Roman Villa, Llantwit Major (Caermead)

Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 00425s
Trust : Glamorgan Gwent
Community : Llantwit Major
Unitary authority : Vale of Glamorgan
NGR : SS95886998
Site Type (preferred type first) : Roman - Villa
Status : UA Local List (Adopted)

Summary :
Large, fully Romanised villa with a complicated structural history between the 2nd-4th century AD, and possibly built on the site of an earlier Iron Age farmstead. Ultimately of double-courtyard plan.

Description :
Villa of complicated structural history, not fully understood, certainly from mid 2nd century, and possibly on site of earlier Iron Age farmstead; including apparently a period of decline in the early 3rd century, followed by the main floruit extending into the 4th century. Ultimately of double-courtyard plan, with ranges of buildings around an inner courtyard on the W and an outer yard on the E; the main house comprised the N and W ranges round the inner courtyard, the W range including baths. Built in local limestone and sandstone with some decorative detail in Bath stone; Pennant sandstone roofing slate with some ceramic roofing tile; window glass; mosaic, stone and opus signinum floors; at least some walls plastered. Also evidence for metalworking (in part of disused baths) and burials, including those of what appear to be victims of massacre. The area occupied by the villa is grass-covered with numerous banks, mounds and hollows; fragmentary walls are visible and are best preserved at the SE corner.

The site is a Scheduled Monument (GM020) and is included on the Vale of Glamorgan List of County Treasures.

Sources :
Cadw , Cadw Scheduled Monument Record
Evans, E M , 2001 , Romano-British southeast Wales settlement survey: Final report ([image] © GGAT)
Knight, J. K. , 2005 , From Villa to Monastery: Llandough in Context
Nash-Williams V.E , 1938 , Excavation of the Roman Villa at Llantwit Major, Glam.1938. , Archaeologia Cambrensis : 93 : 255-256
Nash-Williams V.E , 1938 , Excavation of the Roman Villa at Llantwit Major, Glamorganshire, 1938. , The Buletin of the Board of Celtic Studies : IX pt.III : 290-291
Nash-Williams V.E , 1940 , Excavations at Llantwit Major, Glamorgan, 1939. , The Buletin of the Board of Celtic Studies : X pt.II : 191-193
Nash-Williams V.E , 1949 , The Roman villa at Llantwit Major, Glamorganshire. , The Buletin of the Board of Celtic Studies : XIII pt.3 : 163-166
Nash-Williams V.E , 1953 , The Roman villa at Llantwit Major. , Archaeologia Cambrensis : 102 : 89-163
North. FJ. , 1968 , Geology's contribution to archeology in Glamorgan. , Glamorgan Historian : 5 : 161-174
Randall H.J , 1954 , The Roman Period. (A Hundred years of Welsh Archeology). , Archaeologia Cambrensis : 103 : 80-104
Randall H.J , 1954 , The Roman Period. (A Hundred years of Welsh Archeology). , Archaeologia Cambrensis : 103 : 80-104
Savory H.N. , 1958 , A Corpus of Welsh Bronze Age Pottery: Part III, Pygmy cup, middle Bronze Age , The Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies : XVIII pt.I : 89-118
Sheen A.W. , 1927 , History of the Cardiff Naturalist Society , Transactions of Cardiff Naturalist Society : LX : 110-130
Smith J.T. , 1963 , Romano-British aisled Houses , The Archaeological Journal : CXX : 1-30
Storrie J. , 1888 , Discovery of a Roman Villa at Llantwit Major , Transactions of the Cardiff Naturalist Society : XX pt.2 : 49-62
Vale of Glamorgan Council , 2007 , Vale of Glamorgan County Treasures: Llantwit Major
01/MM Record Card/OS//1957/SS 96 NE 1/;
02/PM Mention/S Glam County Council//1979/Treasures Survey/p49;
63;
07/PM Desc Text//Boon GC/1973/Illus Guide to Ancient Monuments of
05/MM Photo/GGAT/Lewis W/1979-80//;
03/PM Desc Text/NMW/Alan Sorrel/1980/Early Wales Recreated/AN 8;
Reconstruction;
Wales/pp44 & 225
06/PM Desc Text//Hogg AHA/1974/Britannia/Llantwit Major Villa;
04/PM Desc Text//Nash Williams VE/1952/Archaeol Cambrensis/pp89-1
011/DescText/Cadw/ Full Management Report/2007/ Copy in further information file
012/Pm desc text/letter/Hex-Williams/M/1978/Regarding Llantwit Major (Caermead) Roman Villa/Copy in further information file.
013/Pm desc text/Storrie J/1888/Transactions of the Cardiff Naturalists' Society/20/pp49-61/Copy in further information file.

Events :
GGATE000745 : Llantwit Major (Caermead) Roman Villa (year : 1888)
GGATE000901 : Llantwit Major (Caermead) Roman Villa (year : 1938)
GGATE000913 : Llantwit Major (Caermead) Roman Villa (year : 1939)
GGATE000915 : Llantwit Major (Caermead) Roman Villa (year : 1948)
GGATE000916 : Llantwit Major Caermead Roman villa (year : 1971)
GGATE001776 : Llantwit Major (Caermead) Roman Villa (year : 2007)
GGATE001657 : Romano-British Southeast Wales Settlement Survey (year : 1998-2001)

Related records
National Monuments Record NPRN 301356 https://coflein.gov.uk/en/site/301356

Compiled date : 20-10-1977
Last updated : 24-04-2025

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November 4, 2026, 8:02 am

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