Monument Type(s):

• FORT (Roman - 43 AD to 410 AD)

Summary

The mid-late 1st century Roman fort at Whitchurch became the focus of the Roman and the later medieval, post medieval and modern market town. The remains of the fort lie buried under the deposits and structures dating from the subsequent occupation of the site.

Related records

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA5905 - 2001 site visit by English Heritage MPP Fieldworker
• ESA73 - 1977 salvage excavation at Bargates
• ESA879 - 1978 excavation by Whitchurch Area Archaeological Group
• ESA880 - 1976 field observation by the Ordnance Survey
• ESA882 - 1976 field observation by the Ordnance Survey
• ESA883 - 1982 watching brief at Pepper Street by Shropshire County Council
• ESA884 - 1989 watching brief by SCCAS
• ESA885 - 1995 evaluation of 34/40 Market Street, Whitchurch by Giffords
• ESA98 - 1965-1966 excavations to NE of Newtown by Barri Jones, University of Manchester

Description

Under the auspices of the Ministry of Public Building and Works two seasons of excavation were carried out by Barri Jones of Manchester University, at Whitchurch, Shropshire, in August 1965 and April 1966. The work was prompted by a re-development scheme affecting the area forming the western edge of the older nucleus within the present town. This is delineated by the street known as Newtown and derelict property immediately to the east offered a 250ft. strip of land for excavation to within 100ft. of the present High Street.->

The excavations at Newtown in 1965-6 produced the following sequence:-
Initial occupation timber buildings dating to before AD75, associated with the legionary occupation at Wroxeter.
Flavian fort-W defences and internal buildings from cAD 75. Demolished c AD 100. ->

-> The report includes reports on the pottery, coins, metalwork and animal bone from the site, and a report on a 'trepanned skeleton' discovered beneath the floor level of building III. <2>

Excavations on land adjoining the Horse and Jockey Inn (SJ5411 4168) (see PRN 2701) produced remains of a cremation burial in a C2 wine flagon which had been disturbed by building operations in the medieval period. <3>

A series of sections across a ditch or series of ditches running parallel to Pepper St. (SJ54084150) were recorded during road widening in 1982. It appears that an initial ditch had been recut, the 2nd phase having a clay lining on its S side. Black burnished, and buff/red Severn Valley type pottery confirmed the C1 date. Probably the SW defences of the C1 fort. <4>

In 1978 two machine cut trenches were dug at right angles to Pepper St (SJ54084151) in order to investigate the S defences of C1 Ro fort and any evidence for the Medieval Castle (PRN 00904). Large V shaped ditch 4m wide by 2.2m deep with C2 sherds from lowest levels. Recut in late medieval period (seePRN 00904). <5>

Late C1 /early C2 pottery found at rear of 32, High St in 1985. <6><7>

In 1989 a watching brief was conducted during the construction of new housing at 2 and 2a Newtown St. The excavation of the foundation trenches was monitored. They were dug to a depth of c 2.1m, and the ground was seen to comprise entirely of made up ground of apparently post medieval date. ..It must be assumed that any surviving deposits on this site are below the depth excavated.. The cutting of a service trench was also observed (by WAAG). This led from the site over the road. This demonstrated that a cellar had removed any original archaeological deposits that may have existed there. <8>

In 1995 Giffords carried out an archaeological evaluation an area of ground to the rear of 34 to 40 High Street, which was under consideration for redevelopment. Three trial trenches were excavated which revealed a considerable depth of C19 and C20 demolition rubble. This relatively modern building activity was found to have disturbed and removed archaeological deposits so that they only survived as isolated islands. The demolition layers overlay a thick deposit of cultivation soil which in Trenches 1 and 3 sealed Romano British beam slots and a yard surface. These lay within the area of the Roman Fort. A buried land surface, provisionally dated to the Romano British period, was also observed in trenches 2 and 3. The condition of these features and deposits was poor, due to truncation and disturbance by the modern building activity. <13>

Evaluated for MPP in 1990-1, as one of less than 10 Roman Forts. <19>

CMHTS Comment: The main evidence for the fort comes from the small excavation at Yardington [PRN 05817]. Here a ditch thought to be the first fort was the earliest activity on site. This was backfilled by the demolished remains of timber buildings. The remains of a quadruple ditch system representing the second military phase were recovered. These were deliberately backfilled in one operation. The date of this is not clear but it is thought to be at the end of the 1st century AD or early in the 2nd [<20>]. At Newtown the excavators uncovered what was interpreted as a Flavian fort [PRN 05811]. This interpretation can be questioned, however ->

