| Summary : The site of a Roman fort at Ilkley, with the possible Roman placename Verbeia. Excavation indicated that the first fort was timber-built in circa 80 AD, abandoned in circa 100 AD, and reoccupied in circa 169 AD. It was then burnt again in circa 196-7 AD, rebuilt in stone in circa 198 AD, and reorganised and rebuilt in circa 300 AD. Finds from outside the fort show that the vicus lay chiefly to the south and extended for at least 1/2 mile east-west. |
More information : [Area centred SE 1163 4789] Olicana Roman Fort [G.S.] Olicana (1-2)
The Roman fort at Ilkley was excavated in 1919-21 by the Yorks Archaeological Society, only the N. part of the site being accessible. The fort was deduced to have measured 324' E-W by 320'N-S (Area 2.23 acres).
The first defences,consisting of a clay rampart resting on cobbles, most probably date to the series of forts established by Agricola (Supported by finds of 2 coins of Domitian and typical 1st cent. pottery). A wooden gateway was contemporary with the rampart. The praetorium and other wooden buildings were apparently destroyed by fire, the latest datable object from the burnt layer or below it being a coin of Trajan struck between A.D. 103-111.
The fort was reoccupied by the middle of the 2nd cent. at the latest (dated by coins and pottery), when the masonry defence wall and towers, and the stone-built commandant's house were erected and presumably the praetorium rebuilt. With the wall are associated the towers flanking the N. gate. The commmandant's house was destroyed by fire shortly before A.D. 300. There are slight signs of re-occupation, in two stages during the 4th cent. the last period of occupation can probably be assigned to Theodosius.
Many finds,including altars and sculptured stones, were made during the excavations. Later finds included a cross-head regarded by Collingwood as of post Conquest date, built into a presumably mediaeval wall on the site of the commandant's house. Large quantities of Md. pottery, mainly of 13th/14th cent. were found, perhaps connected with the building of the church. Finds from outside the fort show that the vicus lay chiefly to the S. and extended for at least 1/2 mile E-W Plan. AO/55/94/1-3. (3)
Survey revised. (4)
Name 'OLICANA'? accepted for 4th edition R.B. Map.
OLICANA listed by Ptolemy has been traditionally accepted as Ilkley but this may have been a metathesis of the name OLENACUM? (now ascribed to Elslack fort - see SD 94 NW 2). The identification of Ptolemy's OLICANA with Ilkley has no etymological basis and Rivet suggests the name VERBEIA instead, this being the Roman equivalent of the River Wharfe, on which Ilkley stands. (5)
B R Hartley conducted excavations on the Roman fort at Ilkley in 1962. In the light of these it was stressed that the plans of earlier excavations were not accurate and that only the structures in the 1962 trenches were certainly in their correct positions on the plans.
The first fort at Ilkley was an Agricolan foundation.
The excavations of 1962 suggested that it may have been roughly square c.375 ft across, and enclosing c 3.2 acres. The defences had turf ramparts 18ft wide with stone underpinning. The evacuation of the fort early in the second century was attested by a break in the pottery record, the levelling of the defences and burning of internal buildings.
By 169 AD at the latest Ilkley had been reoccupied. The new fort was given clay ramparts on the same lines as the first defences on the west and north and presumably round the whole circuit. The garrison was almost certainly a cohors equitata perhaps the Lingones. This phase came to an end in 196-7 AD, when some or perhaps all its buildings were burnt down.
Ilkley was again garrisoned in 197-8 A.D., and the work of rebuilding included the provision of a stone wall fronting the rampart. For the first time the internal buildings were constructed in stone. There was a cohors equitata in garrison, but probably not the Ligones.
The appearance of the fort changed radically in the next period, which was presumed to be part of the general reorganisation under Constantius. The fort wall was certainly now freestanding and the gates seem to have been simplified. Space was available for extension of the buildings towards the defences and a new large praetorium and at least one building in the praetentura were constructed. It is evident from the continued use of the stables that a part-mounted unit was still in garrison.
The fort continued in full occupation in the late fourth century, though it was impossible to be sure how late its use continued. In 1977 the cutting of a narrow trench by the N.E. Gas Board up Castle Hill revealed the western defensive wall of the Roman fort standing 1.5m high. The Antonine clay rampart was cut into by an unidentifiable post Roman wall running parallel to the Roman defences. (6-7)
SE 116 748. Ilkley.
`Fragment of a gritstone dedication slab, 0.33 by 0.89 by 0.37 m, found in 1982 re-usd in the foundations of the west wall of the parish church. It carried a ten-line text, now badly worn, on a recessed panel within a plain moulded border:
[...]/[...] INVICTOS [...]/[...]/[...] JSSIMOA [.../...] MSVORVM [.../...] RINVSV [.../...] ELICIS [.../...] EVLEGA [.../...] ISSIMVSNV [.../...] VMCOM [...' (8)
Fragments of a stone-built stable with a drain running down the interior were found at this site. For a description and plan see article. (9-10)
SE 11644787 Site of Roman Fort, Ilkley. This site occupied a strategically important position in the mid-Pennines at the junction of the Roman roads from Ribchester - York and Manchester - Aldborough. Another road appears to have linked Ilkley with Bainbridge. The fort controlled a crossing point on the River Wharf and lies on a plateau 100m south and about 12m above the present river. The fort displays five building phases and was occupied from cAD 80 until about the end of the 4th century with a forty year period of abandonment during the second century; scheduled. (11) |