GUIDE - HISTORY IN YOUR BACKYARD. 3077 visits |
Grundtvig funding awarded to Caer AlynHeritage and Cultural project to start October 2009'
The Caer Alyn Project has been successful in their Grundtvig application to form a partnership with five other European countries to develop a heritage project ' Let Me Be Your Guide - History in your own backyard'. 8553 visits |
CAER ALYN AT HOMESEPTEMBER 4th 11am -3pm Free Admission to site - Free Car ParkingThe Caer Alyn Heritage Project
Saturday 4 September : 11am – 3pm
An Archaeological project with visitors being able to observe the work in progress and visit the Iron Age promontory fort. Guided tours.
Archaeology - Heritage
Visit the archaeological site on your own doorstep
Meet the archaeologists
Explore the Iron Age Caer Alyn Hillfort and Settlement
Activities for the children - New 13 -25 Young Roots HLF project - Harvesting the Past
Picnic Area and Refreshments available
Find out more about your local heritage
Directions : B5425 out of Wrexham towards Llay – right onto Pont y Capel Lane – follow signage to Alyn Lodge and free parking. 4503 visits |
CELEBRATING WREXHAM'S HERITAGE 20102409 visits |
GIS Mapping Project LaunchedThe new joint project between the Caer Alyn Project and Holt Local History Society is officially launched this Saturday. The project will use advanced mapping software to open up new research, and reveal two landscapes previously lost to time.
Anyone wishing to follow the project should download the ArcGIS Explorer software, to view the forthcoming maps. 4890 visits |
I AM YOUR GUIDE - HISTORY IN YOUR BACKYARDI am your Guide – History in your backyard is an LLP project which has a duration of 24 months and includes partners from 6 EU states. The partners are:
Het Perspectief – Belgium Caer Alyn Heritage and Archaeological Project – Wales CULTURE CIRCLE Full Legal Name KULTURBURO WIEN – Austria Utenos švietimo centras – Lithuania CEPAPUB TETUAN- Spain Acrosslimits - Malta The main goals that have been set by the partners are:
to strengthen the social cohesion of and integration in the neighbourhood by digging in the community heritage and investigating connections with other cultures. 1775 visits |
GIS Mapping Project Launched536 visits |
Welcome to the Caer Alyn Archaeological and Heritage ProjectSUMMER DIG 2010Latest News from Caer Alyn
CAER ALYN ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROJECT - Wrexham
SUMMER DIG 2010
Book now for the 7th August – 21st August 2010
Join the Caer Alyn team in excavating a potential prehistoric enclosure at the southern entrance to the Bryn Alyn hillfort
In 2008, Dr Meggen Gondek, University of Chester, completed a geophysical survey of the interior of the hillfort and an area just outside the southern entrance to the Bryn Hill fort, the results of which indicated that there are possible features in both areas. 1 comment 33354 visits |
Veni, Vidi, ViciMembers of the Roman Tours company visited Caer Alyn on Saturday 24th April and explained Roman life to the CAYA group. CAYA enjoyed tales of Roman military life and took part in practical activities to gain a better understanding of the life of a Roman soldier in Britain. 943 visits |
Phil Cox, Project Archaeologist and Project Coordinator.A Tribute to Mrs Robinson.
I owe my passion for history to Mrs Robinson, a great history teacher at my secondary school. Mrs Robinson, apart from being, if my memory serves, a red head and very attractive, (but then I was only 13 and in love with her) a teacher that didn't just do the dates of history but allowed us to look beneath the stories of history. 2422 visits |
WASHE VISIT TO CAER ALYNOn Friday 5th March a group from WASHE visited the project. Phil Cox, Project Archaeologist, gave a group of 40 young people and their parents a tour of the site and explained the work of the project. The group had an opportunity to get some hands experience of excavating and Phil explained to the group how archaeology can help to tell the history of a place. 4096 visits |
GIS OFFICER APPOINTEDThe Caer Alyn project continues to expand its work with the local communities of Wrexham. To add a new dimension to our work we have appointed Jon Coley to be the project's volunteer GIS Officer. Jon, a recent graduate of the University of Chester, will be responsible for all GIS mapping on site and will work with local groups to assist them in producing images for use on their own websites and display materials. 2098 visits |
Markland Hill School, Bolton to visit Caer AlynOn the 8th October 2009, students and staff of Markland Hill School, Bolton will visit Caer Alyn to experience at first hand how an archaeological site works. They will have the opportunity during the day to use geophysical equipment and try their hand at excavation. 1976 visits |
Open DoorsPhotographs of Open Day wll be available next week,CAER ALYN AT HOME
Pont Y Capel Lane
5th September 2009
11.00AM – 3.00PM
Archaeology - Heritage
Visit the archaeological site on your own doorstep
Meet the archaeologists
Explore the Iron Age Caer Alyn Hillfort and Settlement
Activities 1 comment 7957 visits |
2009 Summer Dig DiaryMonday 3rd August 2009Excavations started today on an earthwork feature near to the southern enclosure of the Bryn Alyn hiilfort. An 8 x 1.5 metre trench was opened up across the feature which revealed a bank, with a ditch at the eastern end of the trench. Work will continue on Tuesday to reveal the ditch at the western end of the trench. 6784 visits |
CAER ALYN SUMMER DIG 2009DATES 27th JULY - 7th AUGUST 2009Join the Caer Alyn team in excavating a potential prehistoric enclosure at the southern entrance to the Bryn Alyn hillfort
In 2008 Dr Meggen Gondek, University of Chester, completed a geophysical survey of the interior of the hillfort and an area just outside the southern entrance to the Bryn Hill fort, the results of which indicated that there may be features in both areas. 7005 visits |
Archaeological Web SitesCouncil for British Archaeology
http://www.britarch.ac.uk
Young Archaeologists' Club
5442 visits |
How to volunteerInterested in archaeology and heritage? Want to help in telling the story of Caer Alyn? Then why not become a Caer Alyn Volunteer?!
