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Section of Road NE of Coelbren Fort is a Roman road in Wales, protected by Cadw as a scheduled ancient monument. The route runs north-eastward from Coelbren Fort and represents part of the military road network that connected Roman installations across south Wales during the occupation period. The road was engineered to facilitate rapid movement of troops and supplies between forts and settlements, typical of Roman strategic infrastructure in frontier regions.
The road sits upon bedrock of the Pennine Lower Coal Measures Formation and South Wales Lower Coal Measures Formation, comprising mudstone, siltstone and sandstone interspersed with coal and ironstone deposits. This geological foundation, though challenging to work, would have provided suitable base material for the metalled surface. Roman engineers adapted their standard road construction methods to local conditions, creating a durable thoroughfare across the varied terrain of upland south Wales.
The survival of this section reflects both the substantial Roman investment in maintaining communications within their Welsh territories and the durability of Roman road engineering. The road's preservation as a visible landscape feature demonstrates the enduring impact of Roman infrastructure on the Welsh countryside, even after nearly two millennia. Its protected status recognises its archaeological and historical significance as evidence of Roman military organisation and occupation strategy in Wales.
Section of Road NE of Coelbren Fort is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference BR074. View the official record →
Section of Road NE of Coelbren Fort is a Roman road in Wales, protected by Cadw as a scheduled ancient monument.
Section of Road NE of Coelbren Fort dates from the roman period, and is classified as a road. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Section of Road NE 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 BR074.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Hirfynydd Roman Earthwork (5.3 km), Glynneath Gunpowder Works (5.8 km), Remains of Venallt Ironworks (5.8 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Section of Road NE 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.
Section of Road NE 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.