THE FIRST evidence of Saxons living in south Wales around 1,000 years ago has been unearthed in Monmouth.

Local archaeologists, helped by Mike Emery Builders and senior officers of Monmouthshire County Council, discovered evidence of a Saxon settlement during rescue excavations inside Commerce House at Monmouth bus station.

Sherds of cooking pottery which were made in Gloucester, were found by Monmouth Archaeological Society while exploring a series of earth floors of medieval houses under the building and have recovered pottery and bones dated from the 11th century up to the time of the Black Death in 1348, as well as some Roman and prehistoric finds.

Previous finds in the town have hinted at the possibility of a Saxon ’burgh’ in the town.

Those finds included a piece of the rim of a ‘Chester ware’ pot in Monnow Street and, more recently, a small piece of pottery made in the Cotswolds and found on the site of the almhouses off St James’s Square.

A spokesman for Monmouth Archaeological Society said: “The Commerce House discovery, at 95 Monnow Street, appears to have settled the argument – the Saxons had, after 400 years, fought their way into Monmouth.

“However, patriotic Welsh­men can take heart from the fact that the Saxons took 200 years to fight their way to the Severn and another 200 years to get to the Wye when they were overtaken by the Normans following the defeat of the English at Hastings.”

The two-week excavation was carried out by volunteer diggers and a pottery specialist who are all members of the town’s archaeological society.

The society says it is grateful for the help and support given by Mike and Lewis Emery and the county council’s chief executive, Paul Matthews and chief planning officer, Mark Hand.