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Carmarthen Roman Town Defences is a Roman town defences structure protected by Cadw under reference CM243. The site lies in Wales where the underlying bedrock comprises Arenig Rocks of Arenigian age, composed of mudstone, siltstone and sandstone. These sedimentary deposits, formed over 470 million years ago, provided the geological foundation upon which the Roman engineers constructed their defensive works.
The defences represent part of a Roman military and administrative installation, strategically positioned to control this region of Wales. Roman town defences of this period typically comprised substantial stone or earthwork ramparts, ditches and gates designed to protect both military personnel and civilian populations within. The specific configuration and construction methods employed at Carmarthen would have been adapted to the local topography and available building materials from the underlying Arenig bedrock.
The monument survives as an important archaeological record of Roman occupation in Wales, demonstrating the extent of imperial military engineering across the province. The surviving remains provide evidence of Roman administrative infrastructure and the development of urban centres beyond the primary legionary fortresses. Protection by Cadw ensures the preservation of this significant heritage asset for ongoing archaeological study and public understanding of Roman Wales.
Carmarthen Roman Town Defences (part of) is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference CM243. View the official record →
Carmarthen Roman Town Defences is a Roman town defences structure protected by Cadw under reference CM243.
Carmarthen Roman Town Defences (part of) dates from the roman period, and is classified as a town defences. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Carmarthen Roman Town Defences (part of) 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 CM243.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Rhyd-Lydan Cromlech (5.9 km), Banc y Bettws Castle Mound (6.3 km), Standing Stone NNW of Clomendy (6.4 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Carmarthen Roman Town Defences (part of)'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.
Carmarthen Roman Town Defences (part of) stands on Arenig Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Arenigian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.