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THE discovery of Stone Age flints and the remains of a huge Iron Age wall in Malmesbury mean the town dates back thousands of years, to the time when Stonehenge and Avebury were built. A report, published by the Bristol and Region Archaeological Services in April 2003, reveals the date of finds uncovered near Malmesbury's St JosephÃs Roman Catholic Primary School have been confirmed using carbon dating technology. The Stone Age flint blades date back to about 2500 BC, which means people have lived in the town for more than 4,000 years - making it the longest continually occupied place in Britain. "It is very exciting," said the Mayor of Malmesbury, Coun John Bowen. "Malmesbury is an extraordinary place. It is the first one mentioned in the Domesday book in the Wiltshire region in 1086. "And we have to look at what made it so special." The Neolithic flints and pieces of Bronze Age pottery, as well as the foundation of a huge wall dating back to about 800BC, were uncovered in a dig in 1999. The excavation was funded by English Heritage and organised in conjunction with North Wiltshire District Council and Wiltshire County Council's county archaeologist Roy Canham. The dig was led by Tim Longman, of BRAS and a two-metre trench was dug to the north of St Joseph's School. The archaeologists hoped to find the original medieval town walls, as English Heritage planned to repair and renovate them. Instead, a whole series of historical treasures were revealed - including two Norman houses, one on top of the other, the remains of an Anglo Saxon settlement and the huge stones, which had once served as the foundation for an Iron Age defence. Coun Bowen said the report confirmed what he had long suspected - that Malmesbury's superlative resources and geographic position made it an ideal settlement, with roots stretching into antiquity. He said historian William of Malmesbury, writing before 1200, had described the town as an ancient place of the Britons. The town's position on top of a steep hill, with the River Avon running around it, and long views over the surrounding countryside made it an ideal situation for a stronghold. The latest discoveries indicate Malmesbury is indeed the legendary ancient British city of Caer Bladon - Caer meaning stronghold and Bladon being an old name for the Avon. |
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