Dynevor Park (Llandeilo) Roman Fort

First indicated on aerial photographs taken in 1979 (Britannia, 1980), a subsequent magnetometer survey undertaken by StrataScan in 2003 (Cambria.org.uk) has revealed a sequence of forts, including perhaps the largest fort anywhere in Wales, also traces of an extramural civilian settlement and a possible military bath-house, all lying undisturbed beneath fields in the grounds of Dynevor Park, Llandeilo, close beside the Deserted Medieval Village (DMV) of Llandyfeisant.

The Vexillation Fortress – Dynevor A

• OS National Grid Reference: SN621224
• Dimensions:c.720 x 590 ft (c.220 x 180 m)
• Area:c.12 acres (c.4.85 ha)

With reference to the StrataScan 2003 magnetometer survey; the original fort on the site is represented by a substantial eastern corner-angle and attached lengths of the adjacent NE and SE sides, a long length of the north-western defences (visible beneath the features of the secondary fort – Dynevor B), also the southern part of the south-western defences, the northern portion being obscured beneath the SW defences of the later fort, which lie on the same alignment. From these apparent features the primary encampment would have had an external dimension of around 590 feet (c.180 m) square, and therefore covered an area of about 8 acres (c.3.23 ha).

The defences identified on the south-west, however, appear as a pair of ditches on the GeoPhys plot, unlike those on the north-west and at the eastern corner-angle which are trivallate in nature. This leads one to conclude that the bivallate south-western ditches are perhaps associated with a contraction of the fort’s original defences which must therefore lie outside the SW edge of the 2003 survey. If this is the case, and assuming that the dimensions of the original fort were built to the standard Roman military ratio of 3:2, then the original SW-NE dimension may have been somewhere in the region of 885 feet (270m), which would give an area of around 12 acres (c.4.85 ha) before reduction of the fort to the square outline revealed on the survey.

The only feature within the original enclosure appears to be a roadway which roughly bisects the fortress along its main axis, recorded on the 1979 A.P.’s and also shown on the 2003 GeoPhys survey. Features in the southern half of the fortress would seem to be associated with the road leading from the south-east gateway of the secondary fort, Dynevor B, which was built across the primary encampments north-western defences. The 2003 plot also shows what appears to be an annexe attached to the southern part of the fortresses north-eastern defences, measuring perhaps 360 x 150 feet (c.110 x 45 m) and enclosing an area of about 1¼ acres (c.0.5 ha).

The hefty trivallate defences would have taken considerable effort and indicate that this camp was intended to be occupied for as long as it took to quell unrest in this part of Wales. The area originally enclosed would have been sufficient to hold perhaps half a legion and a unit of cavalry under field conditions, somewhere in the region of three thousand men. The lack of any features within the bounds of the camp shows that the occupation period was not long, perhaps only a couple of seasons. The annexe on the north-eastern side may indicate troop build-up in the area, possibly being occupied by a supplementary force attached to the original garrison, which was subsequently reduced by about a third before the encampment was eventually abandoned, the defences very likely being levelled at this time.

Some Speculative Thoughts on the Origins of Dynevor A

It is possible that the Dynevor Park fortress was established during the tenure of governor Quintus Veranius, who administrated Britain during A.D. 57/58 and is known to have campaigned in south-west Wales. Less likely in the author’s opinion would be a foundation date during the administration of Sextus Julius Frontinus, governor of Britain from around A.D. 73 to 77, who is also known to have campaigned in southern Wales, although his efforts seem to have been mainly directed towards the war-like Silures tribe of Monmouthshire and Glamorgan. It may well prove that the apparently short-lived occupation of the Dynevor A site is linked to the notably short tenure of Veranius, who died in unrecorded circumstances after only one campaign season.

The Auxiliary Fort – Dynevor B

• OS National Grid Reference: SN622225
• Dimensions:c.490 x 330 ft (c.150 x 100 m)
• Area:c.3¾ acres (c.1.54 ha)

After an unknown period a smaller fort was built across the primary encampments north-western defences. This fort was protected by substantial multivallate defences with internal dimensions of about 490 feet NE-SW by 330 feet transversely (c.150 x 100m), and therefore had an internal occupation area of around 3¾ acres (c.1.54 ha). This is sufficient to have comfortably housed a Cohors quingenaria peditata or a regiment of 500 foot-soldiers, or possibly a part-mounted unit or Cohors quingenaria equitata under somewhat cramped conditions.

The 2003 GeoPhys plot clearly reveals the grid-like structure of the roadways within this fort, along with the outlines and post-holes of many of its internal buildings. There is also evidence of activity along the roads leading from this forts south-eastern and north-eastern gateways, the former possibly being military in nature, the latter probably an associated civilian roadside settlement or vicus.