The project welcomes all individuals who wish to experience the practical side of archaeology and investigate the heritage of the area. 2 comments 10591 visits |
ARCHAEOLOGICAL REPORTS ON TRENCHESTRENCH 14
Caer Alyn Archaeological and Heritage Project Archaeological Excavations at Tumulus Field, Caer Alyn, Gresford, Wrexham. 1640 visits |
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY CAER ALYN HILLFORT - 2008Report on the Geophysical Survey at Bryn Alyn Fort, Llay, Wrexham
Report for the Caer Alyn Archaeological and Heritage Project on work conducted June 2008
Meggen Gondek, University of Chester
Report No. 4818 visits |
Caer Alyn Project News, February, 2009.Latest News
The Caer Alyn project starts its sixth year with a series of new excavations and activities. These include new excavations on the site, continued development of the Iron Age settlement, planned and built by our youth archaeologists and a Summer Big Dig on the southern enclosure of the hillfort. 7740 visits |
Heather and Hillforts Partnership SchemeInvitation from Helen Rowie
I would be grateful if you could forward the details attached to anyone who you think might be interested in attending a lecture on the results of the archaeological survey work completed within the Heather and Hillforts Landscape Partnership Scheme Area. 3460 visits |
NEWSLETTER - 2007WELCOME TO THE CAER ALYN PROJECT
Website www.caeralyn.org
Welcome to the third edition of our newsletter. The Caer Alyn Archaeological & Heritage Project is now entering its fourth year and we can look back on a very busy and exciting season in 2006 and forward to what we hope will be an even more successful season in 2007. 8129 visits |
Dig Diary - 2007Over the past two weeks both existing and new volunteers have worked extremely hard to clean up trenches 14 and 15. That work has reaped dividends, with trench 14 yeilding further post medieval and possible medieval features. Also, on trench 14 we have continued the excavation of the investigation trench (sondage) on an northwest - southeast alignment, and an interleaved layer below the top soil has yeilded evidence of worked flint, these finds require further examination before we can reach any meaningful conclusions. 3496 visits |
For further informationContact:
Phil Cox on 01244 321858 or 07947 768446 - email: fillcox@yahoo.co.uk
or write to:
C/O Alyn Lodge
Pont y Capel Lane
LLay
Nr Wrexham 13943 visits |
Heritage Lottery Fund AwardIn 2006 the Caer Alyn Project was awarded two heritage grants to develop a project that would inform the local communities and visitors to the region about the heritage of the area. 7505 visits |
NEWSLETTER834 visits |
How to VolunteerFor individuals wishing to join the Caer Ayn volunteers, contact Phil Cox on 01244 321858 or mobile 07947 768446. email: fillcox@yahoo.co.uk 1566 visits |
New Courses 2007Starting on the 20th of January 2007 the Caer Alyn Project will be running Landscape Archaeology and Basic Field Archaeological Techniques courses at our project site.
