Reprinted from the "Archæologia Cambrensis," New Series, 1854.
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In the month of January, 1849, I went to Trecastle Mountain, accompanied by Mr. Francis Green of Court Henry, in order to take the dimensions of a Druidical circle which had been recently discovered by Mr. John Rhys Jones, then a pupil, and subsequently Welsh teacher under the Ven. Archdeacon Williams, at the Llandovery Educational Institution. We examined the circle, and found that its remains consisted of twenty-two large stones placed in an upright position. Several similar stones had evidently been previously removed at some time or other, as there were spaces between some of them larger than the generally regular intervals.When entire, the circle must have consisted of thirty-five such upright stones, which varied from two to three feet in height, and were placed at intervals of seven feet from each other, forming an external circumference of 245 feet.
The stones facing the south are larger than the others, as if they once formed the entrance to the circle; and opposite one of the intervals between these larger stones, and within the circle, there is an incumbent stone, as if intended either to mark the immediate entrance, or to guard the same. The circle is 80 feet 10 inches in diameter.
At a distance of 94 feet w. b. s. from this circle are the remains of a smaller one , consisting of only six
stones, but of larger dimensions than those of the greater circle. By counting the intervals between the existing stones, which were occasionally irregular, the original size of this circle was computed to have been 30 feet in diameter, and 91 feet circumference, and to have consisted, when complete, of thirteen upright stones. 1
These circles are situate a short distance north-eastward from the old turnpike road leading from Trecastle to Llandovery, about three miles and a half from the former place, and about one third of a mile from some tile quarries, which are at the base of the old red sandstone formation.
Having completed our survey of these circles, we searched for the supposed Roman road, and soon found it in a nearly perfect state, being a raised causeway running parallel for some distance with the said old turnpike road.2 We proceeded along this causeway in the direction of Llandovery, with the intention of tracing its course towards the Roman station at Llanfairarybryn, near that town. We had not proceeded far before Mr. Green's attention was attracted by a tumulus on the edge of the morass called Waunddu, to examine which, and to explore for other antiquities on the opposite eminence, he left me; I then walked on as far as the said tile quarries, beyond which, and round a summit called on the Ordnance map, Pigwn, a name formed from the English word Beacon, I discovered several lines of entrenchment not marked on those very useful maps, which I examined closely; and after walking round them several times, I observed that they formed the lines of a double camp of large extent, the outer one being above a mile in circuit, and the inner one not much less. Having satisfied myself that I had discovered a Roman camp of considerable magnitude, I beckoned to Mr. Green, who was upon the opposite eminence, to come to me, and who, after having examined the lines, arrived at the same conclusion as myself.
Time would not the permit our taking any accurate measurements, so we returned home. Circumstances prevented my visiting the place a second time until last week, when I resolved to make a careful survey of the said camp, and accordingly I took with me my son William Jenkin, a young antiquary not thirteen years of age, who most heartily performed the office of chain-bearer. We took the most careful measurements, and the result was that I found the camp to consist of two lines of circumvallation which were not parallel to each other, -the inner square facing the cardinal points, and the outer lines running from W.N.W. to E.N.E., and from N.N.W. to S.S.E., and the angles of both squares to be rounded; (see annexed Plan.)
Although the southern lines have nearly all been destroyed by quarrying for tilestones, sufficient still remains to prove that the outer camp was 1,452 feet long, by 1,254 feet wide, making a circuit of 5,412 feet, being one mile and 132 feet round; and that the inner one was 1,254 feet long by 966 feet wide, making a circuit of 4,440 feet. There are apparent gateways on each side of both camps, not opposite each other: these openings are about 29 feet each, and are protected by curved embankments on the inside, by which the entrances to the camp could be secured by two sets of gates. A curved gateway similar to these may be seen in General Roy's Military Antiquities, in the plan of one of Agricola's camps on Pickering Moor, North Riding of Yorkshire, which camp is supposed to have been occupied by the ninth legion after it left Scotland, in Agricola's sixth campaign.3
The dimensions of the camp now under consideration, when reduced to Roman measurements, 60 feet of the latter being equal to 58 English feet, are as follows:-
Outer lines, 1,500 feet by 1,300 feet
Inner lines, 1,300 feet by 1,000 feet
Each gateway, 30 feet opening;
the inner camp being of ample dimensions to accomodate a whole legion of foot and horse, besides auxiliary cohorts, which latter could be conveniently held in the vacant triangular spaces formed by the different positions of the two squares.