More Speculation on the History of Dynevor B

It is possible that this fort was established during the tenure of governor Agricola during the first year of his administration (c. A.D. 77/78), in order to keep a watchful eye on the inhabitants of Dyfed, the Demetae, being situated as it is, close to the border between this apparently peaceful tribe and their truculent neighbours the Silures. If this proves to be the case, then it is most likely that some sort of agreement was reached between Agricola and the inhabitants of the Cardigan Peninsula which precluded the stationing of any great force in their territories, thus enabling the Roman general during the next campaign season to concentrate his forces in northern England, where it seems likely he drafted another similar agreement with the Carvetii tribe of Cumbria.

Other Roman Sites/Finds from Llandeilo

Possible Military Bath-House

Another area of interest revealed by the 2003 magnetometer survey lies in a separate field about 220 metres outside Dynevor B’s north-western defences, where a scatter of geophys readings have been tentatively interpreted as the remains of a bath-house associated with the auxiliary fort. This remains doubtful, however.

The 1891 O.S. map of the area (Old-Maps.co.uk) indicates the site of a “Roman Temple” in the woods near St. Tyfei’s Church to the south of the fort. The author is inclined to believe that this represents a far better location for a Roman military bath-house. Perhaps the antiquaries which originally recorded this site were prompted to allocate their evidently Roman building a religious role merely because of the proximity of the old church, for certainly, to find a genuine Roman temple this far westwards would be most unusual.

The 1891 map, incidentally, also records the find-spot of an unspecified number of Roman coins in the field to the south-west of the fort around the turn of the 19th century.

RIB 2262 - Milestone of Tacitus

• Translation
• Latin
• Commentary

A Roman milestone or honorific pillar was recorded in use as the cornerstone of a small farm building on the estate of Dynevor Castle in 1697, but this building was demolished and all its useable stone subsequently reclaimed for use in construction of the Dynvor Park boundary wall during ’emparkment’ in the late 17th century; the text of the stone, however, has survived.

IMP C M CL TACITO P F INVICTO AVG

“For Imperator Caesar Marcus Claudius Tacitus¹ Pius Felix Invictus Augustus.”

(RIB 2262; milestone; found 1697; now lost; dated 275/276AD)

1. The emperor Tacitus donned the purple aged 75, having only just served as consul, following the death of emperor Aurelian on campaign in Persia in late-275AD. He immediately left Rome and advanced into Thrace and Asia Minor, earning himself the title Gothicus Maximus for his exploits. He was murdered at Tyana in Cappadocia after ruling for only 6 months.

Another stone from Llandeilo bearing Latin script was also reported by the antiquarian Edward Lluyd in 1697 lying “by ye ch’yard of this town”, and inscribed …IACET CVRCAGNVS …VRIVI FILIVS, which seems to be some sort of grave marker, but its non-Roman names suggest that the stone should be dated to sometime after the Romans had left the British Isles. This stone, like the Tacitus milestone, has since been lost and is thought to have been broken up shortly after discovery.

Dynevor Park Excavations 2005

Excavations in 2005 by National Trust and Cambria Archaeology confirmed the magnetometer results, revealing gateway towers, V-shaped ditches, ramparts with timber revetments, and metalled road surfaces. Finds included Roman coins, amphora fragments, and evidence of olive oil usage, highlighting the logistical and administrative role of the forts. A Roman milestone inscribed to Emperor Tacitus (RIB 2262) was also recorded on the estate in 1697, though now lost, indicating continued Roman activity in the area. Dynevor Park fort complex thus exemplifies a vexillation fortress and auxiliary fort system, controlling the Tywi valley and integrating with the broader network of Roman sites along the Via Julia Montana and nearby routes to Moridunum (Carmarthen) and Llandovery.

Map References for Dynevor Park/dinefwr Parc, Llandeilo

NGRef: SN6222 OSMap: LR159

Roman Roads near Dynevor Park/dinefwr Parc, Llandeilo

W (13.5) to Moridvnvm NE (13.5) to Llandovery (Llandovery, Dyfed)

Sites near Dynevor Park (Llandeilo) Roman Fort

• Graig Fawr, Pontardulais (15 km)
  Iron Age Hillfort
• Arhosfa'r Garreg-lwyd (19 km)
  Marching or Temporary Camp
• Dolaucothi Roman Mine (19 km)
  Gold Mine
• Pumsaint Roman Fort (19 km)
  Flavian Auxiliary Fort (AD 69–96)
• Llandovery (Alabum) Roman Fort (20 km)
  Flavian Auxiliary Fort (AD 69–96)
• Carmarthen (Moridunum) Roman Amphitheatre (20 km)
  Amphitheatre
• Carmarthen (Moridunum) Vicus (20 km)
  British Civita and Vicus
• Fforestnewydd (21 km)
  Iron Age Hillfort
• Carmarthen (Moridunum) Roman Fort (21 km)
  Flavian Auxiliary Fort (AD 69–96)
• Hafod-Fawr (21 km)
  Marching or Temporary Camp