| Summary : The site of a Romano-Celtic temple. An aerial photograph shows a temple at Gosbeck's Farm of Romano-Celtic plan standing eccentrically within a double portico 100 metres square, entered at the centre of the east side. The temple temenos stands at the west and of a much larger walled enclosure stretching 340 metres to the east. The off-central location of the temple has been held to imply that a sacred grove or tree occupied the most important position within the temenos. Within the portico is a pre-Roman enclosure which probably marks the original sanctuary of the eponymous war-god Camulos. This god in Roman times was equated with Mars, and indeed diggers in 1842 recovered 'part of a platter stamped MARTI' on the temple-site. However, the discovery during ploughing, circa 1945, of a fine bronze statuette of Mercury, 0.5 metres tall, raises the possibility that Camulos had an alternative identification, or that more than one god was worshipped here. Excavations were carried out an on the line of the three portico walls enclosing the temple, no floors remained and the wall foundations had been almost completely removed, probably in antiquity. |
More information : [TL 9674 2254] Roman Temple [G.S.] (Site of)
A rectangular site, in the Cheshunt Field area "for over a century miscalled a 'Roman villa' on the strength of a superficial excavation by Jenkins in 1842. (a)(b)(c)(d) Trial trenching across this in 1936 (e) showed the rectangle to be formed by a large ditch, at least 30 ft. wide and 11 ft. deep, towards the bottom of which was found Iron Age pottery of pre-Roman, Belgic type, together with a coin of Cunobelin. Above was stratified Roman material, connected evidently with what had stood, eccentrically placed, within the rectangle, namely a Romano-Celtic temple. Cohering with this, the outer margin of the ditch had been bounded by a nearly square walled portico, built in the second century apparently to supersede the ditch's original upcast bank of gravel; but the ditch itself remained open throughout the period of the Roman constructions, and this fact, together perhaps with the eccentric placing of the temple, strongly suggests that the original ditched garth was a pre-Roman sanctuary, which was never obliterated even when converted in Roman times into an otherwise normal temple-enclosure." (1-2)
[TL 9678 2253] Celtic temple surrounded by a double portico, standing in its own temenos. The temple site is in the S.E. corner of the enclosure, the portico is about 48.5 ft. square and the cella about 33 ft. square.
[Summary of excavations.]
[See general plan - TL 92 SE 105 & AO:60:120:8]. (3)
Excavation filled in and site under crop: nothing visible. (4)
Excavations were carried out in 1977 at Gosbecks Farm to test for agricultural damage. On the line of the three portico walls enclosing the temple, no floors remained and the wall foundations had been almost completely removed, probably in antiquity (5).
(For plan (6) see TL 92 SE 2). (5-6)
Sheduled listing. (7)
An aerial photograph shows a temple at Gosbeck's Farm of Romano-Celtic plan standing eccentrically within a double portico 100m square, entered at the centre of the east side. The temple temnos stands at the west and of a much larger walled enclosure stretching 340m to the east. The off-central location of the temple has been held to imply that a sacred grove or tree occupied the most important position within the temnos. Within the portico is a pre-Roman enclosure which probably marks the original sanctuary of the eponymous war-god Camulos. This god in Roman times was equated with Mars, and indeed diggers in 1842 recovered 'part of a platter stamped MARTI' on the temple-site. However, the discovery during ploughing, c. 1945, of a fine bronze statuette of Mercury, 0.5m tall, raises the possibility that Camulos had an alternative identification, or that more than one god was worshipped here. (8)
Additional reference. (9) |