Scheduled MonumentsWalesKanovium Roman Site
Roman · Fort

Kanovium Roman Site

Conwy, Wales
Cadw SAM CN001
Period
Roman
Site type
Fort
Broad class
Defence
Nation
Wales
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw

Overview

History & significance

Kanovium is a Roman auxiliary fort situated near Conwy in North Wales, established during the first century AD as part of Rome's military infrastructure in the newly conquered province of Britannia. The fort served as a strategic defensive position controlling the North Welsh coast and the surrounding territory, with occupation spanning the early Imperial period. Archaeological investigation has revealed substantial remains including ditches, ramparts, and building foundations that attest to its role as a garrison settlement for auxiliary troops. The site represents an important example of Roman military architecture adapted to the Welsh landscape and remains one of the most significant Roman forts in Wales.

Kanovium Roman Site is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference CN001. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Kanovium Roman Site?

Kanovium is a Roman auxiliary fort situated near Conwy in North Wales, established during the first century AD as part of Rome's military infrastructure in the newly conquered province of Britannia. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference CN001.

What period does Kanovium Roman Site date from?

Kanovium 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 Kanovium Roman Site?

Kanovium 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 CN001.

What other scheduled monuments are near Kanovium Roman Site?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Caer Oleu Camp (4.2 km), Site of Aberconwy Abbey, Maenan (4.9 km), Cae Du platform cairn (5 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Kanovium Roman Site

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Kanovium 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 Kanovium Roman Site

Kanovium Roman Site stands on Wenlock Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Wenlock. The rock here is sandstone and conglomerate, interbedded.

The wider landscape

Around Kanovium Roman Site

Bryn Celli DduArchaeological site · ~16.7 miles