Llys Arthur, Dyffryn-Castell

Cadw's description

Summary description and reason for designation

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument.

The monument comprises the remains of a well-preserved rectangular camp, possibly of Roman date. The site comprises a single bank c 2m high with a shallow ditch of rectangular plan. Two south corners are preserved and look Roman. The eastern side has been ploughed away and c.1900 a bronze axe was found during ploughing. The north-west corner has been ruined, possibly by peat digging, but can be reconstructed. A probable original entrance in the western side has been dug away to make an entrance into the field to the west, but slight traces remain. A gap in the north-west side looks too narrow to be original and there may be a counterscarp here unless it is a plough line. The site is surrounded by bog except to the west and north-west, since it lies on the very tip of a slight elevation.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of Roman settlement. The monument is well preserved and is an important relic of the Roman landscape. It retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of intact archaeological deposits and structural evidence.

The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive. It measures approximately 108 metres N-S by 96 metres W-E.