{"id":47279,"date":"2026-01-12T06:16:51","date_gmt":"2026-01-12T06:16:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/?p=47279"},"modified":"2026-01-12T06:16:51","modified_gmt":"2026-01-12T06:16:51","slug":"cgk8j1gkxeloat_mediumrssat_campaignrss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/2026\/01\/12\/cgk8j1gkxeloat_mediumrssat_campaignrss\/","title":{"rendered":"Margam park Roman villa find could be &#8216;Port Talbot&#8217;s Pompeii&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script data-jetpack-boost=\"ignore\" async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1669381584671856\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- Africa tv video display -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1669381584671856\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"3579572842\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\r\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\r\n<script data-jetpack-boost=\"ignore\">\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<div data-component=\"byline-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\">\n<div data-testid=\"byline\" class=\"sc-573fa0e8-0 bWRWzH\"><span data-testid=\"byline-contributors\" class=\"sc-573fa0e8-11 cOQNNv\"><\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"byline-contributors-contributor-0\" class=\"sc-573fa0e8-5 gXJgDY\">\n<p><span class=\"sc-573fa0e8-7 gqeTMs\">Steffan Messenger<\/span><span data-testid=\"byline-contributors-contributor-0-role-location\" class=\"sc-573fa0e8-8 bIfajQ\">Wales environment correspondent<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure>\n<div data-component=\"image-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 gtLOOD\">\n<div data-testid=\"hero-image\" class=\"sc-5340b511-1 cMIbKV\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Tears-flowers-and-silence-in-Bondi-and-Streetings-fury.png?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" class=\"sc-5340b511-0 gUePlo hide-when-no-script\" aria-label=\"image unavailable\"\/><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/322f\/live\/c0056400-ef7b-11f0-997a-59036c4d40d8.png.webp 240w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/320\/cpsprodpb\/322f\/live\/c0056400-ef7b-11f0-997a-59036c4d40d8.png.webp 320w,https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Margam-park-Roman-villa-find-could-be-Port-Talbots-Pompeii.webp.webp 480w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/640\/cpsprodpb\/322f\/live\/c0056400-ef7b-11f0-997a-59036c4d40d8.png.webp 640w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/800\/cpsprodpb\/322f\/live\/c0056400-ef7b-11f0-997a-59036c4d40d8.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/1024\/cpsprodpb\/322f\/live\/c0056400-ef7b-11f0-997a-59036c4d40d8.png.webp 1024w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/1536\/cpsprodpb\/322f\/live\/c0056400-ef7b-11f0-997a-59036c4d40d8.png.webp 1536w\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Margam-park-Roman-villa-find-could-be-Port-Talbots-Pompeii.webp.webp?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"TerraDat Geophysics An interpretative sketch of the team's findings alongside the ground penetrating radar scan. The villa's individual rooms and corridors are clearly visible\" class=\"sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA\"\/><span class=\"sc-5340b511-2 jVqbAn\">TerraDat Geophysics<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"sc-536eff7b-0 gnQokQ\">The scans revealed a villa within a defensive enclosure and an aisled building, possibly used as a barn or meeting hall<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\">\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Archaeologists have discovered the largest Roman villa ever found in Wales in an &#8220;amazing discovery&#8221; which they say has the potential to be &#8220;Port Talbot&#8217;s Pompeii&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">&#8220;My eyes nearly popped out of my skull,&#8221; said project lead Dr Alex Langlands, after ground penetrating radar revealed the &#8220;huge structure&#8221; in Margam Country Park.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The location, in a historical deer park, is significant because the land has not been ploughed or built on, meaning the villa&#8217;s remains &#8211; less than a metre below the surface &#8211; look to be well preserved.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Those involved from Swansea University, Neath Port Talbot council and Margam Abbey Church said the discovery offered &#8220;unparalleled information about Wales&#8217; national story&#8221;.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"sc-536eff7b-0 gnQokQ\">Scans showed a villa within a defensive enclosure and an aisled building<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\">\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The team&#8217;s findings have been shared exclusively with BBC News ahead of an announcement.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Geophysical surveys of the park &#8211; a popular visitor attraction in south Wales &#8211; were commissioned as part of a wider project involving school pupils and the local community to learn more about the area&#8217;s heritage.