© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw
Holt Roman Settlement is a Roman bath house situated in Wales and protected as a scheduled monument by Cadw under reference DE013. The site occupies ground underlain by Triassic sandstone and conglomerate, geological strata that would have presented particular challenges for Roman builders tasked with constructing a structure requiring stable foundations and reliable water drainage. Bath houses were among the most substantial and technologically sophisticated buildings in Roman military and civilian settlements, requiring skilled engineering to manage the circulation of hot water, steam and air through hypocausts and flues.
The site's location in Wales places it within the Roman occupation of this frontier region, where bath houses served both as practical facilities for hygiene and as markers of Roman civic infrastructure. The underlying Triassic bedrock, with its variable mixture of sandstone and conglomerate layers, would have influenced construction methods and the extraction of building materials. The settlement's bath house represents the material culture and architectural ambitions of Roman Britain, demonstrating how Roman standards of comfort and bathing practices were extended into the Welsh landscape.
Today, the monument survives as a record of Roman engineering and daily life on the Welsh frontier. Its protection by Cadw ensures that this archaeological resource remains available for study and helps document the extent and character of Roman settlement in Wales during the period of military and civilian occupation.
Holt Roman Settlement is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference DE013. View the official record →
Holt Roman Settlement is a Roman bath house situated in Wales and protected as a scheduled monument by Cadw under reference DE013.
Holt Roman Settlement dates from the roman period, and is classified as a bath house. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Holt Roman Settlement 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 DE013.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Farndon Holt Bridge Also in Clwyd: Wales (0.6 km), Fishponds at Esp Hill (0.6 km), Holt Castle (1 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Holt Roman Settlement'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.
Holt Roman Settlement stands on Triassic Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Triassic. The rock here is sandstone and conglomerate, interbedded.