The next instalment in Peter Bere’s Monmouthshire Through The Ages.

Evidence has been found of several prehistoric settlements beside the River Wye together with stone and flint tools and weapons. On the banks of the river at Monmouth a series of flint harpoons have been recovered from the early beds of the river and the lake.

These show that the lake reached well up the sides of the valley where the hunters and fishers were active. Close to the edge of the lake, at 22-24 Monnow Street, a very water-worn barbed and tanged flint arrow-head was found (by Ann Leaver) sealed in the sands and gravels of the lake shore.

This confirmed that the edge of the lake extended to what was to be well up Monnow Street during the Bronze Age. Similar discoveries have been made in the fields and hills around Monmouth town.

All printed images are available from Rhodri Clarke at the Monmouth printers at The Town Wall St, James Square Monmouth NP253DN. The printing cost for an A3 colour image will be £10, which includes £3 for the charity ‘Friends of The Earth’ to help tackle Climate Change. The reference number must be quoted, with this week’s being Ref: 03.

Designs based upon research and excavations by Monmouth Archaeologist Stephen Clarke with reconstruction images illustrated by artist Peter Bere.