Scheduled MonumentsWalesGaer Roman Site
Roman · Enclosure

Gaer Roman Site

Radnorshire, Wales
Cadw SAM RD005
Period
Roman
Site type
Enclosure
Broad class
Monument
Nation
Wales
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw

Overview

History & significance

Gaer Roman Site is a Roman enclosure situated in Wales, protected by Cadw under the designation RD005. The monument occupies ground underlain by Pridoli rocks, a geological formation comprising undifferentiated mudstone, siltstone and sandstone deposited during the Pridoli period. This varied bedrock would have presented both advantages and challenges to Roman engineers—the mudstone and siltstone offering relatively stable foundations, whilst the sandstone bands provided harder stone suitable for construction materials.

As a Roman enclosure, the site represents the characteristic rectilinear fortification type deployed across the empire for military and administrative control. Such installations typically featured defensive ditches, timber or stone ramparts, and internal structures arranged in a standardised layout. The enclosure's location in the Welsh landscape reflects the Roman military strategy of establishing strongholds to facilitate conquest and occupation of the surrounding region.

Today, the physical remains visible at Gaer reveal the enduring impact of Roman occupation on the Welsh countryside. The monument's preservation under Cadw protection ensures that this significant evidence of Roman engineering and settlement strategy remains accessible for study and public appreciation.

Gaer Roman Site is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference RD005. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Gaer Roman Site?

Gaer Roman Site is a Roman enclosure situated in Wales, protected by Cadw under the designation RD005.

What period does Gaer Roman Site date from?

Gaer Roman Site dates from the roman period, and is classified as a enclosure. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting Gaer Roman Site?

Gaer 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 RD005.

What other scheduled monuments are near Gaer Roman Site?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Gaer (6.3 km), Clyro Court chambered tomb (6.5 km), Hay Castle (7.4 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Gaer Roman Site

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Gaer 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.
First month just £4.99, then £9.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Gaer Roman Site report
Or see a real report first
The ground beneath

The bedrock under Gaer Roman Site

Gaer Roman Site stands on Pridoli Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Pridoli. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.

The wider landscape

Around Gaer Roman Site

KenchesterRoman town · ~14.5 miles