Scheduled MonumentsWalesDolaucothi Gold Mines
Roman · Gold Mine

Dolaucothi Gold Mines

Carmarthenshire, Wales
Cadw SAM CM208
Period
Roman
Site type
Gold Mine
Broad class
Industrial
Nation
Wales
Boundary

Scheduled area

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Overview

History & significance

Dolaucothi Gold Mines is a Roman gold extraction site located in Carmarthenshire, Wales, and represents one of the few known sources of precious metal exploitation under Roman rule in Britain. The mines were worked during the Roman occupation, likely from the late first century AD onwards, yielding gold that was valued for coinage and imperial use. The site preserves evidence of open cast and underground mining operations, together with associated water management systems including leats and channels that supplied the hydraulic power necessary for extraction and ore processing. The landscape bears witness to Roman industrial engineering on a substantial scale, making Dolaucothi an exceptional example of Roman economic activity and technological application in the frontier provinces of the empire.

Dolaucothi Gold Mines is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference CM208. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Dolaucothi Gold Mines?

Dolaucothi Gold Mines is a Roman gold extraction site located in Carmarthenshire, Wales, and represents one of the few known sources of precious metal exploitation under Roman rule in Britain. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference CM208.

What period does Dolaucothi Gold Mines date from?

Dolaucothi Gold Mines dates from the roman period, and is classified as a gold mine. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting Dolaucothi Gold Mines?

Dolaucothi Gold Mines 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 CM208.

What other scheduled monuments are near Dolaucothi Gold Mines?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Dolaucothi Mound (0.3 km), Dolaucothi Roman Aqueduct (0.3 km), Nant Cilgwyn standing stone (3.1 km).

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