| Summary : The site of a Roman signal station at Huntcliff, thought to be of late fourth century date. A Roman signal station at Huntcliff was discovered circa 1862 and excavated by Hornsby and Stanton in 1911-12. Part of the site had been destroyed by sea erosion and only the southern portion survived. Plan. A circular well nearly 14ft deep contained the remains of 14 adults and children, Roman pottery, a leather sandal and cloth. The human remains indicated a violent death, possibly during a raid on the site. Finds from station included 25 coins of mainly Valentinian I and Gratian, suggesting an approximate occupation between 370-390 AD. Fragments of black calcite gritted cooking pots from the site are now classified as Huntcliff ware and appear to be confined to the short period when Huntcliff and the other Yorkshire signal stations flourished. |
More information : (NZ 68662198) ROMAN SIGNAL STATION (R) (site of) (NAT)
WELL (R) (site of) (NAT) (1)
A Roman signal station at Huntcliff was discovered circa 1862 and excavated by Hornsby and Stanton 1911-12. Part of the site had been destroyed by sea erosion and only the southern portion survived. Plan. A circular well nearly 14ft deep contained the
remains of 14 adults and children, Roman pottery, a leather sandal and a ?fragment(s) of cloth, now in the British Museum Acc No 1912.6-30.1 and 1933 4-3.1. The human remains indicated a violent death, presumably during a raid on the site. Finds from station included 25 coins of mainly Valentinian I and Gratian, suggesting an approximate occupation between 370-390 AD, one fragment of Samian and sherds of red, white, grey and Castor ware. Fragments of black calcite gritted cooking pots from the site are now classified as Huntcliff ware and appear to be confined to the short period when Huntcliff and the other Yorkshire signal stations flourished. All remaining finds from the 1911-12 excavations appear to be in the Dorman Museum, Middlesbrough. Nothing visible on RAF air photographs. (2-6)
The site of the signal station is marked on the ground by a
semi-circular depression at the cliff edge, and at NZ 68662198
and 68692197, three shaped stones were found, corresponding to the outer walls of the station. No other remains, as shown on Authy 2, plan, could be identified on the ground. (7)
As described by previous F1 report, except that no stonework could be seen in the cliff edge. (8)
Air Survey in 1979 confirmed that the Roman signal station at Huntcliff had been completely destroyed. (9)
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