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MAMUCIUM ROMAN FORT

ALTERNATIVE NAME:

MAMVCIVM, MAMUCIUM, MANCUNIUM

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The site of the Roman fort at Manchester; part of the fort's wall is still visible. It was protected on three sides by the confluence of the rivers Irwell and Medlock, once known as "Castlefields". In shape it appears to have been a slightly irregular rectangle, covering a little over five acres, according to observations made in the 18th and 19th centuries, when portions of the wall were still standing. A small section of wall seven foot high survives under one of the arches of the railway viaduct in Deansgate. Excavations in the 1950s, 1965 and 1972 in the Northgate area revealed three phases of the fort's development, dating from the Flavian through the Trajanic Antonine and Severan periods.

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(Centred SJ 832976) Roman Fort (R) (1)

The Roman Auxiliary Fort at Manchester was situated in an area, protected on three sides by the confluence of the rivers Irwell and Medlock, once known as "Castlefields". In shape it appears to have been a slightly irregular rectangle, covering a little over five acres, according to observations made in the 18th and 19th centuries, when portions of the wall were still standing. (See Plan 1) (4). A small section of wall seven foot high survives under one of the arches of the railway viaduct in Deansgate. Excavations in the 1950's, 1965 and 1972, in the Northgate area, revealed three phases of the fort's development, dating from the Flavian through the Trajanic Antonine and Severan periods.
The fort, constructed during the Flavian period, had a clay turf rampart with an outer double ditch system (See Plan 2). A palisaded annex to the north west, interpreted as a baggage compound or defensive annex, was constructed while the fort was being built. Rebuildings of the rampart was carried out in the early second century when the outer ditch system was backfilled to make space for construction of part of the Vicus (See SJ 89 NW 93). The third phase, dated to the Severan period from associated inscriptions, saw the insertion of wall foundations with a cobbled surface laid in front of the wall and a ditch 19 1/2 feet wide and four feet deep.
The excavations also revealed the site of the north gate, which was confirmed when the alignment of the Roman Road immediately north of the fort was ascertained in 1972. Roman coins from the fort area indicate that the fort was in use up to and during the fourth century AD. (2-4)

The only visible remains are situated at SJ 83269757 in Messrs Southern and Darwents timber yard. They consist of a small portion of walling measuring 5.0m in length and averaging 1.0m height. Name 'MAMVCIVM' accepted for 4th edition Romano-British map. (5)

During the occupation of the Period I fort a vicus began to grow up along the road leading from the North Gate to Ribchester. Metalworking was the dominant activity in the areas excavated, but a pottery kiln found in 1978 also attests to pottery manufacture. During Period II of the fort metalworking activity in the vicus continued to grow in scale and importance with perhaps some "industrial zoning" developing in activities. During the late 2nd and early 3rd centuries the vicus appears to have gradually changed from a large industrial centre to a mixture of domestic houses and shops. By 300AD the northern vicus had been largely abandoned. MAMUCIUM - identified with the Roman fort at Manchester. (6-7)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) General reference

OS 1:1250 1962

( 2) General reference

Shotter DCA 1973 Romans in Lancashire pp65-7

( 3) General reference

Jones GDB and Grealey S 1974 Roman Manchester pp23-27, 33-49, 140, 185 plans illus

( 4) General reference

Thompson Watkin H 1883 Roman Lancashire plan

( 5) General reference

Ordnance Survey archaeology field investigator BHP 17-OCT-75

( 6) by Stewart Bryant 1982 Roman Manchester

( 7) by A L F Rivet and Colin Smith 1979 The place-names of Roman Britain

Page(s)409-410

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MONUMENT NO. 76801
MANCHESTER

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A series of Roman buildings were uncovered by workmen in 1771 when the north bank of the river Medock, immediately south of the Roman fort (SJ 89 NW 4...

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