| Summary : Two temples and associated structures at Calleva Atrebatum. The temples and associated structures are situated within a temenos in Insula XXX. All are thought to date to the first century AD. The temenos covers an area of 1.2 hectares, in its northwest corner is a rectangular building with an apsidal end to the west and remains of a possible exedra. Nearby, to the south was another building 21 metres long and 13 metres wide. The two temples are situated 15 metres apart. The northern one is 22.5 metres square with a 11 metre cella. Its floor was raised over 2 metres, contained by an outer wall one metre wide. The cella wall was also about a metre wide. The temple had been constructed of brick bonded flintwork, its exterior was of red painted plaster, in the interior the cella floor was of opus signinum containing grey stone chips. The southern temple was 15.25 metres square with an 5.5 metre cella which was raised about one metre and had a one metre wide wall. The outer wall was 0.60 metres wide. The exterior walls were of red plaster. Both temples contained fragments of Purbeck marble wall lining, red painted plaster and moulded white stucco. |
More information : [SU 6431 6240: SU 6431 6236] TEMPLE [G.S.] (Site of)
(Twice) [SU 6430 6238] WALL [G.S.] (Site of). (1)
The Temenos and Temples, Insula XXX.
This insula partly underlies the parish churchyard and extends
northward below the farm. Excavation revealed the existence of
a three-acre Temenos bounded by a flint wall, replaced at
some time on the eastern side by a sector of the Town Wall.
In this enclosure are two square temples, lying at an angle to
the street-plan, and a large hall-like building, 40 ft wide and
upwards of 70 ft long. A fourth building, with an apsidal
west end, was found at the northwest corner of the temonos.
The northern temple had three foot walls of tile-bonded flint-work, preserved to a height of 5 ft. It stood 73 ft square
overall; its portico was 13 1/2 ft wide and its cella 42 ft
square within. The southern temple was 50 ft square and had floors of red tesserae. Both temples were rendered in red-painted stucco.
It is curious to observe that the parish church perpetuates the
sacred nature of the spot; it lies parallel with the southern
temple, and it has been suggested that the church may have been erected partly on the foundations of a third temple. [For Church
of St.Mary - SU 66 SW 14]
The temenos occupies a hill-top, and its presence probably
helps to explain the vagaries of the street-plan in its area.
Two late coins point to the continued use of the site in the
4th century. The only discoveries of religious significance were
two votive lamps of terra-cotta. (2)
The existence of these temples before the street-plan indicates an early date, probably 1st century. (3)
Additional bibliography. (4-6)
The temenos covered an area of 1.2 hectares and in the northwest corner contained a rectangular building with an apsidal end to the west and remains of a possible exedra. Nearby, to the south was building 21 metres long and 13 metres wide. The two temples are situated 15 metres apart. The northern one is 22.5 metres square with a 11 metre cella. Its floor was raised over 2 metres, contained by an outer wall one metre wide. The cella wall was also about a metre wide. The temple had been constructed of brick bonded flintwork, its exterior was of red painted plaster. The cella floor was of opus signinum containing grey stone chips.
The southern temple was 15.25 metres square with an 5.5 metre cella which was raised about one metre and had a one metre wide wall. The outer wall was 0.60 metres widek. The exterior walls were also of red plaster. Both temples contained fragments of Purbeck marble wall lining, red painted plaster and moulded white stucco. (7)
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