Scheduled MonumentsWalesDinas Emrys Camp
Roman · Hillfort

Dinas Emrys Camp

Conwy, Wales
Cadw SAM CN018
Period
Roman
Site type
Hillfort
Broad class
Defence
Nation
Wales
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw

Overview

History & significance

Dinas Emrys Camp is a Roman hillfort situated in Wales, occupying a defensible position on bedrock formed during the Silurian period. The underlying geology comprises an unnamed igneous intrusion of felsic rock, which would have provided a naturally raised and stable foundation for the fort's construction. This ancient volcanic stone, exposed in places across the site, contributes to the distinctive character of the landscape and may have influenced the Romans' choice of location.

The fort's strategic placement reflects typical Roman settlement patterns in Wales during the period of military occupation and consolidation. The elevated terrain afforded commanding views of the surrounding territory, essential for communications and defence. The felsic bedrock, being relatively hard and durable, would have supported the construction of the fort's defensive structures, including ramparts and internal buildings.

Dinas Emrys Camp is protected as a scheduled monument under Cadw, the Welsh Historic Monuments service, registered under reference CN018. This designation recognises its historical significance as evidence of the Roman military presence in Wales and its contribution to understanding the occupation of the Welsh uplands during the Roman period.

Dinas Emrys Camp is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference CN018. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Dinas Emrys Camp?

Dinas Emrys Camp is a Roman hillfort situated in Wales, occupying a defensible position on bedrock formed during the Silurian period. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference CN018.

What period does Dinas Emrys Camp date from?

Dinas Emrys Camp dates from the roman period, and is classified as a hillfort. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting Dinas Emrys Camp?

Dinas Emrys Camp 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 CN018.

What other scheduled monuments are near Dinas Emrys Camp?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Pont Maesgwm Deserted Rural Settlement (6 km), Hut Circle and Rectangular Hut at Clogwyn y Gath (6.5 km), Defended Settlement 150m NW of Plas Ynysfor (6.6 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Dinas Emrys Camp

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Dinas Emrys Camp'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 Dinas Emrys Camp

Dinas Emrys Camp stands on Unnamed Igneous Intrusion, Ordovician To Silurian, bedrock that formed in the Silurian. The rock here is felsic-rock.

The wider landscape

Around Dinas Emrys Camp

Bryn Celli DduArchaeological site · ~14.3 miles