| Summary : The site of a forth century Roman signal station at Filey; the remains are visible in the cliff face. The site was investigated in 1857, 1923/29 and again by YAT in 1993-4, following a geophysical survey of the peninsula. One of five stations, it measured circa 50 metres across with a central 14 metres square tower on stone and clay foundations, possibly standing to 30 metres. Five large stone blocks found in 1857 may have supported the tower. There was an outer courtyard and a defensive ditch which seems to have crossed the headland rather than enclosing the site. The site was abandoned after circa AD 385, possibly in the early fifth century, but there is a sixth to eighth century rampart to the East, still about 1.8 metres high.Excavations uncovered two late forth century coin hoards. |
More information : [TA 12718162] Roman Signal Station [G.S.] (site of) (1)
A landslip in 1857 revealed foundations and a concrete floor which proved to be of a fourth-century Roman signal station. Five socketed stones, coins, pottery, etc., were found. Further finds of coins were made in 1862, 1888 and 1909, and a vase was exposed by a rock fall in 1869. F. G. Simpson excavated the site in 1923 and found two hoards of coins of the second half of the fourth century. The socketed stones are now in the Crescent Gardens, Filey. One of the vases was presented to the Yorkshire Museum in 1890. (2-4)
The published siting is confirmed by an occupation level visible in the cliff face about 1 foot below the surface. This contained a sherd, a bronze fragment and numerous fragments of concrete, charcoal and bone. (5)
Simpson's re-excavation compared with a plan after the 1857 excavations (Plan) notes: "The five bases ..... were rediscovered, and .... supported the first floor of the tower; all the walls .... proved to be imaginary, and the ordinary tower walls (?), circuit walls and fosse of a normal signal station were revealed" (6-7)
TA 127817 Roman signal station, Carr Naze, scheduled. (8)
Survey undertaken in response to concern about the damaging effect of weathering (9)
Summary
Site of a 4th century Roman signal station; the remains are visible in the cliff face. The site was investigated in 1857 (NMR636188), 1923/29 (NMR636189) and again by YAT in 1993¿4 (NMR1009429) following a geophysical survey of the peninsula (NMR1319554). One of 5 stations, it measured c 50m across with a central 14m square tower on stone and clay foundations, possibly standing to 30m. Five large stone blocks found in 1857 may have supported the tower. There was an outer courtyard and a defensive ditch which seems to have crossed the headland rather than enclosing the site. The site was abandoned after c AD 385, possibly in the early 5th century, but there is a 6th- to 8th-century rampart to the E, still about 1.8m high. (10)
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