© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw
Roman Marching Camp 500m SSE of Glan-yr-Afon is a temporary military encampment constructed by Roman forces during their campaigns in Wales. Located in the Tywi Valley region, the camp's presence was first revealed through aerial photography, which distinguished its characteristic rectangular ditched perimeter against the surrounding landscape. The site lies on bedrock formed from Llandovery rocks—a sequence of mudstone, siltstone and sandstone that would have provided poorly draining ground typical of this lowland area.
Marching camps of this type were constructed rapidly by Roman armies on campaign, serving as secure overnight bases during military operations. The camp's layout would have followed standard Roman military design, with defensive ditches enclosing an orderly grid of tent lines and officer quarters. Such camps were frequently abandoned after single use, leaving minimal archaeological deposits.
The site is now protected as an ancient monument by Cadw under reference RD133, recognising its importance to understanding Roman military strategy and movements through medieval Wales. The preservation of its earthworks through aerial photography demonstrates how landscape archaeology can reveal structures invisible at ground level, providing invaluable evidence of Rome's presence in this frontier region.
Roman Marching Camp (revealed by aerial photography) 500m SSE of Glan-yr-Afon is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference RD133. View the official record →
Roman Marching Camp 500m SSE of Glan-yr-Afon is a temporary military encampment constructed by Roman forces during their campaigns in Wales. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference RD133.
Roman Marching Camp (revealed by aerial photography) 500m SSE of Glan-yr-Afon dates from the roman period, and is classified as a marching camp. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Roman Marching Camp (revealed by aerial photography) 500m SSE of Glan-yr-Afon 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 RD133.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Doldowlod Pillbox (8.7 km), Round Cairn 130m E of Cryn-Fryn (9.4 km), Corn Drying Kiln 340m S of Cryn-Fryn (9.8 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Roman Marching Camp (revealed by aerial photography) 500m SSE of Glan-yr-Afon'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 Marching Camp (revealed by aerial photography) 500m SSE of Glan-yr-Afon stands on Llandovery Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Llandovery. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.