| Summary : The site of Eaton House Roman fort. The fort survives as earthworks and is about 480 ft square, an area of some 5 acres. A prominent mound marks the position of the west rampart, which seems to have been incorporated in a large ridge of the medieval system of 'ridge and furrow' that covers the site. Slighter mounds mark the rampart on the other 3 sides. Two ditches at least on the east and north can be detected on photographs. In 1965 when the site was being ploughed, light-coloured soil from the rampart and burnt oven-debris from the intervallum were being turned up together with patches of daub and gravel from the interior of the fort. A large group of military installations, comprising a vexillation fortress, two forts and a number of camps, lies in the vicinity of Water Eaton and Stretton Mill, near the point where Watling Street, the early Roman road from London to the legionary fortress of Wroxeter (Viroconium), crosses the River Penk. This strategic location developed into a nodal point in the Roman road system from which roads left Watling Street for Chester, Wroxeter, Greensforge, and perhaps Metchley. In the later Roman period a small defended settlement, probably a posting-station, called Pennocrcium, was laid out astride Watling Street. Within the whole Water Eaton complex none of the camps occupy positions as good as those utilised by the two forts and the vexillation fortress. The presumption must be that, with the possible exception of camp 3, each of them was dependent upon one of the permanent establishments. |
More information : A Roman fort (E) has been identified on level ground at SJ 905 105, to S of the Roman road on the farm of Eaton House. The platform of the fort is clearly marked and the site is the best placed of any of the 5 military works hereabouts, commanding wide views. The fort is about 480 ft square, an area of some 5 acres. A prominent mound marks the position of the W rampart, which seems to have been incorporated in a large ridge of the medieval system of 'ridge and furrow' that covers the site. Slighter mounds mark the rampart on the other 3 sides. Two ditches at least on the E and N can be detected on photographs. In 1965 when the site was being ploughed, light-coloured soil from the rampart and burnt oven-debris from the intervallum were being turned up together with patches of daub and gravel from the interior of the fort. Pottery scatter included rusticated ware, an amphora neck, mortaria fragments. Samian and quern. (Plotted from site plan SJ 905 106). (1)
No certin traces of the fort could be discerned and inspection of air photos was negative. The site lies within a pasture field with traces of rig and furrow. (2)
A large group of military installations, comprising a vexillation fortress, two forts and a number of camps, lies in the vicinity of Water Eaton and Stretton Mill (St Joseph 1965, 76-7 (3a)), near the point where Watling Street, the early Roman road from London to the legionary fortress of Wroxeter (Viroconium), crosses the River Penk (Margary 1973, 291-2 (3b)). This strategic location developed into a nodal point in the Roman road system from which roads left Watling Street for Chester, Wroxeter, Greensforge, and perhaps Metchley. In the later Roman period a small defended settlement, probably a posting-station, called Pennocrcium, was laid out astride Watling Street. Within the whole Water Eaton complex none of the camps occupy positions as good as those utilised by the two forts and the vexillation fortress. The presumption must be that, with the possible exception of camp 3, each of them was dependent upon one of the permanent establishments. Transcribed at 1:2500 during RCHME: Roman Camps in England Project. Plan available in the NMR Archive. (3)
Published source. (4) |