Castell Madoc
Fortlet
The Possible Roman Outpost at Castell Madoc site lies along the line of Ivan Margary’s postulated extension of the Cardiff-Brecon Gaer road northwards (Margary #621), at the point where the road left the valley of the Afon Honddu and made off, almost due north, across the moors towards Castell Collen. The encampment is very small, measuring only 62 feet square across the rampart crests, with a centrally placed entrance gateway 10 feet wide in the southern defences. The preservation of the site is remarkable, the rampart existing to a height of about 6 feet (c.1.8 m) above the general lie of the land and over 10 feet (c.3 m) above the bottom of its single encircling ditch.
The site is comparable to many of the late-Flavian works in south-east Scotland and may yet prove to be a late-1st century signal-tower or guard-outpost, but the attribution of a Roman date to Castell Madoc is not supported by any physical evidence other than the style of its defences. Because of this, perhaps, the site has never been included on the maps of Roman Britain produced by the Ordnance Survey.
References for Castell Madoc
- Roman Roads in Britain : Volume II North of the Foss Way – Bristol Channel by Ivan D. Margary (London 1957);
- Air Reconnaissance in Britain, 1955-7 by J.K. St. Joseph in J.R.S. xlviii (1958) p.95;
Map References for Castell Madoc
NGRef: SO0237 OSMap: LR160
Roman Roads near Castell Madoc
Margary #621: N (17) to Castell Collen (Powys) Margary #621: SSE (5) to Y Gaer (Brecon Gaer, Powys)
Sites near Castell Madoc
- Brecon Vicus (Cicucium or Y Gaer) (8 km)
Mansio and Vicus - Brecon (Cicucium or Y Gaer) Roman Fort (8 km)
Flavian Auxiliary Fort (AD 69–96), Industry and Practice Work - Cefn-brynich Roman Fort (11 km)
Claudian Auxiliary Fort (AD 43–54) - Maesderwen (Llanfrynach) Roman Site (12 km)
Bath House - Sarn Helen (16 km)
Roman Road - Caerau Roman Fort & Practice Camps (16 km)
Flavian Auxiliary Fort (AD 69–96), Industry and Practice Work - Caerau Vicus (17 km)
Vicus - Penmincae Roman Fortlet (17 km)
Fortlet - Beulah Camps (17 km)
Marching or Temporary Camp - Colwyn Castle Roman Fort (19 km)
Neronian Auxiliary Fort (AD 54–68)