More information : (NZ 2108 3121) Part of a civil settlement (vicus) consisting of a row of rectangular buildings abutting Dere Street (RR8d), to the south-east of the fort, was excavated 1878-80. The buildings were of varying size, and three structural phases were observed by Hooppell, although no direct dating evidence was found.
Plan (1a). A series of five refuse pits discovered in the wood behind the buildings were excavated by McIntyre in 1929. The mass of pottery found dated from Flavian times and continued without a break into the Antonine period. On this evidence, Steer (1) suggested that a flourishing civil settlement existed here in the Flavian period, although Salway (2) emphatically disputes this, suggesting that the area behind the vicus was probably the rubbish dump of the first Flavian fort (see NZ 23 SW 16). No surface indication of buildings. Area under pasture. (3) Nothing visible on air photographs. (4) A water-pipe was cut across the fort and vicus in 1977. Several buildings were noted south-east of the fort including one about 50m away with an opus signinum floor about 6.5m wide was found. Pottery of the 1st-4th century was found. (5)
There is evidence that the vicus associated with Binchester Roman fort existed on the NW, possibly the NE and the SE sides of the fort. The NW and NE areas were previously recorded separately by the Ordnance Survey (NAR Numbers NZ 23 SW 20 and 26 respectively). When visited by OS field investigators in 1957 no surface evidence was apparent in either area. Separate records have not been retained in the NMR and the vicus as a whole is summarised below.
Hoopell in 1877 (authority 1a) indicated on his plan the position where `..many remains have been disinterred..', which he interpreted as a `city'; this is located at NZ 207 314 to the NW of the fort.
Ferris and Jones (6a) show on their plan a group of five or six buildings visible on air photographs at NZ 2073 3161. St Joseph in 1955 (6b) has identified from air photographs an irregular pattern of streets, like the vicus at Piercebridge (see NZ 21 NW 41), some 220m NE of the fort (located from his dimensions to NZ 211 316); however Ferris and Jones interpret these as ditches.
Excavations undertaken by Hoopell in 1878-80 (authority 1a) to the SE of the fort (at NZ 2111 3121) revealed a row of rectangular buildings of varying sizes abutting Dere Street. A water pipe cut across the fort and vicus to the SE in 1977 (authority 5) revealed several buildings.
Binchester fort (NZ 23 SW 16) and its environs were surveyed by RCHME in 1983. There is no trace of the vicus in the vicinity of the fort with the possible exceptions of an 8.7m length of facing stones at NZ 2111 3125, and shorter sections at NZ 2103 3130 and NZ 2113 3122. The course of the water pipe, from NZ 2097 3134 to NZ 2114 3128, was still discernible. (6)
A group of slight indistinct earthworks, that could relate to the vicus, is visible on aerial photographs immediately west of the fort. The site is centred at NZ 2076 3133 and extends for 270m north to south and measures up to 200m wide, although it could continue west beneath a ploughed field. The earthworks could suggest an alternative location for the vicus, between the fort and the river Wear, or perhaps elements of the civilian settlement were dispersed around the fort. (7)
The site described by authorities 1-7 has been mapped for the Durham Magnesian Limestone Durham NMP project and is centred at NZ 2108 3122. The vicus is visible as cparchmarks on air photographs and consists of a small number of fragmentary banks showing the possible foundations and layout of buildings bordering to the south of Dere Street. Running through these buildings is a possible trackway branching off Dere Street. Re-evaluation of the area mentioned by authority 7, situated to the north- west of the Roman fort, indaicates an area of Medieval /post medieval lynchets (see NZ...) rather than assocaited with a vicus. (8) |