More information : Verulamion - Belgic City
The Belgic City of Verulamion was thought, prior to Wheeler's
work in 1930, to have been either under the Roman City or on the
hill now occupied by the modern St. Albans. By trial trenches,
Wheeler satisfied himself that there were no original Belgic
remains in the Roman City, but he found Belgic remains on the
plateau to the west of it, where he proved various of the many
earthworks in Prae Wood, and to the south-east of Prae Wood, to
be Belgic. His plans (Plates CXVIII and XI) are reproduced as
A0/LP/60/47 and 20. He identifies this complex as the Belgic
City and the following is a precis of his description:
The primary element in the works is a ditch ("Belgic Ditch" Pl.
CXVIII) 10-14 ft. wide and 5 ft. deep, extending for 3/4 mile
along the brow of the valley in a south easterly direction from
Prae Wood. This ditch, with a slight bank on both sides, has
little or no military value and simply marked the boundary of the
settlement.
Behind the ditch, the plateau was divided by a central timber
palisade ("Intermediate Palisade 'A' Pl. CXVIII) As the
south-east flank was also bounded by a palisade ("Terminal
Palisade 'B' Pl. CXVIII) the southern half of the settlement
(Region II) Pl. CXVIII may be provisionally regarded as enclosed
tillage or pasturage.
The mass of pottery found in the northern half behind the ditch
(Region I Pl. CXVIII) indicates that this was where the main
body of the Belgic City was situated also a later ramshackle
defensive system, ("Prehistoric Defences" Pl. XI, "Belgic
Earthworks" Pl. CXVIII), reinforced this region alone.
At the north-western end of the ditch, a two acre enclosure.
(Enclosure 'A' both Plates) with a ditch and external bank, was constructed at an early date, but its purpose is not clear.
Wheeler dates the founding of the city to the last 10 to 15 years of the C1st BC and concludes:
"We may regard Belgic Verulamium... as a city built probably by Tasciovanus himself or, at any rate, not appreciably before his time".
"Verulamion" is one of a few Celtic names which appear in abbreviated form as mint marks on coins (c). (1)
Prae Wood Belgic complex as shown by Wheeler (including 'U' Banks
and ditches) surveyed at 1/2500. The complex suffered some reduction and mutilation when put under larch some 12 years ago.
The plantation will probably be cleared about 1980. (2)
Belgic oppidum and later earthworks, probably Md. traced to their furthest present-day limits within Prae Wood and parts additional to Wheeler's plan, surveyed at 1:2500. (3)
Listed as an oppidum. Brief descriptions of remains and discussions of excavations. (4,5)
TL 120066. Prae Wood settlement, Verulamium - scheduled under `Camps and Settlements'. (6)
Field survey has shown the earthworks in Prae Wood to be more
extensive than those described by Wheeler and Wheeler. See plan.
The earthworks are of six phases, the first three of probable Iron Age date. Phase IV (site 12 on plan) may have been a Medieval forest enclosure. Phase V (enclosure 33) and phase VI (enclosure 101) are probably of post-Medieval date. (7)
Examination of the evidence accumulated since Wheeler's excavation of Belgic features beneath the Roman Verulamium suggests that the Prae Wood site may only be a peripheral part of a large, complex, unenclosed nucleated settlement. (8) |