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Scanning devices helped map potential archaeological features hidden underground.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The team &#8220;struck gold&#8221; &#8211; discovering the footprint of a 572 sq m Roman villa surrounded by fortifications.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure>\n<div data-component=\"image-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 gXrNRM\">\n<div data-testid=\"image\" class=\"sc-5340b511-1 cMIbKV\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Tears-flowers-and-silence-in-Bondi-and-Streetings-fury.png?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" class=\"sc-5340b511-0 gUePlo hide-when-no-script\" aria-label=\"image unavailable\"\/><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/e3ba\/live\/4c7f26f0-ef7c-11f0-9b3a-61589c242ff9.jpg.webp 240w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/320\/cpsprodpb\/e3ba\/live\/4c7f26f0-ef7c-11f0-9b3a-61589c242ff9.jpg.webp 320w,https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1768198606_733_Margam-park-Roman-villa-find-could-be-Port-Talbots-Pompeii.webp.webp 480w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/640\/cpsprodpb\/e3ba\/live\/4c7f26f0-ef7c-11f0-9b3a-61589c242ff9.jpg.webp 640w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/800\/cpsprodpb\/e3ba\/live\/4c7f26f0-ef7c-11f0-9b3a-61589c242ff9.jpg.webp 800w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/1024\/cpsprodpb\/e3ba\/live\/4c7f26f0-ef7c-11f0-9b3a-61589c242ff9.jpg.webp 1024w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/1536\/cpsprodpb\/e3ba\/live\/4c7f26f0-ef7c-11f0-9b3a-61589c242ff9.jpg.webp 1536w\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1768198606_733_Margam-park-Roman-villa-find-could-be-Port-Talbots-Pompeii.webp.webp?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Swansea University The ArchaeoMargam project team meet to discuss their survey work, standing around the ground penetrating radar device \" class=\"sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA\"\/><span class=\"sc-5340b511-2 jVqbAn\">Swansea University<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"sc-536eff7b-0 gnQokQ\">Sophisticated scanning equipment was used to look for archaeological features hidden underground<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\">\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Langlands, co-director of Swansea University&#8217;s Centre for Heritage Research and Training, described it as a &#8220;really impressive and prestigious&#8221; building, likely to have been finely decorated with statues and mosaic floors.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">&#8220;We&#8217;ve got what looks to be a corridor villa with two wings and a veranda running along the front,&#8221; he explained.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">&#8220;It&#8217;s around 43m (141ft) long and looks to have six main rooms [to the front] with two corridors leading to eight rooms at the rear.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">&#8220;Almost certainly you&#8217;ve got a major local dignitary making themselves at home here,&#8221; he added.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">&#8220;This would have been quite a busy place &#8211; the centre of a big agricultural estate and lots of people coming and going.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\">\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">As a standalone structure, it is the largest villa yet to have been discovered in Wales.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Most of the known Roman remains in Wales are from military camps and forts, while grandiose estates like this are less commonly found.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The discovery would force experts to &#8220;rewrite the way we think about south Wales in the Romano-British period&#8221;, Langlands said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">&#8220;This part of Wales isn&#8217;t some sort of borderland, the edge of empire &#8211; in fact there were buildings here just as sophisticated and as high status as those we get in the agricultural heartlands of southern England.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">It also showed that Margam &#8211; &#8220;a place that may even have lent its name to the historic region of Glamorgan&#8221; &#8211; was &#8220;one of the most important centres of power in Wales&#8221;.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure>\n<div data-component=\"image-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 gXrNRM\">\n<div data-testid=\"image\" class=\"sc-5340b511-1 cMIbKV\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Tears-flowers-and-silence-in-Bondi-and-Streetings-fury.png?