The width of each fosse and rampart is about 14 feet, which are in some places very perfect, notwithstanding the wear and tear of nearly eighteen centuries, as the camp was probably formed by Julius Frontinus, about A.D. 78, in his operations again the Silures; and from the numerous cairns in the neighbourhood, westward of the camp, we may infer that this place was the scene of important conflicts between the Britons and the Second Augustan Legion of the Romans, assisted by its allies, on the confines of Siluria, as the latter ascended the vale of the river Usk, and were advancing westward into the country of Demetæ.
The point of the mountain round which the camp was formed is still called Y Pigwn, and the mountain itself Mynydd y Begwns, or the Beacon mountain. From hence a most extensive tract of country is visible, and an invading army could not have chosen a more advantageous position in its progress into an enemy's country, from whence communication could be held with other posts by means of beacon fires. The British camp of Cefn y Gaer near Defynog, -the Roman Arx Speculatoria, afterwards converted into a castle, and giving its name to Trecastle, -the Roman station of Bannium, near Brecon, -together with numerous other British camps, both in the counties of Brecon and Caermarthen, are plainly visible from this place, which has also the advantage of being well supplied with water. The strength of its position was increased by an outpost, the remains of which are visible above a quarter of a mile distant to the W.N.W., on the brow of the hill above the house formerly called "the Black Cock," near to which the stone described in the following extract from the History of Brecknockshire was found.
In detailing the direction of the Via Julia Montana Mr. Jones, the author of the History says:-
"It proceeded from Trecastle along what is since called the Admiral's road Llys Brychan, near Llangadoc in Caermarthenshire; whilst others introduce this road into Llywel at Rhydybriw, then through Trecastle across the mountain by a little public house, called the Black Cock, so to Llandovery; on which line, though I have frequently travelled it some years ago, I never could discover the least trace of an ancient road or causeway.
"The reasons which have induced antiquaries to think the Roman road took this direction, are the finding a supposed Miliary on the mountain, and the situation of the camp or station at Llanfairarybryn, near Llandovery. I will say a few words as to both.
"The stone referred to by Mr. Strange, and engraved from his drawing in the Archæologia, vol. iv., is said to have been dug up on the top of Trecastle mountain, by the turnpike road near a public house called the Heath Cock, which stone, he was informed, had been since removed to Llandilo Fawr in Caermarthenshire. The inscription as given (if I recollect rightly) in Gough's Camden, is, 'IMPERATORI NOSTRO MARCO CASSIANO POSTUMO PIO FELICI AUG:' for the deciphering of which characters, the fortunate discoverer, whenever his name is made public, deserves not only thanks, but almost the adoration of the antiquary, for it appears to me, that as copied by the above editor, and from him engraved for this work, they may mean anything the reader pleases. It was removed, it seems, in 1767, at the expense of a Mr. Latham, a supervisor of excise, who had a fondness for antiquities, to Llandilo-fawr in Caermarthenshire, where it was lately seen by Sir Richard Hoare, but so mutilated or effaced by time and the elements that only the words 'IMP' and 'CASSIANO' are now legible: the fact therefore of such a stone having been formerly on Trecastle hill I do not mean to deny; I only beg leave to observe, that even if it was placed on the old road side, there is nothing like conclusive evidence that it must have been a Miliary.
"With respect to the anonymous Roman station at Llanfairarybryn to which the road is supposed to lead, I have only to say, that after a minute survey of the ground whereon the encampment is supposed to have been formed, I do not discover the smallest vestiges of the labour of man."4
Thus far from Mr. Theophilus Jones, -and as the stone is, I believe, still preserved in the wall of Dynevor Park, it would be well if some competent person were to examine it carefully, with the view of deciphering the inscription; and I can only further observe that these positive assertions of Mr. Jones', contradicted as they are by such plain evidences of existing remains of the Romans both on Trecastle mountain and at Llanfairarybryn, prove him to have been in this, as in some other instances, a careless observer, or that he was blinded by prejudice in favour of a theory of the existence of a Roman station at Llys Brychan, not taking into consideration that from near Trecastle two Roman roads branched off, one direct to Llandovery, and the other through Talsarn, in Llanddeusant, towards Llangadoc and the Garn Goch.
