Monument Number 26523 |
| Hob Uid: 26523 | |
Location :
South Tyneside
Non Civil Parish
|
| Grid Ref : NZ3380065300 |
| Summary : Site of a supposed Roman fort: Roman inscribed stones, coins, possible Roman foundations, Samian pottery and tegulae indicate a possible settlement site but not a fort. Excavations at the Shell Oil Depot, Church Bank, in 1989-90 found Roman tiles. |
More information : NZ 338 653. Site of (NAT) ROMAN STATION (R) (1)
NZ 3386 6530 Roman Inscribed Stones found (NAT) (2)
An alleged Roman fort at Jarrow was first suggested by Hodgson who described "an oblong square of about 3 acres" overlooking Jarrow Slake, and situated N of the church and monastery (NZ 36 NW 2). Buried foundations of a strong wall marked out the area on all sides, and in 1812 a silver denarius of Vitellius (69 AD) was discovered in the remains. (3-5)
Two square pavements of "Roman brick" were dug up in 1803 at the E end of Jarrow Row (circa NZ 335 654) and alleged Roman foundations were seen during the building of Jarrow House (NZ 338 654). Other foundations are said to have been found in the churchyard. Prior to Hodgson's discoveries, two fragments of Roman inscribed stones (RIB 1051 a and b) were found in the church fabric in 1782. These presumably formed part of a memorial commemorating the building of Hadrian's Wall and would have probably stood somewhere near the E end of the Wall. Now in Black Gate Museum, Newcastle and Soc of Ants London (Burlington House). The only other Roman finds recorded from Jarrow are a coin of Nero found in 1924 and an oil lamp (NZ 36 NW 6). Steer said that limited excavation on the alleged fort site in 1935 revealed no occupation earlier than the C13th and he doubted the existence of a fortification here. He also stated that there were no traces of Hodgson's ramparts or buried foundations and thought it likely that Anglo-Saxon remains had been mistakenly attributed to the Roman period. (6)
Samian pottery, Roman tegulae and imbrices and alleged Roman footings were discovered during excavations at the monastery (NZ 36 NW 2) in 1973. (7)
Although the Samian pottery, Roman tegulae and imbrices discovered during the excavations at nearby St Paul's Monastery suggest Roman settlement in the area there is nothing to verify the existence of a fort. (According to MrKilburn (b) the "alleged Roman footings" discovered during the '73 excavations were not actually Roman but Roman "style"). (8) |