| Summary : Cropmark of a Roman temporary camp. Two camps have been recognised within an exceptionally dense series of cropmarks, immediately to the N of the Roman town of Wroxeter (Viroconium). Cropmarks which may perhaps be interpreted as part of another camp, 2, have been recorded 400m NE of Norton cross roads and about 700m ENE of Camp 1. The site, positioned at about 60m above OD, is level but elevated, and like that of Camp 1 has good views in most directions, although these are somewhat restricted to the E. The cropmarks include a well-defined rounded corner that seems to constitute the right-angled S corner of a camp. However only 50m to the W of this angle, the cropmarks of the ditch stop abruptly as its line converges with a plough furrow; another ditch, set back about 13 m to the N, is of a markedly different character and does not appear to be associated. The perfectly straight E side seems to have been about 320 m long; the rounded NE angle is of approximately the same radius as the SE one but the ditch extending to the W makes a more acute angle than might be expected. The identification of these cropmarks as those of a camp must remain in question. A section cut through the E side in 1957 uncovered a ditch with a slot in the bottom, but no dating evidence was found. Another rounded angle occurs within the Norton cropmarks and SW of Camp 2. On present evidence, it does not appear to relate to any other part of a supposed perimeter of a camp. |
More information : (SJ 570097) Cropmark of the site of a Roman Marching Camp at Atcham Airfield. Three sides of a ditched enclosure, together with a possible entrance remain. A section through the eastern defences showed a ditch with a slot in the bottom. The rampart has been destroyed at this point and no dating evidence was found. (1-3)
The site lies upon level, arable land, under winter wheat and pasture. The cropmarks show the south-east side of a Roman camp, together with the well-rounded east and south corners, and part of the south-west side. The straight, single-ditch, south-east side is about 315.0m in length, and about 70.0m. of the south-west side is visible. About 100.0m. from the east corner is an entrance break, some 20.0m. in width.
18.0m or so north of the point at which the cropmark of the south-west side fades out, a second linear commences on the same orientation, and extends north-westwards for about 120.0m. It appears to be turning northwards into a rounded corner when it fades out. Cutting the south-east end of this linear is a linear ditch running north-eastwards for about 150.0m, before entering former airfield land, where it has been destroyed. This, and another linear ditch about 15.0 to 20.0m. east of the southeast ditch of the Roman camp, which extends for about 350.0m., lie roughly parallel with the Roman camp ditch, but wander slightly and are probably later drainage ditches. The Salop Sites and Mons Record 6" shows a further linear cropmark on the north-west across land within the air-field, which possibly represents the north-west side of the Roman camp. It is about 210.0m. from the south-east side, is parallel to it, and measures some 190.0m. in length, and has an entrance break 20.0m. wide, 60.0m. from the southern end. Nothing was seen on the ground of any of the complex. (4)
This camp has been re-assessed in connection with RCHME's survey and publication of Roman Camps in England. The following descriptive account is taken from the published text.
Two camps have been recognised within an exceptionally dense series of cropmarks, immediately to the N of the Roman town of Wroxeter (Viroconium). Cropmarks which may perhaps be interpreted as part of another camp, 2, have been recorded 400m NE of Norton cross roads and about 700m ENE of Camp 1 (Webster 1966, 34-5 (see auth 2); CUCAP VD 56-63 (5a)). The site, positioned at about 60m above OD, is level but elevated, and like that of Camp 1 has good views in most directions, although these are somewhat restricted to the E.
The cropmarks include a well-defined rounded corner that seems to constitute the right-angled S corner of a camp. However only 50m to the W of this angle, the cropmarks of the ditch stop abruptly as its line converges with a plough furrow; another ditch, set back about 13 m to the N, is of a markedly different character and does not appear to be associated. The perfectly straight E side seems to have been about 320 m long; the rounded NE angle is of approximately the same radius as the SE one but the ditch extending to the W makes a more acute angle than might be expected. The identification of these cropmarks as those of a camp must remain in question. A section cut through the E side in 1957 uncovered a ditch with a slot in the bottom, but no dating evidence was found (West Midlands Archaeological News Sheet 2, 1959 (1969), 7 (see auth 1)).
Another rounded angle occurs within the Norton cropmarks and SW of Camp 2. On present evidence, it does not appear to relate to any other part of a supposed perimeter of a camp. Full information is included in the NMR Archive. (5)
Published reference. (6) |