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" class=\"sc-5340b511-0 gUePlo hide-when-no-script\" aria-label=\"image unavailable\"\/><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/ac26\/live\/d590b8a0-ef7c-11f0-9b3a-61589c242ff9.jpg.webp 240w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/320\/cpsprodpb\/ac26\/live\/d590b8a0-ef7c-11f0-9b3a-61589c242ff9.jpg.webp 320w,https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1768198607_817_Margam-park-Roman-villa-find-could-be-Port-Talbots-Pompeii.webp.webp 480w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/640\/cpsprodpb\/ac26\/live\/d590b8a0-ef7c-11f0-9b3a-61589c242ff9.jpg.webp 640w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/800\/cpsprodpb\/ac26\/live\/d590b8a0-ef7c-11f0-9b3a-61589c242ff9.jpg.webp 800w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/1024\/cpsprodpb\/ac26\/live\/d590b8a0-ef7c-11f0-9b3a-61589c242ff9.jpg.webp 1024w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/1536\/cpsprodpb\/ac26\/live\/d590b8a0-ef7c-11f0-9b3a-61589c242ff9.jpg.webp 1536w\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1768198607_817_Margam-park-Roman-villa-find-could-be-Port-Talbots-Pompeii.webp.webp?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Dr Langlands wears a brown coat and stands in a field with a mountain and building in the background, he looks at the camera with a closed-mouth smile. It is a head and shoulders shot.\" class=\"sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"sc-536eff7b-0 gnQokQ\">Dr Alex Langlands heads up the Swansea University led ArchaeoMargam project<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\">\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Christian Bird of TerraDat, the Welsh firm which carried out the surveys, said the images were &#8220;remarkably clear, identifying and mapping in 3D the villa structure, surrounding ditches and wider layout of the site&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">This includes a substantial 354 sq m aisled building to the south east of the villa &#8211; which the team believes was either some sort of barn or meeting hall.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure>\n<div data-component=\"image-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 gXrNRM\">\n<div data-testid=\"image\" class=\"sc-5340b511-1 cMIbKV\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Tears-flowers-and-silence-in-Bondi-and-Streetings-fury.png?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" class=\"sc-5340b511-0 gUePlo hide-when-no-script\" aria-label=\"image unavailable\"\/><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/e4ac\/live\/edd8b1b0-ef7c-11f0-9b3a-61589c242ff9.png.webp 240w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/320\/cpsprodpb\/e4ac\/live\/edd8b1b0-ef7c-11f0-9b3a-61589c242ff9.png.webp 320w,https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1768198607_724_Margam-park-Roman-villa-find-could-be-Port-Talbots-Pompeii.webp.webp 480w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/640\/cpsprodpb\/e4ac\/live\/edd8b1b0-ef7c-11f0-9b3a-61589c242ff9.png.webp 640w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/800\/cpsprodpb\/e4ac\/live\/edd8b1b0-ef7c-11f0-9b3a-61589c242ff9.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/1024\/cpsprodpb\/e4ac\/live\/edd8b1b0-ef7c-11f0-9b3a-61589c242ff9.png.webp 1024w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/1536\/cpsprodpb\/e4ac\/live\/edd8b1b0-ef7c-11f0-9b3a-61589c242ff9.png.webp 1536w\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1768198607_724_Margam-park-Roman-villa-find-could-be-Port-Talbots-Pompeii.webp.webp?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Peter Urmston\/English Heritage Reconstruction drawing by Peter Urmston of Lullingstone Roman Villa, Kent, in the late 4th Century\" class=\"sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA\"\/><span class=\"sc-5340b511-2 jVqbAn\">Peter Urmston\/English Heritage<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"sc-536eff7b-0 gnQokQ\">This drawing shows how Lullingstone villa in Kent might have looked in the late 4th Century &#8211; Margam&#8217;s villa may have been similar<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\">\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The villa&#8217;s exact location is being kept secret for now, over fears it could be targeted by rogue metal detectorists.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Langlands said conserving the site would be the first priority, before further survey work was carried out and funding sought for future excavation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">It had the potential to be &#8220;Port Talbot&#8217;s Pompeii&#8221;, he suggested, playfully referring to the ancient Roman city preserved by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">&#8220;A lot of archaeologists get wound up by connections made with Pompeii but I think it&#8217;s in part justified because of the levels of preservation here,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">&#8220;We can see that in the survey data first and foremost, but we also know this has been a deer park for hundreds of years &#8211; it hasn&#8217;t been subject to the type of ploughing [that has damaged many other villa sites].