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Caersws Roman Fort and Vicus is a Roman auxiliary fort and associated civilian settlement in Wales, protected as a scheduled monument by Cadw. The fort was established to project Roman military power into the Welsh uplands and control the surrounding territory. The civilian settlement, or vicus, developed adjacent to the fort to service the garrison with trade, crafts and provisions, a pattern typical of Roman frontier installations.
The section visible today lies in the southern part of the vicus, where the soft Llandovery rocks—mudstones, siltstones and sandstones formed in the Ordovician—underlie the archaeological deposits. These fine-grained sediments would have provided natural drainage across the site while presenting challenges for foundation work. The convergence of Roman military and civilian activity at this location reflects the strategic importance of routes through the Welsh interior during the occupation period.
Excavations at the site have revealed evidence of the structured layout characteristic of Roman vici, including building remains, craft working areas and domestic debris. The surviving earthworks and subsurface archaeology preserve a record of how Roman and local populations interacted within the framework of imperial administration and commerce.
Caersws Roman Fort and Vicus: section in southern part of vicus is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference MG242. View the official record →
Caersws Roman Fort and Vicus is a Roman auxiliary fort and associated civilian settlement in Wales, protected as a scheduled monument by Cadw. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference MG242.
Caersws Roman Fort and Vicus: section in southern part of vicus dates from the roman period, and is classified as a vicus. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Caersws Roman Fort and Vicus: section in southern part of vicus is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Cadw — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Wales. The official designation reference is MG242.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Llandinam Hall Enclosure (1.8 km), The Moat Mound & Bailey Castle (2 km), Cefn Carnedd Camp (2.2 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Caersws Roman Fort and Vicus: section in southern part of vicus's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Caersws Roman Fort and Vicus: section in southern part of vicus stands on Llandovery Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Llandovery. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.