Newquay dig unearths ancient dwellings found in Cornwall for the first time

'Rare' and 'significant' ancient dwellings have been unearthed at a new housing development in Newquay.

Three Bronze Age roundhouses and several buildings dating back to the Romans were found at the site by archaeologists from the Cornwall Archaeological Unit

An oval house, a large processing area and two rectangular buildings thought to have been used as barns were among the Roman-period structures.

Experts say finding so many ancient buildings in one small area is unusual.

“Although quite a few of these Bronze Age structures have been found at various sites around the county over the last 30 or so years starting with Trethellan at Newquay in 1987, it’s still rare to find so much in one small area," said Sean Taylor, Senior Archaeologist at the Cornwall Archaeological Unit.

“The Romano-British house is similar to buildings found at Trethurgy Round near St Austell in the 1970s and are of a type unique to Cornwall.

"The rectangular agricultural buildings on the other hand are fairly common throughout Roman Britain but this is the first time that they have been discovered in Cornwall.

“It’s starting to look like this part of Newquay, alongside the River Gannel, was a very important and densely populated area from the Neolithic onwards.

"The estuary undoubtedly formed an important link with the outside world throughout prehistory.”

The team have also made a number of exciting finds including pottery, a glass bead and stoneware.

The Cornwall Archaeological Unit completed its work at the end of March and the site will now be handed over to the developer, Treveth.

It’s hoped that many of the finds discovered at the site, which include large quantities of Bronze Age Trevisker ware pottery, Roman-period imported pottery, and worked stone tools from both periods, will be housed in a local museum.

Councillor Martyn Alvey, portfolio holder for Environment and Climate Change at Cornwall Council, said: “These structures are really significant for Cornwall and it is fantastic to get a glimpse of what life was like in Newquay all those years ago.

“I hope that we are able to house many of the finds locally and look forward to hearing more about them.”