Housesteads Apsidal Building |
| Hob Uid: 1012563 | |
Location :
Northumberland
Bardon Mill
|
| Grid Ref : NY7893068830 |
| Summary : An apsidal building at Housesteads was revealed by excavation in 1898, it is interpreted as a possible chapel church of late Roman or early medieval date, possibly belonging to the 5th century. Unusually the apse is at the West end, but there is evidence from elsewhere in the Empire that early churches were built uniformly with the apse at the Eastern end. To the North a stone cist burial was discovered in a Roman water tank lending weight to the interpretation of the apsidal building as a church or chapel. |
More information : (Previously recorded under NY 76 NE 15)
In 1898 Bosanquet's excavations revealed part of a stone building near the north wall of the fort and just east of the early medieval (?) cist (NY 76 NE 15). This building was separated from the intervallum road by a layer of dark soil. The west end of the building was apsidal. (1-1a)
There are no visible remains of the apsidal structure. (2)
This building, which is about 6m wide and at least 10m long is interpreted as a possible church of late Roman or early medieval date. The building is located between barrack I and building VII. When excavated in the late 19th century, the floor was described as being of a rude pavement of massive building stones and flags roughly fitted together. The walls survived best at the West end where they rested directly on the pavement, and were curved, forming the remains of an arc of an apse. The underlying soil had accumulated after the abandonment of buildings I and VII. The discovery of a stone cist burial in a water tank to the North-East adds weight to the interpretation as a church or chapel. (3)
Additional discussion of the apsidal building and of the cist burial, in a major work of synthesis on Housesteads, published in 2009. It notes that the excavators conjectured a 5th century date for these finds, though this is not certain. (4) |