| Summary : Cropmark of a Roman temporary camp. Fragments of at least one camp have been identified in the vicinity of the Barton, within a large multi-period complex of cropmarks on the east bank of the River Taw. The site lies in gently rolling countryside, immediately adjacent to the river-crossing of the Roman road leading westward from Exeter. The largest and most coherent feature, camp 1, is situated near the top of a slight rise at about 140 metres above OD, and about 500 metres to the north of the Roman fort and its annexe which survive as rather eroded earthworks. From camp 1 visibility is unrestricted except to the east, where the ground continues to rise gently for another 500 metres. To the north of the road (A3072) between The Barton and de Bathe Cross, the northern ditch of camp 1, and part of the eastern one, can be traced on aerial photographs. The north side, which occupies a shallow dip, may have been aligned to meet at a tangent the earthwork of what is now only a double ring ditch, although the nature and date of this cropmark are not known for certain. A possible north western angle can be traced on photographs immediately east of the field boundary to the north of the Barton. If this is accepted, it would give the north side a total length of just over 420 metres; the western defensive ditch would thus have lain as much as 60 metres to the east of a west-facing scarp which descends gently to the flood plain of the River Taw. Between The Barton and the fort is another multi-period complex of cropmarks. No additional camps are apparent, but there is evidence of the north west corner of a substantial double-ditched compound of Roman military character, within which a smaller two-period enclosure of fortlet size had been laid out (SS 60 SE 23). Clearly the river-crossing at North Tawton constituted a position of great strategic significance and its installations reflect a sequence of changes which probably extended over a considerable period. |
More information : SS 663005. A Roman temporary camp lies on the east side of the River Taw, near North Tawton. The whole of the north side, approximately 1500 feet in length, some 500 feet of the east side together with the rounded north-east angle and part of the north-west angle are known. The minimum area is seventeen acres. (1)
The marching camp lies some 500m north of a Roman fort (SX 69 NE 2) at North Tawton. (2)
North Tawton (SS 663006). Part of a second marching-camp overlapping the first was observed. (3)
SS 661 008: Roman forts, marching camps and associated monuments, scheduled. (4)
This camp has been re-assessed in connection with RCHME's survey and publication of Roman Camps in England. The following descriptive account is taken from the published text.
Fragments of at least one camp have been identified in the vicinity of the Barton, within a large multi-priod complex of cropmarks on the E bank of the River Taw (Griffith 1984, 20-5 (5)). The site lies in gently rolling countryside, immediately adjacent to the river-crossing of the Roman road leading westward from Exeter.
The largest and most coherent feature, camp 1, is situated near the top of a slight rise at about 140 m above OD, and about 500 m to the N of the Roman fort and its annexe which survive as rather eroded earthworks. From camp 1 visibility is unrestricted except to the E, where the ground continues to rise gently for another 500 m. To the N of the road (A3072) between The Barton and de Bathe Cross, the N ditch of camp 1, and part of the E one, can be traced on aerial photographs (CUCAP BTR 18-21 (5b)). The N side, which occupies a shallow dip, may have been aligned to meet at a tangent the earthwork of what is now only a double ring ditch, although the nature and date of this cropmark are not known for certain. A possible NW angle can be traced on photographs immediately E of the field boundary to the N of the Barton. If this is accepted, it would give the N side a total length of just over 420 m; the W defensive ditch would thus have lain as much as 60 m to the E of a W-facing scarp which descends gently to the flood plain of the River Taw.
Only approximately 200 m of the e ditch of the camp can be determined but it occupies the highest part of the site, and the whole of the probable defensive circuit would have been visible from a point roughly midway along it. None of the breaks in the ditches can be identified as a gate. A possible position for the S ditch would have been immediately S of The Barton (SS 66270056) where the ground begins to drop away more steeply to the W. Within thes hypothetical limits, the camp would have covered about 10 ha (25 acres).
Just over 20 m N of the N side of camp 1, an interrupted ditch running from E to W has been claimed as the N side of another camp which, fromits position, would have overlapped camp 1. However its putative NW angle, at SS 65910073, and W side, as published by Griffith (1984, 21 (see auth 5a)), could not be verified from the aerial photographic evidence. The topography is quite unsuitable for a camp, since the proposed line of the W side lies on the actual flood plain of the River Taw while the N ditch descends the river scarp to meet it.
An acute rounded angle can be seen among cropmarks about 120 m N of camp 1, but there is insufficient evidence to support its identification as part of a camp. It lies on level ground about 60 m E of the river scarp, and if Roman and military in origin, it would almost certainly have stopped short of it.
Between The Barton and the fort is another multi-period complex of cropmarks. No additional camps are apparent, but there is evidence of the NW corner of a substantial double-ditched compound of Roman military character, within which a smaller two-period enclosure of fortlet size had been laid out (Griffith 1984, 20-4 (see auth 5a); Maxwell and Wilson 1987, 3-4 (5c); NAR SS 60 SE 23). Clearly the river-crossing at North Tawton constituted a position of great strategic significance and its installations reflect a sequence of changes which probably extended over a considerable period. Full information is included in the NMR Archive. (5)
Additional reference. (6)
SS 66110083; SS 66360080; SE 66220061; SE 66200024; SE 66109990. Two Roman forts and two marching camps. One fort survives as low earthworks while the second is visible as cropmarks. The marching camps lie further north and are also visible as cropmarks. A Roman road runs north of the northernmost fort. Four ring ditches have been identified in the immediate vicinity, three of which have unusual double concentric ditches. They are believed to be prehistoric funerary features, though they may possibly be Roman military works. Scheduled. (7) |