Roman Fort at Pen y Gaer

Summary description and reason for designation

The following provides a general description of the scheduled monument.

The monument comprises buried features and earthworks representing a Roman fort. The fort occupies and area of 1.25 hectares and is defined by the remains of earthen ramparts on the E, NE, SE and NW corners. The area is divided into two parts by the modern road, which may be on line with the north and south fort gateways. On the SE and E sides the rampart stands to a height of 1.7m and is surmounted by a stone wall which now forms a field boundary. On the east side the rampart has been encroached upon by farm buildings. On the N side the rampart is visible as a scarped slope and has been incorporated in to a modern field boundary. On the NW and S sides the ramparts have been reduced by ploughing. The interior of the fort is largely occupied by farm buildings and a garden. A small scale excavated on the site in 1966 revealed that the initial construction of the ramparts in earth and timber had been followed by two phases of rebuilding in stone before abandonment in the late Hadrianic period (mid-2nd century AD).

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of Roman military organisation. The monument forms an important element within the wider context of the Roman occupation of Wales and the structures may contain well preserved archaeological evidence concerning chronology, layout and building techniques.

The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.