The courses are delivered in partnership with Yale College -Wrexham. 3674 visits |
Visit to Gresford ChurchOn Friday 2nd March 2007, members of the project team (Russell Evans, Neil Adams and Phil Cox) visited Gresford Church to investigate and photograph possible church furniture that might be connected to the Chapel of St Leonard's. The visit was organised by Dr Colin Jones of Gresford. 6600 visits |
Claire Hughes, Educational Liason OfficerClaire Hughes (Education Liaison Officer)
Profile
I am the education Liaison Officer for the Caer Alyn project. The main aim of my role is to take archaeology in to schools in order to enable children to explore the rich history of their surrounding area. 829 visits |
First Interim Report - 2004AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL and HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION
BY THE
CAER ALYN ARCHAEOLOGICAL HERITAGE PROJECT
First Interim Report
© The Caer Alyn Archaeological and Heritage Project 2006
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank the Caer Alyn project volunteers for their time and commitment in producing the project’s First Interim Report, the work they put in over the season and for the enjoyment they give to others. 3878 visits |
Project Plan 2006
AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION
BY THE
CAER ALYN ARCHAEOLOGICAL and HERITAGE PROJECT
A Local Community Project
Project Plan 2006
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank the Caer Alyn project volunteers for their time and commitment to the project and for the enjoyment they give to others. 794 visits |
Project Plan 2006 CAER ALYN

© P J Cox 2005
AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION
BY THE
CAER ALYN ARCHAEOLOGICAL and HERITAGE PROJECT
A Local Community Project
Project Plan
January 2006
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank the Caer Alyn project volunteers for their time and commitment to the project and for the enjoyment they give to others. 741 visits |
2005 NewsletterJanuary 2006 Volume 2 Issue 1
THE 2005 SEASON
2005 was the season that the project really gained momentum. The project retained its core of experienced volunteers, (over 1500 hours of volunteer time recorded in 2005) led by our archaeological director, Mr Ken Owen. 1136 visits |
HISTORY IN YOUR OWN BACKYARDHISTORY IN YOUR OWN BACK YARD
Take a walk on the banks of the River Alyn from Bradley to Llai today and you will see few glimpses of its former glory. The signs of long ago activities are now silent and haunting. Gone are the wheels that drove the mill machines and many of the buildings that housed those machines. 943 visits |
The Lost Chapel of St LeonardIt is only through documentary evidence that we know anything at all about the medieval chapel of St. Leonard’s; the precise site of the building is still a mystery and the extant documents give us very few clues in this respect. The documents in which the chapel is mentioned are listed below:
The Norwich Taxation of 1254 (Pope Innocent IV). 1 comment 2947 visits |
Post Medieval (A.D. 1485 – 2005)It is only from the late eighteenth century that we have any specific evidence for the use and development of the Bryn Alyn site. The earliest cartographic sources we have are two estate maps from the Trevor family archives, 1Footnote 1: The map dated 1784 (Flintshire Record Office -NT/M/100 ) is simply a larger-scale version of a portion of the 1790 map (Flintshire Record Office – D/BC/4368), and it would appear that the two maps are copies of yet another, earlier map, in that Peter Shakerley is named as a land-owner on both maps, although he is known to have died in 1781. 2914 visits |
The Later Medieval Period (A.D. 1086 – 1485)Certainly, at the time of Domesday Book in 1086 the whole of Flintshire and a great deal of Denbighshire were under English control, recorded in Domesday in the same way as land in Cheshire. 1Footnote 1: Burnham, Clwyd & Powys, p 129. 2965 visits |
Early Medieval Period (c A.D. 410-1086) - by Annabelle Rogers BA.The early medieval period was a crucial time in the political and cultural development of Wales; it was in these centuries that the nation’s major kingdoms were formed. Sadly, the period is also a very real ‘Dark Age’ in terms of archaeological evidence for the way of life of ordinary people. 3530 visits |
The Romano-British Period (A.D. 43 – 410)It would appear that the Deceangli, the tribe occupying north-east Wales at the time of the Roma conquest, did, initially at least, offer resistance to the Roman occupation; we know that in A.D. 49 the Romans had to cut short a campaign against the tribe. 2481 visits |
The Iron Age by Annabelle Rogers BAThe fort is situated on the western side of that tongue of land formed by the sharp bend in the deeply incised and well-wooded valley of the River Alyn. It has approximately the same elevation as the land which lies both to the north, and to the east 1Footnote 1: There is a slag-heap to the east of the fort, the remains from the Llay Colliery, which is far higher than the fort and the surrounding countryside, but this is of course a modern feature of the landscape. 3781 visits |
The Bronze Age of Caer Alyn by Annabelle RogersIn comparison to earlier periods, there is an exponential increase in the amount of archaeological sites and artefacts dating from the Bronze Age in north-east Wales. The sites of settlements and houses continue to be extremely rare, but there is plentiful evidence of other kinds to suggest that there was large-scale occupation of the area at this time. 2771 visits |
The Prehistoric PeriodWe know that human beings were living in north-east Wales as long ago as the Lower Paleolithic (c. 225,000 BP); there are several caves in Denbighshire, such as Pontnewydd, Ffynnon Beuno and Lynx Cave which attest to their presence. 1Footnote 1: Lynch, F. 2718 visits |
The Geology of Caer Alyn by Alan BrownIn terms of solid geology, the site lies on the Coed-y-allt Formation, which itself overlays the Ruabon Marls Formation. There are also Erbistock exposures to the north and east at various points. The drift geology consists largely of glacial sand & gravel, which forms part of the Wrexham Delta Terrace. 6644 visits |
Phil Cox has posted 69 pictures
A local company has donated funds to help us continue the work of Caer Alyn - The Golden Lion, Rossett | AT DIG HQ - Monday | ||
basic field techniques....... | Bryn Alyn Hillfort | Bryn Alyn Hillfort - Model by Neil Stevens | Bryn Alyn Hillfort - Model by Neil Stevens - volunteer Caer Alyn |
Dave gets to work on clearing the site | Dig HQ - We are on the camping site at the back of the House!!!!!!!!!!!! Only joking! | First meeting of project team | Its was all a dream. |
Peter on release from Norrkoping prison | Round house under construction - January 2007. Stage one complete | The AVOW Festival Wrexham 2007 | The Land of the Midnight Sun |
The WASHE group | Tom Jones explains the workings of the mill | Trench 2 | Underneath Norrkoping Prison. The Great Escape team |
Volunteers take a well deserved break - but not too long folks!! |
