Pen-y-Coedcae Roman Camp

Summary description and reason for designation

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled 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). It was built as a temporary camp by a marching army as units of the Roman legions pushed west. Pen-y-Coedcae Roman marching camp is the third largest marching camp recorded in Wales. The camp is the typical "playing card" shape with straight sides 478m by 320m in length with rounded corners. The boundary is defined today by a combination of surviving earthworks, a bank 4.6m wide and up to 0.9m high with a shallow outer ditch, and modern hedgelines which run along the lines of the original Roman defences.

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