<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">&#8220;There&#8217;s a really exciting prospect that we&#8217;ve got really good survival of archaeological evidence and the potential therefore to tell a huge amount about what life was like back in the first, second, third, fourth and maybe even into the 5th Century.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure>\n<div data-component=\"image-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 gXrNRM\">\n<div data-testid=\"image\" class=\"sc-5340b511-1 cMIbKV\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Tears-flowers-and-silence-in-Bondi-and-Streetings-fury.png?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" class=\"sc-5340b511-0 gUePlo hide-when-no-script\" aria-label=\"image unavailable\"\/><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/758e\/live\/2c80e2c0-ef7d-11f0-9b3a-61589c242ff9.jpg.webp 240w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/320\/cpsprodpb\/758e\/live\/2c80e2c0-ef7d-11f0-9b3a-61589c242ff9.jpg.webp 320w,https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1768198608_502_Margam-park-Roman-villa-find-could-be-Port-Talbots-Pompeii.webp.webp 480w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/640\/cpsprodpb\/758e\/live\/2c80e2c0-ef7d-11f0-9b3a-61589c242ff9.jpg.webp 640w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/800\/cpsprodpb\/758e\/live\/2c80e2c0-ef7d-11f0-9b3a-61589c242ff9.jpg.webp 800w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/1024\/cpsprodpb\/758e\/live\/2c80e2c0-ef7d-11f0-9b3a-61589c242ff9.jpg.webp 1024w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/1536\/cpsprodpb\/758e\/live\/2c80e2c0-ef7d-11f0-9b3a-61589c242ff9.jpg.webp 1536w\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1768198608_502_Margam-park-Roman-villa-find-could-be-Port-Talbots-Pompeii.webp.webp?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Swansea University An aerial photo with Margam Castle in the foreground and the Port Talbot steelworks in the distance\" class=\"sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA\"\/><span class=\"sc-5340b511-2 jVqbAn\">Swansea University<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"sc-536eff7b-0 gnQokQ\">Margam Country Park lies about two miles from the town of Port Talbot and its steelworks<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\">\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Further details of the team&#8217;s findings will be shared at an open day at Margam Abbey Church on 17 January.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Margaret Jones, a retired teacher from Port Talbot with a keen interest in local history, booked a ticket and said she cannot wait to find out more.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">&#8220;I&#8217;m still a bit shellshocked at the thought that this place where I played, where my children and grandchildren have played &#8211; that under our feet was this incredible house,&#8221; she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">&#8220;It&#8217;s out of this world.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">She added that Port Talbot had been through &#8220;so many disappointments&#8221; in recent years with major job losses at the local steelworks, but &#8220;this will put us on the map&#8230; and we&#8217;ll be proud&#8221;.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure>\n<div data-component=\"image-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 gXrNRM\">\n<div data-testid=\"image\" class=\"sc-5340b511-1 cMIbKV\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Tears-flowers-and-silence-in-Bondi-and-Streetings-fury.png?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" class=\"sc-5340b511-0 gUePlo hide-when-no-script\" aria-label=\"image unavailable\"\/><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/3040\/live\/5d1a71d0-ef7d-11f0-9b3a-61589c242ff9.jpg.webp 240w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/320\/cpsprodpb\/3040\/live\/5d1a71d0-ef7d-11f0-9b3a-61589c242ff9.jpg.webp 320w,https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1768198608_543_Margam-park-Roman-villa-find-could-be-Port-Talbots-Pompeii.webp.webp 480w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/640\/cpsprodpb\/3040\/live\/5d1a71d0-ef7d-11f0-9b3a-61589c242ff9.jpg.webp 640w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/800\/cpsprodpb\/3040\/live\/5d1a71d0-ef7d-11f0-9b3a-61589c242ff9.jpg.webp 800w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/1024\/cpsprodpb\/3040\/live\/5d1a71d0-ef7d-11f0-9b3a-61589c242ff9.jpg.webp 1024w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/1536\/cpsprodpb\/3040\/live\/5d1a71d0-ef7d-11f0-9b3a-61589c242ff9.jpg.webp 1536w\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1768198608_543_Margam-park-Roman-villa-find-could-be-Port-Talbots-Pompeii.webp.webp?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Swansea University School pupils help excavate land to the west of Margam Abbey Church as part of the ArchaeoMargam project\" class=\"sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA\"\/><span class=\"sc-5340b511-2 jVqbAn\">Swansea University<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"sc-536eff7b-0 gnQokQ\">School pupils helped excavate land to the west of Margam Abbey Church as part of the UK government-funded ArchaeoMargam project<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\">\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The discovery was &#8220;just incredible&#8221; and &#8220;something we couldn&#8217;t dream of&#8221;, said Harriet Eaton who runs a Young Archaeologist Club as part of her role as Heritage Education Officer for Neath Port Talbot council.