More information : [SE 57430347] Danum [G.S.] (1)
The Roman fort of Danum has been completely built over, but early references to `castle' remains, and the finds of Roman coins,
pottery, and an altar, suggest the site occupied the area now bordered by High Fishergate, Scot Lane, Cleveland Street, Printing Office Street, Factory Lane, and Church Lane. (2)
There are no surface indications of the fort, and no structural evidence has come to light to confirm its postulated limits.
Recent Roman finds in the town have been confined to RB levels noted in a pipe-trench between SE 57900304 and SE 57480330, and burials uncovered at SE 57450351 during the construction of a new road (a).
The altar (found in 1781 whilst digging a cellar for the Elephant Inn (b) at SE 57390328) is in York Museum. The present whereabouts of the other finds is unknown. (3)
Major development work has allowed extensive salvage work to be carried out in the centre of Doncaster. Two superimposed Roman forts have been found. The main fort which has now been traced on all four sides was of about 4 1/2 acres. An earlier one, however, on the same site was rather bigger, about twice the size, its defences have so far only been traced on the east and south sides, although only the base of the ditch survives, the rest having been cut away by later medieval work. Enough remains to show that this must be dated to the Flavian period and that it was abandoned in the 2nd century. The smaller fort was thought to have been established in the late 2nd century and garrisoned to the end of the Roman period. It seems certain that an extensive civil settlement existed along the Roman road to the west of the fort and although two wells and many rubbish pits have been found no substantial buildings have come to light. (4)
Name `DANVM' accepted for 4th. edition R.B.Map. (5)
SE 574036: A Length of Roman wall, 2.5m thick, Of four courses 0.5m high, was uncovered by excavation NE of St Georges Church, Church Street, Doncaster. It formed part of the Roman 'ditches' of the later fort. The site is now (1976) becoming overgrown due to lack of maintenance. (6-7)
A section of the Antonine defences to the south east of the church was excavated in 1971. A first-century shield was found on the edge of a burnt area. The remains comprised the iron boss and handgrip and charred remains of the wood which was of at least two layers. The remains, together with a full-size reconstruction, are now in the Doncaster Museum. (8)
In 1975 excavation continued on the east defences to the east of the parish church. North of the east gate a building of Flavian-Trajanic date was located; its demolition-levels produced a tile stamp of legio IX Hispana. In the late third or first half of the fourth century a continuous wall, 2m thick was built across the line of the east gate. By the mid fourth century, structures were being built over the levelled earlier rampart abutting onto the later wall. (9)
Excavations at St Sepulchre Gate, south of the fort, uncovered what appeared to be the western defences of the vicus. Three parallel ditches each c.2 m deep ran N-S. The innermost contained pottery of late second or early third century date but the outer pair had been dug in the fourth century. A hoard of 48 Constantinian AE coins was found in a small pit on the W side of the central ditch. (10)
Excavation north of St George's House, to locate the northern fort defences revealed the inner face of the base of a Flavian turf rampart overlain by a patch of gravel, possibly a later intervallum road and cut through by a number of pits and gullies. A medieval lime kiln had been dug through the rampart and a medieval linear feature filled with cobbles and loosely packed earth may have been robbing along the line of the later fort wall. (11)
DANUM - Identified with the Roman fort at Doncaster. The identification is certainly correct for the Antonine Itinerary and may be so for the Notitia Dignitatum, but the possibility remains that this may refer to an unlocated fort near Jarrow, Durham, which is also on a River Don. (12)
Note : See BAR Ro. Series 148 1986 for further information. (13)
Report on the excavations carried out in the area outside the Roman fort by P C Buckland, M J Dolby, J R Lidster, J R Magilton and S Roe between 1961 and 1977. The fort is centred on SE 574 035. (14)
Report on archaeological work in Doncaster 1960-67. (15)
Additional reference. (16)
Excavation in 1986 uncovered what might be the remains of the fort's west defensive ditch, and vicus defences consisting of three ditches. (17)
Report on the Medieval material excavated from the fort site. (18)
Additional references. (19-20)
SE 574 036. Wall of Roman fort. Scheduled no. SY/1216. (21) |