-> It is clear from excavations/ salvage recording etc that there are a number of Roman defensive works at Whitchurch including at least one fort and a town defensive circuit. With the exception of PRN SA 05811, these archaeological interventions have not been published and plans, stratigraphic matrices etc are not available. At this stage, therefore, it is almost impossible to allocate any one ditch to the fort(s) or town defences, or to determine their alignments. This is made more difficult by the fact that unlike the fort, the defensive circuit is not necessarily regular in shape. <21>

CMHTS Report. <22>

The mid-late 1st century Roman fort at Whitchurch became the focus of the Roman town, and the small, medieval, post medieval and modern market town. The remains of the fort lie buried under the deposits and structures dating from the subsequent occupation of the site. A portion of the north part of the fort defences was excavated in advance of road widening in 1977. A small public open space has been created over the part of the area not occupied by the road. An information plaque indicating the history of the site has been erected there. <23>

Summary of documentary, map and excavated evidence relating to the Roman town an later periods, produced in 1987. <24>

<00> Shropshire County Council SMR, Site and Monuments Record (SMR) cards, SMR Card for PRN SA 00909 (Card index). SSA20722.

<01> Ordnance Survey, 1976, Ordnance Survey Record Card SJ54SW3 (Card index). SSA3303.

<02> Jones G D B & Webster P V, 1968, Mediolanum: Excavations at Whitchurch 1965-6 (Article in serial). SSA3295.

<03> Whitchurch Area Archaeological Group, Whitchurch Area Archaeological Group (Volume). SSA3301.

<04> Stewart D S, Oct-1982, Pepper Street 1982, p3 (Newsletter). SSA3300.

<05> Griffiths R, 1978, Report (Excavation report). SSA3297.

<06> Anon, 1985, WAAG Newsletter, p3-4 (Newsletter). SSA3299.

<07> Hughes R, 1985, Finds Recording Form for 33 High St (Record form). SSA3302.

<08> Watson Michael D, 1989, Watching brief at 2/2a Newtown (Watching brief report). SSA3298.

<09> Watson Michael D, 1982, Pepper Street, Whitchurch (Photograph). SSA3304.

<10> Shropshire County Council, 1991, Consultation Response, 1991 (Planning archive). SSA20221.

<11> Various, 1987, Correspondence, 1987 (Correspondence). SSA3294.

<12> Various, 1980/ 1983, Correspondence, 1980-1983 (Correspondence). SSA3293.

<13> Gifford and Partners Ltd, 1995, Report on an archaeological evaluation [1995] at 34/40 High Street, Whitchurch (Excavation report). SSA3296.

<14> Shropshire County Council, 1988, Consultation Response, 1988 (Planning archive). SSA20224.

<15> Shropshire County Council, 1988, Consultation Response, 1988 (Planning archive). SSA20225.

<16> Shropshire County Council, 1987, Consultation Response, 1987 (Planning archive). SSA20226.

<17> Shropshire County Council, 1991, Consultation Response, 1991 (Planning archive). SSA20228.

<18> Shropshire County Council, 1984, Consultation Response, 1984 (Planning archive). SSA20227.

<19> Horton Wendy B, 1990/ 1991, MPP Evaluation File, Roman Forts (TEXT). SSA20084.

<20> Jones G D B & Reynolds P, 1977, Salvage Excavations at Bargates, Whitchurch, March 1977 (Article in serial). SSA11724.

<21> Buteux Victoria, 1993/ 1996, CMHTS SMR Records Shropshire: Whitchurch, Whitchurch 909 (Record form). SSA19975.

<22> Buteux Victoria et al, 1996, Archaeological Assessment of Whitchurch, Shropshire (CMHTS) (Historic landscape survey report). SSA12088.

<23> Reid Malcolm L, 2002-Mar-15, MPP Non-Scheduling Alternative Action Report [15/03/2002] (Alternative Action Report). SSA22147.

<24> Brown T, 1987, Whitchurch Roman Settlement: area to south of Pepper Street bounded by Castle Hill and High Street (Manuscript). SSA24532.

Sources

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.