| Summary : The site of a Roman fort at Tiverton. It consists of a rectangular single-ditched enclosure with rounded corners. Excavation and survey established that the fort was 1.4 hectares in area. Excavation of the West gate demonstrated two phases, of which the Phase I gate had 4-post twin towers, these being replaced in Phase II by a simple gate without towers. Both phases belong to the third quarter of the 1st century. The whole causeway was 10.6 metres wide, the rampart being 6 metres wide. Subsequent to its discovery a sherd of samian ware was picked up from the site. A small-scale excavation was undertaken in 1981 on the southern defences, which were not visible on the air photographs. A 'V' shaped ditch circa 3 metres wide and 1.2 metres deep was located. Between 6 metres and 8 metres to the north of this was a concentration of Roman pottery. In 1982 the western entrance, visible on air photographs, was located on the ground and the butt-end of the ditch on the south side of the entrance was exposed. A section was cut across the western defences just to the south of the entrance causeway. A not inconsiderable quantity of pottery - samian, amphora and coarse wares - and part of a roof-tile were retrieved from the ditch fill. The date of this material was consistent with a mid-first century A.D. context for the site. The site lies roughly midway between the forts of Exeter and Wiveliscombe, assuming a route up the Exe Valley and to the south of the Brendon Hills. Cropmarks resembling a fortlet were seen immediately south of the recorded fort. |
More information : SS 95611432. Roman marching camp discovered as a soil mark on RAF air photographs (a) near Bolham Hill Barn, consists of a rectangular single-ditched enclosure with rounded corners; the northern side can be seen in its entirety but the east and west sides are indistinct and the southern side, untraceable. There is a break in the western side which probably represents a simple unprotected entrance. From the air photograph evidence, the estimated overall dimensions of the camp would be approximately 100 metres by 135 metres or a total of 1.35 hectares. Plan. (1)
Soil marks of the Roman marching camp at SS 956143 are clearly defined on OS air photographs with additional entrances in the north and east sides, and some indications of the southern side of the camp. (see plan plotted on 1:10 000). (2)
Subsequent to its discovery a sherd of samian ware was picked up from the site. (3)
A small-scale excavation was undertaken in 1981 on the southern defences, which were not visible on the air photographs. A 'V' shaped ditch c 3m wide and 1.2m deep was located. Between 6 and 8 m to the north of this was a concentration of Roman pottery including 2 sherds of samian, one of terra nigra and early Black-Burnished wares. In 1982 the western entrance, visible on air photographs, was located on the ground and the butt-end of the ditch
on the south side of the entrance was exposed. A section was cut across the western defences just to the south of the entrance causeway. The ditch here was 3.75m wide and 1.4m deep. A deposit of smooth light grey clayey material (probably decayed turf), which survived to a maximum depth of 0.20 m above natural just to the east of the ditch was all that remained of the rampart. A not inconsiderable quantity of pottery - samian, amphora and coarse
wares - and part of a roof-tile were retrieved from the ditch fill.The date of this material was consistent with a mid-first century A.D. context for the site. The quantity of finds from a very small excavated area, together with the fairly substantial dimensions of the ditch suggest that the Tiverton site may be a fort, rather than a marching camp as originally suggested. The site lies roughly midway between the forts of Exeter and Wiveliscombe, assuming a route up the Exe Valley and to the south of the Brendon Hills. (4)
Tiverton (SS 956143): cropmarks resembling a fortlet were seen immediately south of the recorded fort. See SS 91 SE 45. (5)
SS 9558 1430: Roman fort, Bolham Hill, scheduled (6)
Excavation and survey established that the fort was 1.4 ha in area. Excavation of the West gate demonstrated two phases, of which the Phase I gate had 4-post twin towers, these being replaced in Phase II by a simple gate without towers. Both phases belong to the third quarter of the 1st century. The whole causeway was 10.6m wide, the rampart being 6.0m wide. (7-9)
A rapid examination of air photography (10a) shows the fort cropmarks and the excavations. (10) |