The Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust
Historic Environment Record
 

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Sudbrook Roman Camp

Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 01142g
Trust : Glamorgan Gwent
Community : Portskewett
Unitary authority : Monmouthshire
NGR : ST50558732
Site Type (preferred type first) : Roman Occupation site / Iron Age Hillfort
Status : Scheduled Monument

Summary :
Iron Age camp situated on the shore of the Bristol Channel at the southern end of the village of Sudbrook, formerly comprising triple banks and ditches which have been damaged through erosion and development. Also occupied in the Roman period.

Description :
Multivallate promontory fort, now much eroded on seaward side. Trenched by Nash-Williams in 1934.

The camp is situated on the shore of the Bristol Channel at the southern end of the village of Sudbrook. Its southern boundary is formed by a small sea cliff. It is grass and scrub covered, with the interior all grass and mostly taken up by a playing field. The camp is roughly triangular, bounded on the north-east and north-west by banks and ditches. It formerly comprised triple banks and ditches which have been much eroded since, and which have also been built over/infilled by encroaching housing and gardens, and a 12-14th century church and graveyard, to the north.

The plan by Spencer and Nash-Williams in 1936 certainly shows triple defences on the northwest side, although even by that time, on the northeast side housing developments had encroached and almost built over the (presumable) outer defence, and of the middle defensive ditch or bank, there is no sign.

The sea cliff has eroded much in parts and has subsequently been built up with rubble from the 1873-86 Severn Tunnel construction. The Spencer/Nash-Williams plan also shows to prehistoric hut floors, and a possible barrow, however further investigation in 2000 suggests that the location of the huts is not definite and can only be seen as occupation scatter. The medieval church to the east of this site is now ruined, with the last burial being in 1757 when the church was recorded as 'decayed'. (Wiggins 2006)

Triple bank and ditch, inner bank being most massive and of composite structure with two revetments, one being internal (?earlier phase); incorporating frags Iron age B pottery. Internally 2 oval/sub-rectangular areas of occupation behind NW ramparts, interpreted as hut floors. One with possible hearth but no structural features other than possible socket-stone, two levels of rough paving, associated with Iron Age B and Belgic pottery, La Tene brooches, Roman pottery mainly late 1st/early 2nd century but with later mortarium, Roman glass, glass and Fe slag, Fe nails and fittings, frags sheet lead, Ae button and frags, spindle whorls, animal bone. Other 'hut floor' two levels of cobbles, with similar occupation debris, plus crucible with fused Ae debris

Sources :
Evans, E , 2010 , Sudbrook
Evans, E M , 2001 , Romano-British southeast Wales settlement survey: Final report ( © GGAT)
Huckfield, P W. , 2018 , GGAT 137 Defence of the Realm: Coastal Defence and Port Facilities
Nash-Williams V.E , 1935 , An Early Iron Age Coastal Camp at Sudbrook, Portskewett, Monmouthshire. , Archaeologia Cambrensis : 90 : 159-161
Nash-Williams V.E , 1936 , Sudbrook Excavations , The Buletin of the Board of Celtic Studies : VIII pt.3 : 275
Nash-Williams V.E , 1936 , Sudbrook Excavations , Archaeologia Cambrensis : 91 : 314-316
Nash-Williams V.E , 1936 , The Early Iron Age Coastal Camp at Sudbrook, Portskewett, Mons. , Archaeologia Cambrensis : 91 : 129-131
Nash-Williams V.E , 1939 , An early Iron age coastal camp at Sudbrook, near the Severn Tunnel, Monmouthshire. , Archaeologia Cambrensis : 94 : 42-79
Ronnfeldt W. & Robinson G.E. , 1876 , Last Field Meeting of the Year
Savory H.N. , 1950 , List of Hill-Forts and Other Earthworks in Wales: II Monmouthshire , The Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies : XIII pt.IV : 231-238
Savory H.N. , 1950 , List of Hill-Forts and Other Earthworks in Wales: II Monmouthshire , The Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies : XIII pt.IV : 231-238
Sell, S.H. , 2001 , Recent excavations and survey work at Sudbrook Camp, Portskewett, Monmouthshire (ST 507873) , Studia Celtica : 35 : 109-141
Sell, S.H. , 2001 , Recent excavations and survey work at Sudbrook Camp, Portskewett, Monmouthshire (ST 507873) , Studia Celtica : 35 : 109-141
Sir R Colt Hoare , 1804 , Tour in Wales
Sir R Colt Hoare , 1804 , Tour in Wales
Strange J. , 1782 , Account on antiquaries in Mon, and Glam , Archaeologia : VI : 6-39
Taylor M.V. , 1935 , Roman Britain in 1934: sites explored , The Journal of Roman Studies : 25 : 202-203
Wiggins, H , 2006 , Prehistoric defended enclosures in Gwent ( © GGAT)
01/PM List/Maylan CN/1995/Proposed New Site Notification Form
02/Desc Text/Cadw/Full Management Report/2005/Copy in further information file

Events :
E001550 : Prehistoric defended enclosures Gwent (year : 2006)
E003366 : Sudbrook camp, Portskewett, 1998-9 EXCAV (year : 1998-9)
E002264 : Sudbrook Camp Cycle Track, Monmouthshire. EVAL (year : 1998)
E002264 : Sudbrook Camp Cycle Track, Monmouthshire. EVAL (year : 1998)
E001657 : Romano-British Southeast Wales Settlement Survey (year : 1998-2001)
E002429 : Sudbrook Mill, Porkskewett (year : 1999)
E002429 : Sudbrook Mill, Porkskewett (year : 1999)
E002418 : Sudbrook Camp, Portskewettt, Monmouthshire (year : 1999)
E003366 : Sudbrook camp, Portskewett, 1998-9 EXCAV (year : 1998-9)
E008083 : Coastal Defences and Port Facilities (Defence of the Realm GGAT 137) (year : 2017-2018)
E007269 : Land at Southbrook Farm, Sudbrook, Monmouthshire (year : 2015)
E007268 : Land at Southbrook Farm, Sudbrook, Monmouthshire (year : 2015)
E008773 : GGAT52: Monmouthshire Historic Settlements, Caldicot & Raglan (year : 1999)

Related records
National Monuments Record NPRN 94873 http://www.coflein.gov.uk/en/site/94873/details
GGAT Historic Environment Record (HER) 06169g

Compiled date :


March 28, 2025, 1:06 pm - HTML file produced from GGAT HER Charitable Trust Ltd. Heathfield House, Heathfield, Swansea SA1 Tel. 01792 655208; Fax 01792 474469 website: www.ggat.org.uk  email: her@ggat.org.uk Registered Charity no. 505609
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