Carn Caca (Melin Court Brook) Marching Camp

Marching or Temporary Camp

Roman Marching-Camp in the parish of Llantwit-juxta-Neath/Llanilltud Neath. It was not until 1974 that a medium-sized camp was discovered on Air Photographs about 2½ miles east-north-east of the large camp at Blaen-cwm-Bach. The site lies just south of Blaen-cwm-Caca in the south bank of the Melin Court Brook and has a long association with the history of the area. The Glamorgan County History records a Bronze-Age ring cairn, sometimes known as the ‘Henllan stone circle’, an Iron-Age double-ditched drystone enclosure containing at least one substantial round-house, also two possible Roman signal stations on Resolven Mountain.

Only about 60% of this camp’s perimeter has been traced, which appears roughly square in outline. The rampart and ditch of the camp exists in places up to 12½ feet (c.3.8m) across. No gateways are visible. In 1985, the south-eastern rampart was cut-through by drainage-channels, and was found to have been laid upon a corduroy of logs.

References for Carn Caca Camp

  • Britannia vi (1975) p.223;
  • Glamorgan County History Vol.II ‘Early Glamorgan – Pre-History and Early History’ (Cardiff 1984) pp.431/2;
  • Britannia xvii (1986) p.366.

Map References for Carn Caca Camp

NGRef: SN8300 OSMap: LR170

OS National Grid Reference: SN837001
Dimensions: c.665 x 785 ft (c.203 x 239 m)
Area: c.11¾ acres (c.4.8 ha)

Roman Roads near Carn Caca Camp

None identified

Sites near Carn Caca (Melin Court Brook) Marching Camp