The Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust
Historic Environment Record
 

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Caerwent Roman City (Venta Silurum)

Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 01055g
Trust : Glamorgan Gwent
Community : Caerwent
Unitary authority : Monmouthshire
NGR : ST468905
Site Type (preferred type first) : Roman Settlement
Status : Site Cared for by the State

Summary :
Overall PRN for Roman civitas capital, occupied 2nd-4th century.

Description :
Overall PRN for Roman civitas capital, occupied 2nd-4th century.

The town of Caerwent has a full range of public buildings (administrative, commercial and religious: Plate 21), a street grid and defences. There is also a large range of domestic buildings, from the very affluent with wallplaster and mosaics, to those doubling as commercial premises (Wacher 1974, 386-8). The plan is best known from excavations carried out at the beginning of the 20th century and seems to represent largely the aspect of the town towards the end of the Roman period, but more recent excavations suggest that development was relatively slow, with significant areas, even close to the centre, which were not built on until the 4th century (Brewer 1993, 59). This finding has significant implications for an understanding of the dynamics of settlement and economics in the Silurian territory (Evans 2001).

The scheduled area had been revised in 2010 to correspond more accurately with the archaeological features on the ground by removing the former primary school building (but not the school grounds) from the scheduled area (Cadw 2010).

In the watching brief of 1998 at The Coach and Horses the Roman part of the carpark wall of the inn was repointed (Clarke 1998).

Sources :
Brewer, R J , 1993 , Venta Silurum: A civitas capital
Cadw , Application for Scheduled Monument Consent
Cadw , Application for Scheduled Monument Consent
Cadw , Revised Entry to the Schedule of Monuments
Evans, E M , 2001 , Romano-British southeast Wales settlement survey: Final report ( © GGAT)
Glamorgan Gwent Archaeological Trust , Site Visit Record
Glamorgan Gwent Archaeological Trust , Site Visit Record
Nash-Williams V.E , 1927 , The coins found at Caerwent. , The Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies : 4 pt.1 : 99-100
Nash-Williams V.E , 1930 , Caerwent , The Buletin of the Board of Celtic Studies : V pt.II : 186
Nash-Williams V.E , 1930 , The Samian Potter's Stamps Found at Caerwent (Venta Silurum) in Monmouthshire. , The Buletin of the Board of Celtic Studies : V pt. II : 166-185
Nash-Williams V.E , 1933 , The Roaman West Wall at Caerwent, Monmouthshire. , Archaeologia Cambrensis : 88 : 114-119
Nash-Williams V.E and Grimes , 1951 , The coins found during the 1925 excavations at Caerwent, Monmouthshire. , The Buletin of the Board of Celtic Studies : XIV pt.III : 242
Nash-Williams, V E , 1930 , Further excavations at Caerwent, Monmouthshire, 1923-5 , Archaeologia : 80 : 229-88
O'Neil B.H. ST J. , 1941 , Discovery of a Bastion at the North wall at Caerwent. , Archeologia Cambrensis : 96 : 205-207
Pannett, A. & Hadley, A. , 2015 , Oak Grove Farm, Crick, Monmouthshire: Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment and Geophysical Survey
Randall H.J , 1954 , The Roman Period. (A Hundred years of Welsh Archeology). , Archaeologia Cambrensis : 103 : 80-104
Richmond I.A & Crawford O.G.S , 1949 , The British Section of the Ravenna Cosmography , Archaeologia : 93 : 1-51
Ridgeway W. , 1924 , Niall 'of the Nine Hostages' in connexion with the treasures of Traprain law and ballinrees, and the destruction Wroxeter, Chester, Caerleon and Caerwent. , Journal of Roman Studies : 14 : 123-137
Robinson G.E. , 1877 , Roman Cardiff
Sir R Colt Hoare , 1804 , Tour in Wales
Stephens G.R. , 1985 , Gwent: Caerleon/Caerwent , The Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies : XXXII : 326-334
Storrie J. , 1883 , Notes on some cinders found under a Roman Tessellated Pavement at Caerwent , Transactions of the Cardiff Naturalist Society : XV : 94-96
Wacher J. , 1974 , The Towns of Roman Britain
Ward J. , 1908 , Notes on Roman Remains in the Society's District , Transactions of the Cardiff Naturalist Society : XLI : 41
Ward J. , 1916 , The Fortifications of Roman Caerwent , Archaeologia Cambrensis : 71 : 1-36
Webster G. , 1959 , Roman Windows and Grilles , Antiquity : 33 : 10-14
Wheeler R.E.M. , 1929 , Caistor, and a Comment , Antiquity : III : 182-187
Wheeler R.E.M. , 1932 , Notes on Building-Construction in Roman Britain , The Journal of Roman Studies : XXII : 117-134
01/PM Planning Application/1995/Cadw
02/Mm AP Gazeteer/2004 January/Sorrell John/Aerial Archaeological Photographs of Gwent/SMR
03/Desc Text/Cadw/ Full Management Report/2005/ Copy in further information file
04/Desc Text/Cadw/Application for Scheduled Monument Consent/2008/Copy in further information file.

Events :
E004335 : The Coach and Horses, Caerwent (year : 1998)
E002239 : Vine Tree Cottage, Caerwent EVAL (year : 1996)
E002548 : Caerwent (near the West Gate) WB (year : 2001)
E002586 : Vine Tree Cottage, Caerwent EVAL (year : 2000)
E001657 : Romano-British Southeast Wales Settlement Survey (year : 1998-2001)
E005223 : Pound Cottage, Pound Lane, Caerwent (year : 2005)

Related records
National Monuments Record NPRN 93753 http://www.coflein.gov.uk/en/site/93753/details

Compiled date : 02-05-1988


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