More information : NZ 1035 5550. VINDOMORA ROMAN FORT (R). (1)
Ebchester Roman fort, about 400 feet square, now almost obliterated
by modern buildings, was described in Gibson's 1722 edition of Camden
as "a Roman station about 200 yards square with large suburbs",
presumably the vicus, the only other evidence of which appears to be
the discovery of Roman coins and walls during a southward extension
of the churchyard prior to 1960 (2). Plan (4). (2-4)
Excavations and sectioning in 1876, 1886, 1936, 1958-59 and 1959 (2),
1962-3 (3), 1964, 1968, and 1972-3 (4) (A, G, B, C, D, E, F, G, H
respectively on plan) have revealed two structural periods in the
rampart and intervallum road, and seven periods of building - four in
timber, three in stone - which, with associated finds, showed
Vindomora to have been a cohort-fort with two distinct phases of
occupation, Flavian to early Hadrianic, followed by a period of
abandonment and reoccupation from the mid-Antonine period to the end
of the 4th century. (5)
Surveyed at 1:2500
Name `VINDOMORA' accepted for 4th edition Roman Britain Map.
The remains of the rampart (all that is now visible of the fort) are
in a very poor condition.
The SE side (in the churchyard) is only just discernible as a slight
rise amongst the graves. Part of the NW corner is still evident along
with the NW side and N corner, mainly as an outer scarp. The
remainder has been destroyed by modern building. There is no trace of
the excavations.
Published Survey (1:2500) Revised. (6)
NZ 104 555. A fragment of a tombstone was discovered when the dairy
on the site of the commandants house was demolished. (7)
Listed as having possible early Medieval ecclesiastical structures.
(8)
Existing survey revised by RCHME during a project on scheduled
monuments in County Durham.
The archaeological history at VINDOMORA (9a) has been summarised by
authorities 2-4 up to and including the excavations of 1972-3 (see
plan), since which time no major excavations have taken
place. Most of the defences have been destroyed by housing and
associated activity; but they are discernible as a much reduced turf
covered bank up to 1.1 m high externally and 0.4 m high internally,
surviving at the west and north corners, and also in the churchyard
to the south-west. The outward facing scarp along the north-west side
is largely natural; its form is accentuated by a path running
parallel to it. The short scarp shown on the OS 25" map of 1963
leading from the east corner of the fort and extending to the north-
west is now obliterated by the construction of a double garage and
its apron and a complex rockery in the back garden. Part of
the apsidal bath house of the commanding officer, uncovered by
excavation in the garden of Mains Farm has been consolidated and left
exposed; the remains survive to a maximum height of 1.05 m. A drain
dug from Mains Farm north-westwards revealed what appeared to be a
continuation of the commanding officer's house. A small museum has
been established in the garden. It has been suggested that a bank
extending from the south-east side of the fort at NZ 1044 5541 SE to
the ravine of Ebchester Burn may be the north-east rampart of an
annexe to the fort occupying the area between the fort and the ravine
(9b). This bank has been severely mutilated by adjacent building
operations, and by the levelling of an adjoining school playing
field. (9)
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