| Summary : The site of the Roman vicus associated with Vindolanda Roman fort. Excavations were carried out in 1931 and 1959, and drainage work in 1969, revealing extensive civil settlement, which it is believed was succeeded by more usual strip buildings. Excavations suggest that occupation of the vicus ended before AD 270 and what was thought to have been part of the vicus may have been part of Vindolanda fort's annexe; the courtyard building which had been interpreted as a mansio may have been the commander's house. The excavated stone foundations of the vicus buildings are visible. There are numerous water features associated with the vicus, namely several wells, and water tank at natural springs to the west of the fort and lengths of stone conduits running towards the fort. Excavation on the western fringes of the extramural area in 2004-6 revealed a number of stone buildings of second century date, with considerable furnaces associated with the processing of iron ore, an activity also found in other areas dating to the third century, as well as within the stone forts. Three large stone buildings with courtyards, and in two cases, wells, were examined in the south parts of the extramural area. These remains suggested they were the properties of relatively wealthy civilians. There was no evidence for occupation in the fourth century throughout the area. Industrial buildings were identified in the south-west area, and finds included a votive altar dedicated to the Syrian god, normally only found at Carvoran. Possible military store buildings were also uncovered just outside the fort's south gate. In the far west area a number of further industrial buildings were identified of possible third century date, with two small rectangular temples to the west of them. |
More information : [NY 76846635] Roman Well [G.S.] (Site of) (1)
The extensive civil settlement, which existed to the W. and S.W. of the fort, has not been examined in detail, but trial excavations in 1931 and 1959 have shown that several of its buildings were very well preserved. (2)
Traces of buildings are discernible in the area NY 76886639, and ground swellings, and general disturbance continues to the south; but no intelligible pattern is visible. The site of the well is marked by a modern inscribed stone.
Surveyed at 1:2500. (3)
Drainage work in 1969, by Durham University Excavn. Committee, in the vicus W. of the visible fort revealed the W. rampart of the Antonine fort. Also in the vicus a courtyard building was excavated and two smaller houses located. The courtyard building (see plan) had begun as a three-roomed bath-house inside the Antonine fort (c. AD.160) and had been extended by two further rooms during the 2nd.c. The courtyard was completed c.AD. 210 in masonry of good enough quality to suggest official use, e.g. a mansio outside the Severan fort. Two inscribed building stones and a cylindrical milestone were found in 1969. An account of the recent excavations of the civilian settlement is given by Birley (5). He divides this settlement into 2 phases, Vicus I and Vicus II. Vicus I has hardly any strip buildings and appears to have been defended by a rampart. It contained a corridor house, a building identified as married quarters for soldiers and mansio. The identification of this first phase as a vicus is disputed. Salway has compared it to military annexes attached to forts on the Antonine Wall (6) and Frere and St Joseph suggest that it may have been an official administrative establishment (7). The dating of this phase is problematic. Welsby suggests that the coin evidence and to a certain extent the samian point to a date c 140 A.D. No date has been suggested for the end of vicus I. It appears to have been systematically demolished and the area tidied up. This was followed by a period of disuse and then the construction of Vicus II. Vicus II is a vicus of normal type with many strip buildings and the main road through it is aligned on the west gate of the period II stone fort. Vicus II has been dated from c 270 A.D. but R Birley now dates its end to c.270 A.D. (8). (4-8)
NY 770664 Vindolanda Roman fort and civil settlement, Chesterholm, scheduled.
(9)
SCHEDULED (10)
The vicus associated with Vindolanda fort is visible on air photographs. Large areas of excavated, exposed foundations of buildings are visible.
(11)
There are numerous water features associated with the vicus, namely several wells, and water tank at natural springs to the west of the fort and lengths of stone conduits running towards the fort. (12)
Excavation on the western fringes of the extramural area in 2004-6 revealed a number of stone buildings of second century date, with considerable furnaces associated with the processing of iron ore, an activity also found in other areas dating to the third century, as well as within the stone forts. Three large stone buildings with courtyards, and in two cases, wells, were examined in the south parts of the extramural area. These remains suggested they were the properties of relatively wealthy civilians. There was no evidence for occupation in the fourth century throughout the area. Industrial buildings were identified in the south-west area, and finds included a votive altar dedicated to the Syrian god, normally only found at Carvoran. Possible military store buildings were also uncovered just outside the fort's south gate. In the far west area a number of further industrial buildings were identified of possible third century date, with two small rectangular temples to the west of them. (13)
Located on the English Heritage map of Hadrian's Wall 2010. (14)
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