Coed-y-Caerau
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| Coed-y-Caerau | |
|---|---|
| Hamlet | |
 Looking southwest across Iron Age and Roman military embankments (Pen-toppen Ash) from Coed-y-Caerau Woods. The parallel shadows delineate part of the northeastern rectangular earthwork. | |
  Coed-y-Caerau Location within Newport | |
| Community | |
| Principal area | |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Police | Gwent |
| Fire | South Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| UK Parliament | |
Coed-y-Caerau (Welsh for 'wood of the forts') is a hamlet about 1,400 metres (4,600 ft) north of Langstone in Newport, Wales (Welsh: Casnewydd), historically in Monmouthshire (Welsh: Sir Fynwy). It is the site of prehistoric and Roman hillforts.
Iron Age constructions are believed to have been re-used by the Roman military, specifically three connected and unexcavated earthworks just to the north-west of Coed-y-Caeru lane, often referred to in archaeological literature as Pen-toppen-ash (51.6198 north, -2.8998 east). The remains are a south-western oval enclosure about 90m across, a more circular central enclosure of a bank inside a concentric embankment linked to the south-western enclosure with entrances on the south-east and in the north-east, and a roughly rectangular north-eastern enclosure with rounded corners, 108m south-east to north-west and 96m on the other axis. The latter was previously considered to be a fortlet or watchtower because of its shape but now is thought to be from the Iron Age because of similar late prehistoric enclosures elsewhere in the UK. Around it is a further concentric feature about 166m square.[1][2][3][4]
Immediately north of the earthworks is the remains of a Roman fortlet known as Kemys Craig Roman Fort, running 104m north-west to south-east by 99m, just over 1 hectare. A rampart, 6m wide and 1.2m high, is extant in places as are the remains of entrances in the north-west and south-west sides. It's considered likely the fortlet was contemporaneous with the Roman legion encampment at Usk. Strategically, Caerleon - site of the old Roman fortress of Isca Augusta and of an Iron Age hillfort[5] - and the mouth of the River Usk can be seen from this point.[6]
