More information : A much robbed Roman shrine at Lamyatt Beacon [ST 6696
3617], on the very top of Creech Hill (near Bruton), was
partly excavated by Mrs. C. M. Bennett following superficial
digging by the boys of King's School, Bruton. They had found
eight very small pots, probably votive, and a quantity of pottery
and coins giving a range A.D. 250-350. Mrs. Bennett uncovered a small rock-cut chamber, entered by steps, also several hundreds of 3rd-4th century coins and six bronze figurines representing Mercury (2), Mars, Minerva, Hercules and a priest. There was an abundance of oyster shells.
The site appears to be at ST 6695 3618, but it is obscured by
excavation spoil : no part of the temple is visible.
At King's School are some barbarous radiates, two iron
lanceheads and some coarse pottery. The boys also found two
skeletons which were left in situ. Mrs. Bennett has 2,000 coins
from this site, and there is other material in Taunton Museum.
The bronze figurines are in Bristol Museum.
A small Romano-Celtic temple, its elongated shape necessitated by the sharpness of the ridge on which it is sited. There are no
plans available, as yet, but on the south side was an apsidal-
ended underground chamber, approached by five steps cut-down through the ambulatory wall. Two more pieces of bronze statuette are reported, described as 'two old legs'. Occupation was circa
250-375 A.D., with a possible re-occupation on the evidence of
four orientated inhumations which are probably Saxon.
The temple was fully excavated to prevent further damage by
"treasure hunters". It was square in plan, with a central
cella and extra rooms on the east side. A small sunken room was
found to be south of the temple and a small rectangular building
to the north. Beyond this building a small cemetery was discovered. Ten burials were excavated in 1973 and were thought to be of late or post Roman date. A boundary bank possibly of Saxon date was also found.
Several "treasure hunters" collections were examined and were
found to contain coins, votive spearheads, necklaces and various
bronze items.
Reports approximately similar to 5:
Lamyatt Beacon. Late 3rd/Early 4th century temple. Plan &
excavation report. The adjacent cemetery of probably sixteen burials may date from the 6th to 8th centuries;Carbon 14 dates on two of the burials are given as 1430+70bp (ad 520) and 1180+70bp (ad 770) (Harwell refs 2670,2593)
The rectangular east-west building,which closely compares with the layout of early Irish oratories, was built after circa 300 but could not be accurately dated and possibly pre-dates the cemetery.
ST 670362: Roman building at Lamyatt Beacon, scheduled. (9)
Report on excavations in 1973. (10)
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