Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Ely Roman Villa
Caerau, Cardiff, Wales
A scheduled monument in Caerau, Cardiff, recorded as Villa (Roman).
The record
- Designation
- Scheduled monument
- Site type
- Villa
- Period
- Roman
- Date of designation
- 8 November 1950
- Community
- Caerau
- Unitary authority
- Cardiff
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates (centre of the scheduled area)
- 51.47768, -3.22954
- SAM number
- GM205
- Cadw record number
- 223
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1636 map "Cornubia : Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia, Glocestria ..." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Historical maps covering this location
- 1636 · Cornubia : Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia, Glocestria ... (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1637 · The fourth table of England. Cornub. Devonia, Somerset etc. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1865 · England and Wales. England No. 6. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1898 · 263 Cardiff (Hills) (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1913 · Sheet 110. Cardiff & Mouth of the Severn. (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 villa dating to the Roman period (AD 74-410). It is located on the valley floor of the River Ely to the south-west of the river in Trelai Park (a large playing field in the surburb of Ely).
The villa survives as low earthworks comprising a triple-ditched enclosure of trapezoidal shape, c. 120m by 100m enclosing an area c. 0.65ha. Excavations carried out by Storrie in 1894 and Wheeler in 1922 found contained within the earthworks the remains of a number of masonry structures some with hypocaust. The outermost bank measures some 7m wide and up to 1m high, the corners are typically rounded and clearly defined. The bank on the north side is uneven and that on the west side is uneven and discontinuous. The south and east banks are continuous and clear and have a slight external ditch 3m wide and c. 1m deep. The north-east corner of the site has been badly damaged during levelling for the 19th century racecourse which passed along the eastern boundary ditches.
The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of the Roman occupation of Wales. The monument retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of archaeological deposits and environmental and structural evidence. The monument forms an important element in the wider Roman landscape.
The area scheduled comprises the remains described and an area around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.
Nearby in the register
- Ely Methodist ChurchReligious, Ritual and Funeraryunder 1 mi
- Milepost on railway bridgeTransportunder 1 mi
- Former Drinking Fountain canopy in rose garden of Victoria ParkGardens, Parks and Urban Spacesunder 1 mi
- Lansdowne School, School HouseDomesticunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.