Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Roman Marching Camp South West of Melin Court Brook
Clyne and Melincourt, Neath Port Talbot, Wales
A scheduled monument in Clyne and Melincourt, Neath Port Talbot, recorded as Marching Camp (Roman).
The record
- Designation
- Scheduled monument
- Site type
- Marching Camp
- Period
- Roman
- Community
- Clyne and Melincourt
- Unitary authority
- Neath Port Talbot
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates (centre of the scheduled area)
- 51.68704, -3.68411
- SAM number
- GM367
- Cadw record number
- 320
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)
- 1830 · V.3:11-15:XV. Britisches Reich. A. Kon: England. b. Frstenthum Wales: Shire: 37-40 (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1865 · England and Wales. England No. 6. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1907 · 248 Pontypridd (Hills) (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). It was built as a temporary camp by a marching army as units of the Roman legions pushed west. This is a squarish marching camp, sides varying in length from 203m to 239m, discovered from an aerial photograph. Area enclosed is 4.8 hectares (11.8 acres). The line of the surrounding bank and ditch are discontinuous and not easy to follow, but where well-preserved are about 4m wide x 0.5m high. The site lies on boggy moorland and presumably relates to Roman troop movements up the ridgeway to the SE of the Vale of Neath, between Neath and the Penderyn area.
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.
Nearby in the register
- Camp 280m S of Melin Court BrookEnclosureunder 1 mi
- Cefn Mawr cairnRound Cairnunder 1 mi
- Three Round Cairns on Carn CacaKerb Cairnunder 1 mi
- Scotch FaldAgriculture and Subsistence1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.