From a comparison of the areas of various Roman stations and encampments in Wales, it will be seen that the one on Trecastle mountain, here described, is scarcely inferior in extent even to the area inclosed within the walls of the Roman city of Isca Silurum, -the celebrated "Caerlleon ar Wysc," -the size of which is 1,600 by 1,500 Roman feet; its breadth being precisely the length of this camp.
Caerwent, or Venta Silurum, is the next in magnitude to Caerlleon, and is only two yards in circuit more than the camp on Trecastle mountain, a difference scarcely perceptible, and easily accounted for by the dimensions of Caerwent being perhaps inaccurately given by Mr. Coxe, in his Tour in Monmouthshire.
The size of the Gaer, or Bannium, near Brecon, as given by Mr. Theophilus Jones, is 624 by 426 feet, not half that of Venta Silurum, or of the camp I am now attempting to describe.
The inner lines of the camp at the said Roman station at Llanfairarybryn, are nearly the same size as those of Bannium, besides which it had, however, outer lines considerably more extensive, that are in some places still visible.
In order not to detain the meeting, I will give the dimensions of only one other camp in Wales - that of the Roman station of Heriri Mons, or Tomen y Mûr, in North Wales, which I measured at the time our Association held its meeting at Dolgelly, in 1850. Its size is not one third as large as the camp on Trecastle mountain, being only 500 by 343 feet.
From the above comparison, and from its admirable military position, this camp on Trecastle mountain, would appear to be of greater importance than either, Bannium, Llanfairarybryn, or Heriri Mons. It must however be considered only as a temporary camp, wherein the whole legion and its auxiliaries lived in tents in summer, and not as a permanent station; as not any pieces of Roman bricks or pottery have been found within the enclosures.5
It is needless to speculate upon what may yet come to light through the assiduity of future explorers; but I trust that at some period the Cambrian Archæological Association will hold its anniversary meeting at Llandovery, from whence its members can easily make an excursion to this camp, as well as to the Druidical circles, which are distant therefrom only about five miles. Indeed, the whole of the mountain requires a close survey, as it abounds with cairns, of which some are of considerable dimensions; and the largest, about ninety feet in circumference, was opened about thirty years ago by the late Mr. John Holford, of Cilgwyn, who discovered therein two urns or vases of burnt clay unglazed, containing calcined human bones, -probably the remains of some valiant British chiefs who had inneffectually opposed the invasion of their country by the Romans. The following are from sketches of these urns which I took the day after they were discovered; they were one foot high and ten inches diameter; the small vessel in the centre was, I believe, found in another cairn which was opened by Mr. Holford.
Should the Association hold one of its anniversary meetings at Landovery, it will have also an opportunity of exploring the remains of the aforesaid adjacent Roman station and town at Llanfairarybryn, which was the centre of four, if not five, Roman roads, the traces of some of which are still distinctly visible. Several other camps, Roman and British, are in the immediate neighbourhood, affording evidences of the struggles of a brave and resolute people, who preferred death itself to the loss of their birthright, their freedom and their country.
There are also a few Meini Hirion; and on Ynys-y-bordau, near the town, there is an old Gladlys, or Bord Gron, a circular area 198 feet diameter, with a deep fosse, and an outer circle, -the British Castell Meurig at Llangadoc, -the Garn Goch, three miles further on, -and the old Abbey at Talley, about twelve miles distant, together with the Roman mines and galleries at the Ogofau near Caio, would also prove interesting, as none of these objects of antiquarian curiosity have yet been fully explored, or adequately described.
