4S0 REPORT— 1902. 



to the numerous owners of negatives who have communicated with the 

 Committee. 



The Committee ask to be reappointed, with the balance in hand from 

 the original grant. 



Hie Roman Fort at GeUygaert —Report of the Committee^ consisting of 

 Professor J. Ehys (Chairman), Mr. J. L. Myres (Seeretary)^ 

 Mr. A. J. Evans, and Mr. E. W. Brabrook, appointed to co' 

 operate with the Cardiff Naturalists' Societij iit its Excavations on 

 the Site of a Roman Fort at Gellygaer. 



Thk Committee has received from Mr. John Ward, FiS.A., of the Cardiff 

 Naturalists' Society, the following report of the exploration : — 



The village of Gellygaer lies between the Rhymney and the Bargoed 

 Taff valleys, near the north-east border of Glamorgan, and at a distance of 

 thirteen and a half miles N.N.W. of Cardiff. It occupies a high position 

 (780 feet above the sea), and commands an extensive sweep of characteristic 

 Coal-measure country, for this village is in the heart of the eastern part of 

 the South Wales coal field. 



The site of the fort is ill a held to the north-west of the church, which 

 has, time beyond memory, borne the name of Gaer Fawr (Grectt Camp). 

 Here a number of low mounds bore witness to the significance of the 

 name, for to an experienced eye they marked the outline and chief 

 buildings of a typical Roman fort. The position is not naturally strong, 

 yet it is well chosen. It occupies a commanding position on the brow of 

 Nant Cylla, but is overlooked by rising ground on the north-west. 



The exploration, for which permission was given by the owner of the 

 property, Mr. Capel Hanbury Leigh, J. P., began in October 1899, and 

 was continued during the warmer months each year until the end of 

 autumn 1901. During its progress the whole of the site was sufficiently 

 excavated to admit of a survey being made of all the buildings, some of 

 the more important being wholly uncovered. It shares with Housesteads 

 on the Roman Wall in Northumberland the distinction of being the most 

 completely explored Roman fort in this country. 



The survey of the remains, made by Mr. J. W. Rodger, of Cardiff, 

 presents a typical Roman fort, singularly complete, and characterised by 

 great simplicity. The outer line of defence, it will be observed, is the 

 usual ditch, which, in the case of Gellygaer, was crossed at the gates by 

 bridges ; the inner, an earthen rampart, faced on both sides by retaining 

 ■walls. This rampart is pierced by four gates, one about the middle of 

 each side. Besides the chambers which flank these gates, there are 

 twelve others, probably the basements of towers, at approximately equal 

 distances along the rampart, one being at each corner. Connecting the 

 lateral gates is the wide transverse street, the Via FrincApalis, and mid- 

 way on its south-west side is the forum-like structure invariably 

 found in these forts, and usually denominated the Preetorium. This 

 structure, as usual, breaks the continuity of the longitudinal street. The 

 rest of the site is occupied by buildings of several types, cori-esponding in 

 the main Avith those of other forts. 



The length reckoned from the external face of the rampart is i04 feet 



