| Summary : The site of Brompton fort. The fort is situated on a level terrace commanding good views to the east and north. The site covered between 3 1/2 and 7 acres. Since the Flavian fort at Forden Gaer lies about 4 miles to the north-west, the fort at Brompton is likely to have belonged to the pre-Flavian campaigns. Investigations have revealed areas of ore-extraction represented by charcoal, slag, fused lead and burnt clay associated with pottery of the late-first and early-second centuries within the fort, together with traces of a military rampart revetted at the front on the north side, and a military ditch with a metalled road built over several post-pits on the west. In 1981 a trench was cut over a possible gate on the west side and revealed a large area of cobbling and possible traces of collapsed rampart. In 1982 work on the south side has revealed another small furnace or kiln. There were at least two phases of occupation, both of late 1st or early 2nd-century date. The first apparently comprised a timber fort of normal military character, with an annexe attached to part of the south side. The second phase, overriding the layout of earlier buildings, but respecting at least part of the defensive bank, was characterised by industrial activities. Limited excavation indicated the existence of a substantial vicus to the north, east, and south-east of the fort; pits and furnaces associated with industrial processes extended beside the Roman road at least as far as the south part of the west ditch of camp 1. The fort and vicus were probably abandoned in the 2nd century, but there is evidence for small-scale reoccupation in the late 3rd to early 4th century. |
More information : SO 245931. A Roman fort at Brompton is revealed by cropmarks. The whole of the W. side some 475ft.long; nearly 200ft. of the N. side and the rounded NW and SW angles are clearly visible. The S. defences are obscured by a main road (A.489). (1)
There are no surface indications of the fort. (2)
For plan see SO 29 SW, 7. (3)
The fort is situated on a level terrace commanding good views to the east and north. The site covered between 3 1/2 and 7 acres. Since the Flavian fort at Forden Gaer lies about 4 miles to the north-west, the fort at Brompton is likely to have belonged to the pre-Flavian campaigns. (4)
(2) Pentrehyling fort, Brompton (SO 2493): investigation since 1977 of a fort identified by aerial photography,138 and employing resistivity survey and trenching, have revealed areas of ore-extraction represented by charcoal, slag, fused lead and burnt clay associated with pottery of the late-first and early-second centuries within the fort, together with traces of a military rampart revetted at the front on the north side and a military ditch with a metalled road built over several post-pits on the west. In 1981 a trench was cut over a possible gate on the west side and revealed a large area of cobbling and possible traces of collapsed rampart. In 1982 work on the south side has revealed another small furnace or kiln.139 (5)
Transcribed at 1:2500 during RCHME Roman Camps in England Project.
The following decriptive account is taken from the published text.
The fort, just E of Pentrehyling, is known from aerial reconnaissance geophysical prospection, and excavations conducted between 1978 and 1990 (Allen 1990 (6a); Jones 1991, 4-12 (6b)). It too, sits on the edge of the valley scarp, but at a very slightly higher elevation than the camps. There were at least two phases of occupation, both of late 1st or early 2nd-century date. The first apparently comprised a timber fort of normal military character, with an annexe attatched to part of the S side. The second phase, overriding the layout of earlier buildings, but respecting at least part of the defensive bank, was characterised by industrial activities. Limited excavation indicated the existence of a substantial vicus to the N, E and SE of the fort; pits and furnaces associated with industrial processes extended beside the Roman road at least as far as the S part of the W ditch of camp 1. The fort and vicus were probably abandoned in the 2nd century, but there is evidence for small-scale reoccupation in the late 3rd to early 4th century. Full information is included in the NMR Archive. (6)
The western side of the fort is visible as a cropmark and has been mapped from aerial photographs by RCHME's Marches Uplands Mapping Project. (7-9) |