Great Casterton Roman Town |
| Hob Uid: 347926 | |
Location :
Rutland
Little Casterton, Great Casterton
|
| Grid Ref : TF0026009090 |
| Summary : The site of Great Casterton Roman town. Excavations have shown that the earliest settlement on the site is pre-Flavian, probably the vicus of the adjacent fort. A late first century stone bathhouse found in 1958 north of the church suggests a more permanent settlement. This may possibly have been a mansio on Ermine Street near the river crossing, built following the abandonment of the fort. The settlement obtained urban status and received its first defences in the late second century. These consisted of a stone wall and earthen embankment, with V-shaped ditch; on the north there were triple ditches. Bastions were added in the mid-fourth century. Near the centre of the town plans of three successive timber-framed buildings of mid-first to end of 2nd century were recovered. A primitive iron-smelting hearth associated with Flavian pottery, abandoned fully charged, encroached on a construction trench of the earliest building. The site has been mapped from air photographs. |
More information : (TF 001 091) Roman Town (GS) (Site of) (1)
Excavations began in 1950 and are still continuing on the Roman town at Great Casterton. These have shown that the earliest settlement on the site is pre-Flavian, probably the vicus of the adjacent fort (see TF 00 NW 63). A late first century stone bathhouse found in 1958 north of the church suggests a more permanent settlement. This may possibly have been a mansio on Ermine Street near the river crossing, built following the abandonment of the fort. The settlement obtained urban status and received its first defences in the late second century. These consisted of a stone wall and earthen embankment, with V-shaped ditch; on the north there were triple ditches. Bastions were added in the mid-fourth century. (2)
Near the centre of the town plans of three successive timber-framed buildings of mid-first to end of 2nd c. were recovered. A primitive iron-smelting hearth associated with Flavian pottery, abandoned fully charged, encroached on a construction trench of the earliest building. (3)
Earthworks surveyed. (4)
The Roman town defences at Great Casterton referred to by authority 1 have been mapped from good quality air photographs. The defences, centred at TF 0026 0909, were visible as a massive ditch and bank running around the eastern side of the modern village of Great Casterton. The bank and ditch run east-west, for about 100m, just to the south of Ryhall road and then turn south for about 150m before turning south south west for about 200m. A possible outwork continues eastwards from the main defences at TF 0028 0909 for about 200m. This feature may be semi-natural and its date is not certain.
(Morph No. LI.792.2.1)
This description is based on data from the RCHME MORPH2 database. (5)
TF 002 091. Air photography site NE of village and site of Roman town. Scheduled. (6) |