Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Pen-plaenau Roman marching camp
Ceiriog Ucha, Wrexham, Wales
A scheduled monument in Ceiriog Ucha, Wrexham, recorded as Marching Camp (Roman).
The record
- Designation
- Scheduled monument
- Site type
- Marching Camp
- Period
- Roman
- Date of designation
- 10 September 2007
- Community
- Ceiriog Ucha
- Unitary authority
- Wrexham
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates (centre of the scheduled area)
- 52.91649, -3.32346
- SAM number
- DE296
- Cadw record number
- 4279
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesLlyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of WalesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1608 map "(13) Cambriae Typus." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Historical maps covering this location
- 1608 · (13) Cambriae Typus. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1795 · To Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn Bart ... the map of the six counties of North Wales is most… (Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of Wales)
- 1883 · Watershed map England, Wales 3. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1897 · 137 Oswestry (Hills) (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1901 · Sheet 9 and 10. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
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 Roman marching camp, probably dating from the conquest of Wales by the Romans in the first century AD (probably around AD 74 - 77). The marching camp occupies a defensive position on the S-facing slopes of Pen-plaenau, overlooking the Nant Rhydwilym stream. It is irregular on plan, the well-preserved upstanding earthworks of the rampart breached at least three times by entrances defended by claviculae (internally curving defensive banks). The earth and stone rampart measures about 3.5m in width and about 0.7m in height, while the external ditch measures about 2m in width and about 0.5m in depth.
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 structure itself may be expected to contain archaeological information in regard to chronology, building techniques and functional detail.
The area to be scheduled comprises the remains described and an area around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive. It is irregular and measures c. 600m from ESE to WNW by up to 400m transversely.
Nearby in the register
- Pen-plaenau cairns and standing stoneRound Cairnunder 1 mi
- Blaen-Cwm-LlawenogDomestic1 mi
- Blaen Llynor round cairnRound Cairn2 mi
- Pentre BachDomestic2 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.