Suspected ancient human remains found at beach

The Glamorgan Heritage Coast is rich in archaeological treasures

Suspected centuries-old human remains have been found after an ancient wall collapsed along the south Wales coast.

Bones were discovered near Dunraven Bay in Southerndown, Vale of Glamorgan, on 9 April, and have now been sent for analysis, South Wales Police said.

Experts believe they are the remains of shipwreck victims from the 16th, 17th and possibly 18th centuries.

Numerous archaeological discoveries have been made along the Vale of Glamorgan coast, including prehistoric and Iron Age structures, as well as the remains of shipwrecks.

Police confirmed a single set of bones had been found, and would be sent to archaeologists who would conduct an excavation if they were found to be historic.

The discovery occurred near Dunraven Castle, a mansion built by the Wyndham Family in 1803, but which was demolished in 1963.

The remains are likely to belong to shipwreck victims from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, whose bodies washed up along the coast, said Paul Huckfield, project manager for Archaeology Wales.

Many of the remains have been buried along the coast for centuries, and are emerging due to coastal erosion, he said.

“We will see more and more of these bodies discovered along the coast”, due to further erosion, Mr Huckfield added.

Travelling by ship during this period was fraught with danger, and shipwrecks along the south Wales coast were common.

The boats that crashed were “from all over”, Mr Huckfield said.

“The Bristol Channel was the M4 of the day, so goods were being moved along the coast, and further afield,” he said.

Claudine Gerrard, from Heneb, the Trust for Welsh Archaeology, said the discoveries were likely “due to localised coastal erosion after stormy weather, and reflect the maritime history of the area”.

“Human remains were often washed ashore following shipwrecks, and were buried in the nearest available place,” she said, adding that the dates could vary from prehistoric to modern.

In 2019, the skeletal remains of at least six people, believed to have been shipwreck victims, were found along the coast.

They were found at a cliff edge at Cwm Nash on the Glamorgan Heritage Coast, and experts said other bones had already been lost to sea.

In 2014, archaeologists also discovered two human leg bones on a cliff at Cwm Nash.