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Roman Marching Camp South East of Coelbren Fort is a temporary military encampment constructed during the Roman occupation of Wales. The camp lies on bedrock comprising mudstone, siltstone and sandstone of the South Wales Lower Coal Measures Formation, a Westphalian-age deposit that also contains seams of coal and ironstone. This geology is characteristic of the upland valleys of Carmarthenshire where the fort stands.
Marching camps were erected by Roman legions during campaigns and reconnaissance operations, serving as temporary bases whilst troops moved through territory. The camp south east of Coelbren Fort would have housed soldiers advancing through or consolidating control of the region. Such camps were typically defended by a turf or clay rampart and ditch, though archaeological evidence of these features may now be subtle on the ground.
The site is recorded under Cadw's historic monuments database as GM343. The camp's proximity to Coelbren Fort, a permanent auxiliary fort, reflects the strategic military infrastructure established to control south Wales during the Roman period. Its survival as an archaeological site, despite the challenging terrain and subsequent land use, contributes to understanding Roman military movements and settlement patterns in this part of the province.
Roman Marching Camp South East of Coelbren Fort is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference GM343. View the official record →
Roman Marching Camp South East of Coelbren Fort is a temporary military encampment constructed during the Roman occupation of Wales. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference GM343.
Roman Marching Camp South East of Coelbren Fort 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 South East of Coelbren Fort 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 GM343.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Hirfynydd Roman Earthwork (4.9 km), Remains of Venallt Ironworks (5.3 km), Pentreclwydau Colliery (5.4 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Roman Marching Camp South East of Coelbren Fort'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 South East of Coelbren Fort stands on Pennine Lower Coal Measures Formation And South Wales Lower Coal Measures Formation (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Westphalian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone, sandstone, coal, ironstone and ferricrete.