The circumstance of the imperfect examinations made by the historian of Brecknockshire, before alluded to, will serve to teach us all a lesson, -not to place implicit fiath in all the personal observations and researches of our country historians, much as we are indebted to them for their very important and self-denying labours; but imbued with ardent zeal, and untiring industry, and a close and unprejudiced eye, to examine each locality ourselves, and then to register the results of our observations in the pages of the Archæologia Cambrensis; where they will be open to discussion and correction, and where perchance they may become of great value to future historians, when the present remains of antiquity have disappeared before the levelling hands of the agriculturist and the civil engineer, or the still slower but more certain and extensive devastations of the hand of time.
WILLIAM REES.
Llandovery, Sept. 13, 1853.
Footnotes:
1- The popular belief of the peasantry respecting these circles is, that they were formed for the purpose of the celebration of Games by the early Britons, at some remote period. The same opinion was expressed by a peasant to some of the members of this Association, who made an excursion to the Druidical circle at Nant-y-nôd, near Aberystwyth. Such a belief, if traditional, might possibly have arisen from the heathen practice alluded to in Exodus xxxii. 6-19, when after sacrificing, offering and feasting, the people "rose up to play." There appears also to be a similarity, if not identity, between the Phoenician worship of Baal in their sacred groves and circles, and the worship established in this country by the Druids; Lord Lindsay reports in his Travels in Egypt and the Holy Land, that there are at Soaf, Phoenician monuments identical in every respect with Stonehenge. - [It is to be observed, however, that permanent circular enclosures bearing the title of Plân an guare (the "playing-plain") are extremely common in Cornwall. They are surrounded by raised seats of turf, and in one instance (the Plân an guare of St. Just) of stone. The Cornish miracle-plays, of which specimens are still extant, were performed in them. -(Borlase's Cornwall, pp. 207, 208.) Do the coincident traditions mentioned by Mr. Rees, point to a similar practice in Wales? Or may they not show that primeval circles were used in later times for these purposes? On the other hand, as we know that games were connected in heathen countries with both religion and sepulture, Mr. Rees' supposition is quite compatible with either a ritual or a monumental use of the objects in question.-EDD. ARCH. CAMB.]
2 - Although this line of travelling was so very incommodious, in consequence of the mountainous ground it had to pass over, it was the only one that was publicly used in going from Trecastle to Llandovery for ages, until the latter part of the last century, and from its elevation caused great inconvenience in passing from the eastern to the western part of South Wales. About the year 1785, Mr. Rice Rees of Llandovery, wishing to make travelling to his native town more commodious, and being well acquainted with the locality of the district, projected a new line of road, more eastward, through the dingle of Cwmydwr, and by the side of the river Gwydderig; and so anxious and earnest was he on this occasion, that on the line being surveyed by Mr. John Clark, he personally carried the fore-end of the measuring chain, therby leading the surveyor to follow him in the track he projected. And through his energetic proceedings, and the exertions and interest of his fellow townsman, Edward Jones, Esq., the trustees of the turnpike roads were induced to procure power from Parliament for adopting the projected line, whereby was constructed the delightful and picturesque road which has been since so convenient to travellers, and beneficial to the public.
3 - General Roy's Military Antiquities, pl. xi.
4 - History of Brecknockshire, vol. ii. p. 667.
5 - A Roman coin of silver was found some years ago, at Maesgwyn farm, not two miles from the above camp, in removing a hedge on the upper part of the land. It is supposed to have been coined about A.D. 236. The inscription thereon is:-
IMP MAXIMINVS PIVS AVG. = PROVIDENTIA AVG.
This coin is now in the possession of Mrs. Llewelyn, of Maesgwyn.
Comments by ORRAR
The book is titled An Account of Two Druidical Circles and a Roman Camp on a Mountain near Trecastle in Brecknockshire by William Rees, however he seems to spend very little time on the first part of his title Two Druidical Circles. In fact he only spends 2 pages on this from the 10 within the book, the rest being about the Roman camp along with other Roman places. Its almost like he really doesn't care fully about the circles and only seems interested in putting his viewpoint that the Romans had captured this part of Wales, and that Trecastle's possible Roman camp is quite important. However as he mentions himself " as not any pieces of Roman bricks or pottery have been found within the enclosures" apart from a single coin nearby mentioned in the footnotes it is hardly evidence that this is a Roman camp. In fact chances are it is not. However, the book is very good for its drawings and actual dimensions etc of all the areas mentioned.
