The Heritage Hiker’s Guide to Caerleon

Where is Caerleon?

Public art along the Usk Valley Walk – Caerleon ©heritagehiker

Caerleon is a small town, northeast of the city of Newport (Wales). It is a place I know well, I studied Archaeology there for 3 years and what a wonderful place to choose. Sadly, the university campus has now gone but the many of the historic points of interest still remain. There is the Iron Age hillfort/camp at Lodge Hill, set among the residential area near the old university site and walk (Number 5) will take you roughly 5km around the edges of its boundaries.

National Museum of Wales Legionary Museum ©heritagehiker

It is fair to say that Caerleon ‘Isca’ is probably best known for its strong offering of Roman history. Many of these Roman remains are still visible, intermixed with the modern town layout and there is plenty to see.

The local council has some useful resources  if you are looking to visit and if you are looking to draw together information across wide area for research then Newport Museum (Newport City Centre) also houses some interesting material from the area. For a short fly through of what Roman Caerleon may have looked like click here.

St Cadoc’s Church Caerleon ©heritagehiker

Medieval Caerleon

Although well known for its rich Roman remains there are traces of Medieval settlemen dotted around the town. A motte (on private land), a Castle and a later Medieval cross (now at National Museum Wales) from St Cadoc’s Church can all be easily seen. A variety of pubs still remain including the Bull Inn (Medieval origins) and The Hanbury , where the remains of a Medieval tower from Caerleon Castle can still be seen. 

The Bull Inn – Caerleon ©heritagehiker

If you are looking for a fuller exploration of the area and all things Roman, then just a short 20 minute drive to the east is Caerwent. Caerwent is the site of the former Roman city of Venta Silurum .  Roman building remains (managed by CADW and free to visit) can still be seen around the modern day layout. There is a gentle 2 mile walk circular route that takes you around the site starting at the car park.

Caerleon Roman Legionary Fortress

Caerleon Roman Legionary Fortress – known during the Roman period as Isca, it was established in the later half of the 1st century AD and was home to the military detachment of the Second Augustan Legion (Legio Secunda Augusta). At its peak it was home to around 5,500 soldiers of the Roman army. It was strategically placed to help suppress the local resistant Iron Age tribe – the Silures. The fortress was carefully placed near to the mouth of the River Usk for easy access. It’s layout  was quite typical of a Roman Fortress.

Roman Military Barracks – Caerleon ©heritagehiker

The Barracks would have originally been built in earth and wood but were later rebuilt and fortified in stone. The fortress began to decline in use through the 3rd century and when the military left at the start of the 4th century the fortress fell out of use.  In the early 12th century former fortress was described as ruinous.

The outline of the part reconstructed military barracks is an open air site located next to a small car park and is free to visit. Around the town there are markers indicating where each gate once stood. A walk around them takes in most of the modern commercial core of the town. A wealth of Roman material relating to the fortress can be found in the National Museum of Wales Roman Legion Museum which is located in the town and is free to visit. 

Caerleon Amphitheatre

The Roman Amphitheatre – Caerleon ©heritagehiker

Constructed in the 1st century the amphitheatre was built to hold up to 6,000 local military troops. Its purpose was to entertain them with blood sports and wonderment. Famously labelled as King Arthur’s Round Table (due to it’s round ruinous shape), Caerleon’s Amphitheatre shot to fame in the 1920s when Mortimer Wheeler and others, came to excavate. It took over the tabloids and made it into the mainstream press. Archaeological excavations took place to uncover the Amphitheatre in 1926/7 and items such as this curse tablet were found.

It was during the excavations during 1926/7 that under the west entrance of the amphitheatre (predating the amphitheatre) a bathhouse was found. There was another similar structure next to the south entrance, which was contemporary with the amphitheater. The amphitheater is outside of the walls of the Roman Legionary Fortress in an area used by the local population.

The amphitheatre is an open air site managed by CADW. It is free to visit but it is fenced and gated so opening times apply. There is a free fun trail (requires smartphone download) for real family exploration.

Caerleon Roman Fortress Baths

Along with the Roman army came familiar buildings such as the fortress bathhouse. It was built for function and a bit of luxury. A place where the troops could exercise and relax. There were changing rooms, hot and cold pools, hot and cold rooms, and massage treatments. It would be very like the modern ‘spa’ facilities and experience you can use these days. For a video on the baths click here.

Along with the structural remains objects such as the collection of 88 gemstone intaglios were found ; These small carved gemstones would have been very special, usually set into rings they would have been used to create wax seals and seen as an object of status and fashion. The gemstones were probably cut by a continental gem cutter or gemmarius – were they the lost bounty of a gem cutter, stolen or lost?

The remains of the bathhouse are managed by CADW for visiting information click here .

Caerleon Canabae

Looking along the line of the Roman Fortress Walls Amphitheatre Left and Internal Fortress Right ©heritagehiker

The area of non-military settlement outside a Roman legionary fortress is called the Canabae. A place where contractors, craftsmen, traders, merchants and their families would live. In Caerleon the Canabae was made up of houses and shops and most probably temples. The amphitheatre and associated earlier bathhouses are also located in this area. Archaeological excavations have shown the evidence of stone buildings. These were filled with objects from Roman daily life such as pottery, coins, jewellery, hair pins and even tweezers! The best place to visit if you would like to see Roman objects from Caerleon is the National Museum of Wales Roman Legion Museum.The museum is free to visit and very central to the town itself.   

For an in-depth look at the 1984-1990 major excavations at Caerleon Canabae and all the finds click here and for the more general and  light touch overview of the most recent work carried out in the area between 2006 -2010 click here .

Walks

There are many ways to engage with the history here, virtually or on foot and for those who like a long walk weekend/week, it forms the terminus for the Usk Valley Walk (48 Miles) should you wish to make an adventure out of it.

For articles relating to areas near Caerleon see Caerwent and Lower Machen

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