Othona Roman Fort |
| Hob Uid: 385939 | |
Location :
Essex
Maldon
Bradwell-on-Sea
|
| Grid Ref : TM0310008180 |
| Summary : A Roman Saxon Shore fort which was subsequently reused as an Anglo-Saxon monastery, situated on the eastern tip of the Dengie Peninsular, between the River Blackwater to the north and the River Crouch to the south. The eastern part of the site, including the east wall, has been undermined by the sea and washed away. It is thought that the fort was originally rectangular in plan. The line of the western and northern defences is partly visible at the ground surface as an earthwork bank and a short section of standing masonry, representing the south wall survives on this side. The plan of the surviving part of the fort was recovered in 1864 during part excavation. The foundations of two bastions were recognised, forming part of the defences in the north west part of the fort. At the north west corner the bastion was horseshoe shaped in plan whilst further south, along the west wall the second bastion was semicircular. These bastions are believed to have been solid. The wall was more than 14 feet thick. The defences included an inner rampart with an exterior masonry face surrounded by a berm and outer ditch, which has become silted up over the years. These defences enclose an area which now covers about 2ha, although it may originally have been nearer 3ha. The interior of the fort was also investigated at this time, although no masonry buildings were recognised. Over 200 coins were found dating from Gallienus AD 260-268 to Arcadius AD 383-408 and the pottery recovered was also mostly of the same date, indicating only later Roman occupation here. |
More information : Name: TM 033081 Site of Ithanchester (NR) and Othona (R)
TM 03100815 ROMAN WALL (R) (remains of) (NAT) (1)
Remains of a Saxon Shore Fort, probably Othona, the eastern half of which has been destroyed by the sea. The plan of the west half was recovered by excavation about 1864. (See plan in attached pamphlet). On the assumption that it was square, it would have enclosed some 6 acres, and resembled other forts of the series. Traces of a ditch have been recognised on the north and west. The main finds, in Colchester Museum date the construction to the time of Carausius (286-93). (2-5)
The wall of the fort is represented by a rise in the ground (now ploughed over) centred at TM 031 081. The only extant walling is on the south side at TM 03150810, some 23.0m long and 1.2m maximum height. The outer ditch is no longer visible although a tidal inlet on the south may represent the line of the ditch. 1:2500 survey revised. (6)
A section was cut through the west side of the Roman fort by the Roman Essex Society in 1947 and partially published in V C H Essex. Full publication of the section and finds has since been undertaken by Warwick Rodwell. The finds included a single sherd of prehistoric pot (probably Early Iron Age), R-B, Anglo-Saxon, Medieval and Post-Medieval Pottery. Rodwell also reports a small group of Roman pottery collected from the ploughed field north of St Peter's Chapel in March 1967. Local information also reported a solid mass of Roman masonry uncovered during World War II about a quarter of a mile east of the fort. It is suggested that this may have been part of Roman harbour works. A scatter of RB pottery and tile has been observed in the fields to the west of the fort where a civilian settlement may have existed. (7)
Fieldwalking of the fort site by the late H Young of Chelmsford produced a small collection of late Roman pottery and tile. There was nothing necessarily earlier than c.259 AD. A single Saxon sherd was also found. (8)
Rodwell suggests the possibility that the Saxon Shore fort was preceded by an early Roman naval base. The finds from the fort area begin in the 1st century A.D. and recent work on other shore forts has indicated that some, at least, originated as bases of the Classis Britannica. (9)
Sherds of Romano-Saxon pottery from the Saxon Shore fort are described and illustrated. (10)
Othona - the Roman fort at Bradwell-on-sea, Essex. (11)
Additional references. (12-13)
Scheduled listing. (14)
Saxon Shore fort and Anglo-Saxon monastery at Bradwell-on-Sea. (15) |