| Summary : Cropmark of a Roman temporary camp. Camp 2 lies just over 50 m S of camp 1, on the same river terrace. Only the N angle and parts of two sides are known. The NW ditch is at least 200m in length and is markedly realigned on either side of the pronounced entrance causeway. Evidence for a traverse protecting this gate gap is lacking. On the NE, the ditch of the camp is likely to have extended to approximately 175m to take in a pronounced crest. The extra height at this point would have afforded good views up and down the Penk valley, as well as to the E and Walong Watling Street. The SE defensive line would therefore have lain W of Water Eaton Lane near the scarp edge. The topography is not particularly helpful in suggesting a possible position for the SW side, but the SE to NW lane linking Water Eaton itself occupies a slight natural hollow, which may have lain immediately outside and parallel to the defensive line. If these parameters are even approximate to the original extent of the camp, its total area would have been in the region of 3.3 ha (8 acres). Within the whole of 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 : To the N of the hamlet of Water Eaton, the outline of a temporary camp has been observed (at SJ 903 112) to the S of the small camp already known (SJ 91 SW 27). About 625 feet of the NW side, the rounded N angle and 125 feet of the NE side have been determined and this may represent only a small part of the whole perimeter to judge from the configuration of the ground. (1)
Centred at SJ 9025 1124, Baker APs (a) show crop marks of the N angle and parts of the NW and NE sides of a rectangular enclosure, probably a Roman temporary camp. Nothing is visible on the ground, which is arable land at present under pasture. (2)
This camp has been re-assessed in connection with RCHME's survey and publication of Roman Camps in England. The following descriptive account is taken from the published text.
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 165, 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 Pennocrucium, was laid out astride Watling Street.
The camps lie on either side of the Penk Valley, N of Watling Street. For the most part, the valley sides are quite gentle, but they are broken in places by steeper natural scarps. These have been exploited to good effect by the positioning of the various military installations which are all intervisible. Virtually all the features have been levelled by ploughing and most are covered with the marks of former ridge-and-furrow.
Camp 2 lies just over 50 m S of camp 1, on the same river terrace (St Joseph 1973, 133 (see auth 1)). Only the N angle and parts of two sides are known (CUCAP: BEG 80, 85, 90 (3c); CBC 65, 69 (3d); BQW 68, 70 (3e)). The NW ditch is at least 200m in length and is markedly realigned on either side of the pronounced entrance causeway. Evidence for a traverse protecting this gate gap is lacking. On the NE, the ditch of the camp is likely to have extended to approximately 175m to take in a pronounced crest. The extra height at this point would have afforded good views up and down the Penk valley, as well as to the E and Walong Watling Street. The SE defensive line would therefore have lain W of Water Eaton Lane near the scarp edge. The topography is not particularly helpful in suggesting a possible position for the SW side, but the SE to NW lane linking Water Eaton itself occupies a slight natural hollow, which may have lain immediately outside and parallel to the defensive line. If these parameters are even approximate to the original extent of the camp, its total area would have been in the region of 3.3 ha (8 acres).
Within the whole of 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. Full information is included in the NMR Archive. (3)
Two Roman camps north of Water Eaton. Penkridge, (one being former monument Staffs 236), are now scheduled under the same number, Staffs 158. (4)
Published source. (5) |