Scheduled MonumentsWalesCastell Collen
Roman · Fort

Castell Collen

Radnorshire, Wales
Cadw SAM RD001
Period
Roman
Site type
Fort
Broad class
Defence
Nation
Wales
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw

Overview

History & significance

Castell Collen is a Roman fort situated in Wales, strategically positioned on bedrock composed of Llandovery rocks—undifferentiated mudstone, siltstone and sandstone formations dating to the Llandovery period. The site's geology reflects the ancient sedimentary landscape of mid-Wales, providing a stable foundation for military construction during the Roman occupation of Britain.

The fort represents a significant example of Roman military architecture in the Welsh interior, where such installations served to control territory and maintain supply routes through challenging terrain. The underlying Llandovery rocks, whilst providing adequate building material, presented particular engineering considerations for the fort's foundations and defensive ditches.

Castell Collen is now protected by Cadw under reference RD001, recognising its importance as a scheduled ancient monument. The site remains a valuable archaeological resource for understanding Roman military strategy and occupation patterns in Wales, with its position and construction reflecting Rome's approach to frontier consolidation in the western reaches of the province of Britannia.

Castell Collen is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference RD001. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Castell Collen?

Castell Collen is a Roman fort situated in Wales, strategically positioned on bedrock composed of Llandovery rocks—undifferentiated mudstone, siltstone and sandstone formations dating to the Llandovery period. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference RD001.

What period does Castell Collen date from?

Castell Collen dates from the roman period, and is classified as a fort. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting Castell Collen?

Castell Collen 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 RD001.

What other scheduled monuments are near Castell Collen?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Cwm-berwyn round cairn (8.9 km), Carneddau Round Cairn (8.9 km), Bryntwppa stone row (9.4 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Castell Collen

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Castell Collen's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman Britain
The Roman roads, forts and towns near here, and the Iron Age people who held the land before Rome arrived.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
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The ground beneath

The bedrock under Castell Collen

Castell Collen stands on Llandovery Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Llandovery. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.

The wider landscape

Around Castell Collen

Offa's DykeArchaeological site · ~22 miles