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LONGTHORPE ROMAN FORT

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A Roman Fort, possibly a campaign fortress of 27 acres was excavated at Longthorpe between 1967 and 1973. It was succeeded by an 11 acre Fort which made use of existing buildings. The fort may have been established as early as circa 44-48 and there is evidence of occupation to circa AD 61-2. It has not been possible to refine the construction date of the smaller fort within this time span.

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(TL 158977). A campaign-fortress of 27 acres with timber buildings, accommodating a Legionary Vexillation together with auxiliary troops, was excavated between 1967 and 1973 at Longthorpe. It was succeeded by an 11 acre fort which made use of existing buildings.

The fortress might have been established as early as circa 44-5, and there is evidence of occupation to circa 60, it being possible that the legionary fortress at Lincoln was not established before this date. The fort does not produce evidence of occupation substantially later than 60. A possible explanation is that it was troops of the Legion IX from Longthorpe which in AD 60-61 were defeated by Boadicca at Colchester, this necessitating the reduction in size of the fortress as an emergency measure before replacement troops arrived in 61 from Germany. See illustrations. (1)

Brief description. (2)

A final season of excavation took place in August 1973. The area examined was in the western field, in the praetentura of the fortress. Two barrack blocks were found, west of two further
buildings that were not barracks. The south barrack block is very irregular and contains 14 sets of rooms and the finds suggest that the garrison consisted of a vexillation of Legion IX. Wacher (4) suggests that "the extraordinarily contorted barrack" might have been built by "less skilled legionaries trying to put together a prefabricated building and getting the sections inextricably
muddled". (4)

Some 300m east of the site excavation has revealed a contemporary military pottery-works (TL 19 NE 92). An Anglo-Saxon cemetery (TL 19 NE 91) occupies part of the NW corner of the fortress.(5)

The dating of both periods of occupation is AD 44/8 until AD 61/2 and it is not possible to refine the construction date of the smaller fort within this time span. (6)

Additional reference (7)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies Britannia : a journal of Romano-British and kindred studies

(Frere and St Joseph) 5 - 1974 Page(s)1-129

( 2) by RCHME 1969 Peterborough New Town; a survey of the antiquities in the areas of development RCHME

1969 Page(s)9

( 3) Nene Valley Research Committee Durobrivae : a review of Nene Valley Archaeology

(S S Frere) 2 - 1974 Page(s)20-1

( 4) John Wacher 1978 Roman Britain

1978 Page(s)188

( 5) by S S Frere and J K S St Joseph 1983 Roman Britain from the air

Cambridge air surveys (S S Frere & J K St Joseph) 1983 Page(s)48-51

(6) General reference

Johnson A 1983 Roman Forts London A and C Black (146,244-5, illust)

(7) Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies Britannia : a journal of Romano-British and kindred studies

( W S Hanson and D B Campbell) 17 - 1986 Page(s)65,66,80

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