* Volunteers at work on the Castell Dinas Bran dig.
Sam Thompson of Llangollen Museum gives an update on Day 5 of the Dinas Bran dig diary.
Arriving in the morning to an overcast Dinas Bran, both the weather and the archaeology looked promising. Each day the castle seems to grow taller as the climb tests our aching knees and overstretched hamstrings, yet we march on regardless—drawn to the green and grey in pursuit of priceless knowledge.
Today I was allocated to the castle trench, which is cutting ever deeper and edging closer to the 13th-century floor level of the gate. The finds trays are already filling with the previous day’s discoveries (see Faith’s report from Day Four), a mix of Victorian pottery and hobnails from horseshoes that have worked their way to the surface.
As the morning progressed, more of the trench reached the gatehouse floor level, which appears to be stepped. Slowly we peeled back the layers of soil that have accumulated over the centuries. The architecture is now becoming clearer, offering hints of what the original structure may have looked like in its brief working life—insights that will only sharpen as we dig further.
From the gatehouse trench, more of the sandstone architecture has emerged, including fragments once part of the portcullis guide and door blocks. In my own area, I was thrilled to uncover a beautiful and unmistakable piece of medieval green-glazed pottery—a small but evocative reminder of the people who once lived here.
The castle saw many visitors today: a school trip from Shrewsbury, tourists from across the UK, and even from the Netherlands. All were eager to glimpse the discoveries taking shape, learning more about the monument than they might on a simple visit.
Meanwhile, at the ramparts, the upper section of the trench has now reached bedrock—exposed for the first time in over two millennia. It was a sobering and thought-provoking sight. The context here is now ready to be recorded, and the students from Chester University have the patient task of drawing—an artform in archaeology that most of us attempt, but few truly master.
As the week draws to a close, the team feels triumphant. We have many artefacts to process and much to ponder in interpreting what has been unearthed. It is a moment to take stock: to reflect on the endurance and tenacity required to push through fog, wind, rain, and, thankfully, the occasional burst of sunshine. Even more will be revealed in the week ahead, and we look forward to sharing that journey with you all. Thank you sincerely for the likes, shares, and comments—they mean a great deal to us.
I will leave you with the words of British archaeologist and author Geoffrey Bibby:
“Every archaeologist knows in his heart why he digs. He digs, in pity and humility, that the dead may live again, that what is past may not be forever lost, that something may be salvaged from the wreck of ages.”
— Geoffrey Bibby, The Testimony of the Spade
* See the museum's Facebook page for more pictures of the dig at: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AGsNM5ySb/
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