The new hall on a mezzanine floor of Llandeilo Parish Church was an excellent venue for the Annual General Meeting as the Society entered its second century. Looking down through the glass wall into the nave and the side chapel it was possible to see the eighth century Celtic knot-work stone cross which our Society has adopted as its symbol. It is possible that this cross is unique to Llandeilo and that it was copied from the Llandeilo Gospel book.

A large number of members heard the president, the Revd J. Towyn Jones, outline the extensive and very successful programme which had been organised for the centenary year in 2005. Outgoing chairman Arfon Rees thanked all the officers who had worked hard during the four years when he held office and particularly Muriel Bowen Evans for her editorship of The Antiquary, a publication which is held in high repute both nationally and internationally.

Roy Davies was unanimously elected to the office of chairman and Thomas Lloyd to that of vice-chairman. Donald Williams, a very long-standing member of Council, becomes a vice-president and all other officers and members of Council were re-elected.

Roy Davies, the new chairman,
thanking Gwilym Hughes at the end of the
visit to the site of the Roman forts
in Dinefwr Park.

Gwilym Hughes of Cambria Archaeology gave a presentation on the Roman forts in Dinefwr Park before leading the party to the site of last summer's excavations.

It had long been suspected that there must have been a fort in the area, a day's march between Carmarthen and Lllandovery. A smaller, later, fort was built on part of the older fort, probably when the military situation allowed the large detachment to be withdrawn. Dates are uncertain but it was probably built in the mid-70s AD. The entrances were defended by massive timber gate-houses and there were substantial ditch and rampart defences. A small vicus, a civilian settlement, developed alongside the fort.

Gwilym Hughes
at the entrance to Dinefwr Park with one of the groves of beech trees in the background

On the ridge where the second fort was sited.

A geophysical survey clearly shows a small fort superimposed on an earlier, larger one. Image from Cambria Archaeology.

A brief interval was allowed for members to inspect the newly-installed exhibition of the Llandeilo Gospel book, otherwise known as the St. Chad gospel. This masterpiece of 8th century book production is now in Lichfield Cathedral but for about 200 years it was in the possession of the religious community founded by St Teilo in Llandeilo Fawr. Historically important marginal notes are the earliest surviving examples of written Welsh. An interactive display system "Turning the Pages" has been developed by the British Library which allows magnification of the pages while text notes are displayed.