More information : (NY 95293899) Roman Altar found AD 1869 (TI) (1)
A Roman Altar, found by a miller in search of building stone a few
yards above the mill-race to Eastgate Mill. (2)
On 15 November 1869 a Roman Altar was found about 43 paces below
Dunter Linn, and on the eastern bank. The altar is 4ft 2 ins high,
1ft 9in wide, and 1ft thick. On the top are two dolphins between two
rings. (3)
The altar was dedicated to Silvanus by Aurelius Quirinus, the
inscription reading 'DEO/SILVANO/AURELIUS/QUIRINUS/PR.F.' It is
probably 3rd century.
In 1951 two attempts were made to locate the shrine which housed the altar or any other occupation evidence, the existence of which was suggested by the discovery in 1948 of two samian potsherds in an adjacent field (see (5)). Fairly extensive excavations were carried out in the area but they proved entirely negative.
"It seems likely that the shrine must be under (and have been
destroyed by) the road to Hole House .." (4)
(NY 9536897)" Examination of the spoil heaps of the Pipe Track at
Eastgate immediately east of the Rookhope Burn... produced two
fitting sherds of Samian ware forming part of wall and base of a
Form 33 of mid 2nd century date. The sherds appeared to have come
from a rubbish deposit showing in the north side of the trench (of
the pipe track) ...."
Excavation of the deposit produced only modern glass, iron fragments
and china.
".. The sherds had lost most of their glaze and may have lain on the surface for many centuries before being covered by turf. They seem to have no connection with the rubbish deposit ... The sherds were found 130 feet east of the western field wall and opposite a point about 25 yards lower down the Rookhope Burn from the spot where the famous altar was found in 1869 ... The features of the site, road, walls, quarrying, etc make it hopeless to attempt a search for the shrine or other Roman site that seems to have existed nearby". (5)
The following authorities support the information already on this
card but have nothing to add, except that (7) states that the altar
was at Horsley Hall in 1892. (6-7)
The altar is now displayed in the Dept of Archaeology in Durham University. In 1969 a replica was set up in Eastgate just E of the post office (NY 95313874) about 300 yds S of the find spot of the original. Collingwood dates the lettering style to 2nd century. (8)
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