Roman Features at Mancetter Vexillation Fortress

Description of this historic site

Excavations revealed the remains of a Roman fort and associated buildings. The fort is situated 300m north east of Bardon Manor Farm.

Notes about this historic site

1 Two trenches 5m wide, dug in 1989 and 1990 respectively, have located the southern defences and have suggested a revision of the overall shape as a rectangle. In 1989 (Area viii, western trench) the northern part of the trench was found to be occupied by a later N-S ditch. South of this lay part of a substantial timber building which extended eastwards into the 1990 trench, where it was cut by a second N-S ditch parallel to the other but bending eastwards at the southern end. North of this building part of another was traced in 1990; this overlay a pit containing burnt material including grains of barley and emmer. Beyond the intervallum little remained of the rampart; no signs of turf were seen and a box-rampart is suspected. Adjoining it ran two defensive ditches with traces of an obstacle on the berm between, and then an outer ditch of Punic form at a distance of 21m. A track with cart-ruts ran east-north-east over the silted angle of the later ditch: it was dated by a coin to the late second or early third century.
2 Plan.
3 Photo.
4 Noted.
5 Noted.

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