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Cefn-Brynich Roman Fort is a Roman auxiliary fort sited on Lower Devonian bedrock in Wales, protected as a scheduled monument under Cadw reference BR431. The fort was constructed on mudstone, siltstone and sandstone geology laid down during the Early Devonian period, which provided a stable foundation for military structures. The site's position reflects Roman strategic planning for the control of Wales during the imperial occupation.
Roman forts of this type typically accommodated between 500 and 1,000 troops and served as bases for the conquest and pacification of frontier territories. They followed a standardised playing-card layout with defensive ramparts, gateways and internal buildings arranged in rows. The solid Devonian bedrock at Cefn-Brynich would have supported substantial timber and later stone fortifications, whilst the local geology also supplied raw material for construction.
The fort's survival and preservation under Cadw protection ensures that the archaeological resource remains secure for future study. The Lower Devonian rocks beneath the site continue to shape the landscape character of the region, their ancient origin contrasting with the later Roman occupation that occurred some 350 million years after their formation.
Cefn-Brynich Roman Fort is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference BR431. View the official record →
Cefn-Brynich Roman Fort is a Roman auxiliary fort sited on Lower Devonian bedrock in Wales, protected as a scheduled monument under Cadw reference BR431.
Cefn-Brynich Roman Fort dates from the roman period, and is classified as a fort. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Cefn-Brynich Roman Fort 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 BR431.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Coed y Caerau Camp (3.4 km), Coed y Brenin Enclosure (3.5 km), Plas-y-Gaer Camp (4.9 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Cefn-Brynich Roman Fort'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.
Cefn-Brynich Roman Fort stands on Lower Devonian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Early Devonian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.