| Summary : The remains of a Roman temple and associated settlement dating from the 1st to the 4th century, and a triangular enclosure of 1st century date. An early 4th century inhumation cemetery and a small 3rd century coin hoard have also been uncovered. The earliest features recorded on the site comprise a number of Late Iron Age ditches, suggesting there was a settlement in this area prior to the Roman occupation. The temple was built soon after AD 69 and comprised a simple circular shrine. Finds suggest it was probably dedicated to Apollo. Circa 230 the shrine was surrounded by an octagonal podium and precinct wall with a gatehouse, but around 250 the whole structure was burnt. It was replaced with an octagonal temple incorporating the remains of the podium and consisting of an inner chamber surrounded by eight chambers and enclosed by a covered walkway. The temple was adapated in the early 4th century with the blocking of alternate chambers, giving the building a cruciform plan. This may reflect the conversion of Rome to Christianity but soon after the building was altered again and was once more being used for pagan worship. After AD 370 layers of straw, manure and household rubbish suggests that the building was being used as a domestic dwelling or animal byre. Human bones found at the top of the sequence show cut marks, particularly to the neck, implying a massacre at the hands of raiders. The associated settlement, consisting of around 28 buildings, lies east of the temple. There is evidence for industrial activity during the 4th century, but once the temple fell out of use stone walls were constructed between the buildings, probably to form animal pens. |
More information : (ST 82267697) Roman Temple (GS) (Site of) (1)
A Roman building was found c.1911 during excavations for a lime kiln at Nettleton Shrub. There was a rough pennant floor and the walling incorporated fragments of a relief of Diana, or Artemis with a dog. The site was visited shortly afterwards by Grey who found sherds, tiles, glass etc. The relief,sent to Castle Combe Manor (2), is now in Bristol Museum (4). Detailed siting by Cunnington confirms published entry (3). From 1938-52 the building was excavated by the late W.C. Priestley of Cirencester Museum and the finds, including 150 bronze coins range from Hadrian to late 4th c. with emphasis on AD 200-400 (4). A small 3rd c. hoard was found in 1938 (5). Traces of other buildings were found nearer Broadmead Brook and in 1951 wall foundations and painted plaster were found south of the brook (4). (2-5)
Camerton Excavation Club, under the direction of W.J. Wedlake, have been excavating at Nettleton since 1956. The principle discovery is a temple, at ST 82177694, dedicated to Apollo. It dates from the early 1st c. until the early 4th c. and comprised a circular shrine surrounded by an octagonal podium. Nearby was an arched rectangular building probably used as an assembly hall. The nearby settlement, centred at ST 822769, was clearly associated with the development of the shrine and the 26 buildings excavated so far include a hostel and a shop. Wedlake believes that the building found by Priestly was not a temple and that it was of probable late 3rd or early 4th c. construction. The temple declined in the mid 4th c. and there is evidence that bronze and pewter working was introduced to boost the economy of the settlement. A cemetery at ST 82187684, in the SE corner of the site, has yielded 16 probably Christian burials of the Constantinian period. At the end of the 4th c. the settlement was overrun and the inhabitants massacred. The finds, which include an IA silver coin (Mack 380: Dobunnic) will be deposited at Bristol Museum. This site has now been restored to pasture land and no evidence of Ro occupation can be seen. (6)
ST 822769. A small Roman fort dating from soon after AD 47 has been found on the south side of the settlement at Nettleton. Its ditches have produced much Samian and other ware including large coarse-ware urns, also bronze brooches. (7)
The general settlement area occupies low ground near the Broadmead Brook where it flows through a junction of combes and is adjacent to the Foss Way. The northern aspect is dominated by a limestone bluff; elsewhere the area is overlooked by high ground. It is entirely under pasture with no surface indications of the settlement, centred at ST 822769, although the site of the temple can be identified as an overgrown mound of backfill at ST 82177694. The precise location of the postulated fort can not be established but the general situation seems tactically unsound. (8)
At Nettleton Shrub a conquest period military establishment, preceeding the important religious complex, is now confirmed by the presence of legionary and auxiliary equipment and of early coins and pottery from recent excavations. (9)
There is a Roman fort at Nettleton on Fosse (ST 8276). (10)
From Wedlake's evidence I am unconvinced that this is a fort. There is early pottery but no military equipment. (11)
In the text of the final excavation report the 'fort' is refered to as a small Roman enclosure established in the 1st century A.D. On its N side the enclosure ditches were cut along the escarpment, and the NW corner was strengthened by building up a massive revetment. The ditches ranged in size from about 2-5 ft. in width and the same depth. The report notes that: 'The enclosure commanded extensive views of the surrounding countryside, except on its south side where the approach by way of the Fosse Way was shielded by higher ground. Despite the presence of a few items of military equipment, it can be scarcely regarded as a military site and is perhaps best interpreted as a Romano-British settlement established by the side of the Fosse Way to serve Roman forces in the area.' An editorial note to fig. 2, a plan of the Nettleton site (see illustration) notes that, the ditched earthwork described as 'first-century A.D. camp', is interpreted in the report as an enclosure, possibly of a non-military nature; its plan is conjectural.' This plan shows the enclosure to have been perhaps triangular in shape and to be entirely on a valley slope with its NW rampart lying on the crest. The only piece of military equipment identified in the report is a plumbata. This would appear to have been 4th century in date and was found in building XVIII and is not associated with the enclosure. (12)
ST 82207691; ST 82247680. The remains of a Roman temple and associated settlement dating from the 1st to the 4th century, and a triangular enclosure of 1st century date. An early 4th century inhumation cemetery and a small 3rd century coin hoard have also been uncovered. The earliest features recorded on the site comprise a number of Late Iron Age ditches, suggesting there was a settlement in this area prior to the Roman occupation. The temple was built soon after AD 69 and comprised a simple circular shrine. Finds suggest it was probably dedicated to Apollo. Circa 230 the shrine was surrounded by an octagonal podium and precinct wall with a gatehouse, but around 250 the whole structure was burnt. It was replaced with an octagonal temple incorporating the remains of the podium and consisting of an inner chamber surrounded by eight chambers and enclosed by a covered walkway. The temple was adapated in the early 4th century with the blocking of alternate chambers, giving the building a cruciform plan. This may reflect the conversion of Rome to Christianity but soon after the building was altered again and was once more being used for pagan worship. After AD 370 layers of straw, manure and household rubbish suggests that the building was being used as a domestic dwelling or animal byre. Human bones found at the top of the sequence show cut marks, particularly to the neck, implying a massacre at the hands of raiders. The associated settlement, consisting of around 28 buildings, lies east of the temple. There is evidence for industrial activity during the 4th century, but once the temple fell out of use stone walls were constructed between the buildings, probably to form animal pens. Scheduled. (13) |