Scheduled MonumentsWalesCefn-Caer Roman Site
Roman · Fort

Cefn-Caer Roman Site

Meirionnydd, Wales
Cadw SAM ME009
Period
Roman
Site type
Fort
Broad class
Defence
Nation
Wales
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw

Overview

History & significance

Cefn-Caer Roman Site is a Roman fort in Wales, protected as a monument of national importance by Cadw. The fort stands upon bedrock of Llandovery age, a geological formation comprising mudstone, siltstone and sandstone that would have presented particular challenges for Roman military engineers seeking to construct stable foundations for their installations. The underlying geology of this region shaped both the practical constraints and possibilities available to the Roman garrison.

Roman forts of this period typically accommodated a military unit and served as control points for road networks and frontier regions. The location of Cefn-Caer, built upon the variable sedimentary deposits of the Llandovery formation, reflects the strategic importance the Romans placed on establishing their presence across Wales despite the variable terrain and shifting ground conditions they encountered.

Today the site remains a significant archaeological record of Roman occupation in Wales. Its protection by Cadw ensures that the physical remains and the geological evidence of Roman activity at this location are preserved for continued study and public access. The fort contributes to our understanding of how Roman military infrastructure was adapted to the landscape and geology of the Welsh interior.

Cefn-Caer Roman Site is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference ME009. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Cefn-Caer Roman Site?

Cefn-Caer Roman Site is a Roman fort in Wales, protected as a monument of national importance by Cadw. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference ME009.

What period does Cefn-Caer Roman Site date from?

Cefn-Caer Roman Site 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 Cefn-Caer Roman Site?

Cefn-Caer Roman Site 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 ME009.

What other scheduled monuments are near Cefn-Caer Roman Site?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Ystrad Einion Lead Mine Buildings and Water Wheel (6.3 km), Pemprys Rural Settlement (6.4 km), Bryndyfi Lead Mine (7.1 km).

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Everything a full report reveals about Cefn-Caer Roman Site

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Cefn-Caer Roman Site'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 Cefn-Caer Roman Site

Cefn-Caer Roman Site stands on Llandovery Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Llandovery. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.