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Roman Earthwork NE of Caersws is a Roman military installation revealed by aerial photography in mid-Wales. The site lies on Llandovery sandstone and conglomerate bedrock, geology that would have presented both practical challenges and advantages to Roman engineers planning fortifications in this upland region. The earthwork's discovery through aerial survey demonstrates how modern archaeological techniques have identified Roman presence across Wales beyond the better-known fort sites.
The monument remains unclassified in terms of its specific military function, which reflects the incomplete understanding of its layout and purpose from aerial evidence alone. Its position northeast of Caersws, a strategic location in the Severn valley, suggests it may have formed part of the Roman military infrastructure supporting their campaigns and consolidation of territory in mid-Wales during the first and second centuries AD.
The site is protected by Cadw, the Welsh Historic Monuments service, recognizing its significance to understanding Roman occupation patterns beyond the established fort network. The earthwork survives as earthen banks and ditches, their preservation dependent on the underlying geology and local land use. Further investigation would be required to determine its precise chronology and whether it represents a fort, marching camp, or other form of Roman military installation.
Roman Earthwork NE of Caersws (revealed by aerial photography) is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference MG161. View the official record →
Roman Earthwork NE of Caersws is a Roman military installation revealed by aerial photography in mid-Wales. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference MG161.
Roman Earthwork NE of Caersws (revealed by aerial photography) dates from the roman period, and is classified as a earthwork (unclassified). It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Roman Earthwork NE of Caersws (revealed by aerial photography) 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 MG161.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including The Moat Mound & Bailey Castle (2 km), Llandinam Hall Enclosure (2.7 km), Cefn Carnedd Camp (3.4 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Roman Earthwork NE of Caersws (revealed by aerial photography)'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.
Roman Earthwork NE of Caersws (revealed by aerial photography) stands on Llandovery Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Llandovery. The rock here is sandstone and conglomerate, interbedded.