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">&#8220;It would be fantastic if there was a community excavation here, [offering people] that hands on connection to the history unveiling beneath us,&#8221; she said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure>\n<div data-component=\"image-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 gXrNRM\">\n<div data-testid=\"image\" class=\"sc-5340b511-1 cMIbKV\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Tears-flowers-and-silence-in-Bondi-and-Streetings-fury.png?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" class=\"sc-5340b511-0 gUePlo hide-when-no-script\" aria-label=\"image unavailable\"\/><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/d292\/live\/8e06b4c0-ef7d-11f0-9b3a-61589c242ff9.jpg.webp 240w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/320\/cpsprodpb\/d292\/live\/8e06b4c0-ef7d-11f0-9b3a-61589c242ff9.jpg.webp 320w,https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1768198609_539_Margam-park-Roman-villa-find-could-be-Port-Talbots-Pompeii.webp.webp 480w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/640\/cpsprodpb\/d292\/live\/8e06b4c0-ef7d-11f0-9b3a-61589c242ff9.jpg.webp 640w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/800\/cpsprodpb\/d292\/live\/8e06b4c0-ef7d-11f0-9b3a-61589c242ff9.jpg.webp 800w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/1024\/cpsprodpb\/d292\/live\/8e06b4c0-ef7d-11f0-9b3a-61589c242ff9.jpg.webp 1024w,https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/1536\/cpsprodpb\/d292\/live\/8e06b4c0-ef7d-11f0-9b3a-61589c242ff9.jpg.webp 1536w\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1768198609_539_Margam-park-Roman-villa-find-could-be-Port-Talbots-Pompeii.webp.webp?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Harriet Eaton, Heritage Education Officer at Neath Port Talbot Council stands in Margam park wearing a grey coat and an orange scarf. It is a head and shoulders shot of her.\" class=\"sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><figcaption class=\"sc-536eff7b-0 gnQokQ\">Harriet Eaton had helped lead archaeological digs for school pupils as part of the ArchaeoMargam project in land to the west of Margam Abbey Church<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\">\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Margam Country Park is owned and run by the local council and was already an important historical site, with an Iron Age hillfort, the remains of a 12th Century abbey and an impressive Victorian castle as just some of its attractions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But the villa find helped fill &#8220;a big gap in our knowledge&#8221; about what was happening in Margam during the Roman period, according to park manager Michael Wynne.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">&#8220;It&#8217;s a really unusual find this far west and of such a significant size &#8211; it will really add to our knowledge of Welsh and local history,&#8221; he said, and mean &#8220;more visitors to Margam Park, to Neath Port Talbot and to Wales generally&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">&#8220;It&#8217;s a really good news story.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><script data-jetpack-boost=\"ignore\" async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1669381584671856\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- Africa tv video display -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1669381584671856\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"3579572842\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\r\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\r\n<script data-jetpack-boost=\"ignore\">\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n#Margam #park #Roman #villa #find #Port #Talbots #Pompeii<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Steffan MessengerWales environment correspondent TerraDat Geophysics The scans revealed a villa within a defensive enclosure and an aisled building, possibly&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":47280,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-47279","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mzansi"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47279","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47279"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47279\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":47281,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47279\/revisions\/47281"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/47280"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47279"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47279"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47279"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}