The Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust
Historic Environment Record
 

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Possible Roman Road, Vaynor

Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 06600.0m
Trust : Glamorgan Gwent
Community : Talybont-on-usk
Unitary authority : Powys
NGR : SO0596311469
Site Type (preferred type first) : Roman road

Summary :
Possible east-west Roman road on the southern edge of the Brecon Beacons, depicted in historic OS mapping, and perhaps extending east to Abergavenny and west to Coelbren.

Description :
The 1st-3rd edn OS mapping shows lengths of what is interpreted as a Roman road running in a roughly east-west direction in the area of Vaynor on the northern side of the Taff Fechan. It is represented most convincingly by the footpath that runs past the medieval motte of Cae Burdydd (00439m) and the section of modern road that continues its line to the west towards Pontsarn.

This road appears to be envisaged as a possible route for RR621 (PRN 00898.0m), crossing the River Taff Fechan at Pontsticill to travel eastward. A second crossing of the same river at Pontsarn, to travel south on the east bank, would provide a link to the Roman fort at Penydarren. However, the postulated east-west line can be traced on the north/west bank of the river, continuing westwards of Pontsarn, suggesting that it may represent part of a longer road, perhaps running between Coelbren on the west and Abergavenny on the east, although there is no clear evidence of this.

This postulated road makes sense in terms of what is known of military dispositions in South Wales. Whilst the identified section provides part of the required link between between the section of RR621 (PRN 00898.0s) that runs down through Powys and the fort at Penydarren, it also has wider implications. The conventional road map for Roman-period Glamorgan sees a single east-west road within the Glamorgan and Gwent area, RR60, largely following the line of the modern A48, with a couple of roughly north-south branches running along some of the coalfield ridges, to link up with the forts controlling the valleys, the through routes being NNW Cardiff to Brecon (RR621) and NE Neath to Coelbren (R622 - Sarn Helen). However, in order to ensure effective control of the South Wales Coalfield area, the system also needs to allow for east-west lateral movement in the relatively easy topography between the Coalfield and the Breacon Beacons (the topography of the Coalfield itself makes lateral movement across the Valleys themselves difficult). The road postulated here would fulfil such a need. Given the location of known forts, an Abergavenny to Coelbren road would make sense, although beyond Vaynor parish there is as yet no clearly established line either east or west. Some parts of the tradition Heads of the Valley route run straight enough to suggest that they might be fossilised (eg across the northern end of Mynydd Aberdare, and east of Coelbren), but until work has been done on establishing whether any of these sections have their origin in turnpikes or tramroads, they must remain conjectural.

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Related records

Compiled date : 29-01-2013


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