News

A team of archaeologists will once more be on site to trace the beginnings of the Middleton Hall estate which today’s Garden occupies.

Project Director, Prof David Austin of the University of Trinity St David said: “We were very excited last year to establish what we had long suspected, namely that the site is one of considerable importance with a history of occupation and formal planting dating back at least 400 years.

“Now, we are looking to develop the story further, to find out more about the grand dwelling and ornamental gardens  that once existed here and to see whether there is evidence of even earlier occupation.

“We know that the Middletons were incomers to Carmarthenshire whose fortunes were founded, by happy coincidence, on the international profits on plants for health, but it’s almost certain that there was much earlier activity, too.”

The dig will be open to visitors to the Garden, and there will be daily guided tours of the site at 2pm. The Garden is also looking for offers of volunteer support. If you would like to get involved please contact middleton-dig@gardenofwales.org.uk

Click here to read a blog about this year’s excavations

Have a look a rather good article written about the dig by the South Wales Evening Post

Rhian Williams on the site of last summer’s dig