See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

Roman road leading south-west from the Roman military complex at North Tawton towards Okehampton. Sections of the road are visible as earthworks on LiDAR, other sections are preserved in field boundaries and extant roads. However, some sections are conjectural. See associated monuments for further information.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Two Roman forts (two Roman fortlets are located in northwest corner of northern fort) and two marching camps, Roman building, Roman roads, enclosures, prehistoric ring ditches, undated linears and Bathe Pool south of North Tawton

Other References/Statuses

• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ROAD (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Full description

Environment Agency WMS, 1998-2016, LiDAR DTM data JPEG image (1m resolution) (Cartographic). SDV360208.

Sections of possible Roman road visible as earthworks on LiDAR.

Gethin, B., 2011, North Tawton Roman Forts (Correspondence). SDV351327.

Roman road leading south-west from the fort at North Tawton towards Pecketsford Bridge visible on LiDAR.

Stocker, S., 2017, Observations on the Roman Road between North Tawton and Okehampton (Report - non-specific). SDV360960.

Detailed landscape investigation and field walking along part of the route of the Roman road between North Tawton and Okehampton identified a number of sites where the surface of the road has been exposed. Three test pits were also dug to confirm the road. The road section surveyed, between North Tawton and Rowden, appears to have been laid along a general line between the tops of Staddon and Corscombe Hills.
The road has very little visible agger and no evidence of a ditch has been found to date. Only short sections are fossilised in hedgerow and road lines. The exposed sections shows that that the road comprised a base layer of river-worn stones with a second layer of smaller stones and clay. The road appears to have been about 8 metres wide and overall it did not generally exceed 200 millimetres thick.
See report for more information.

Kaye, S. + Stocker, S., 2018, Observations on the Roman Road between North Tawton and Okehampton - Northern Section (Interpretation). SDV361673.

Line of the Roman road leading south-west from North Tawton towards Okehampton plotted using evidence from LiDAR, field boundaries and exposed and excavated features. See associated monuments for further details.

Salvatore, J. P. + Kaye, S. + Stocker, S. + Toller, H., 2019, Observations on the Roman Road between Exeter, North Tawton and Okehampton, 307-313; Figs 12-15 (Article in Serial). SDV364830.

Ground signature of a Roman road visible as a raised elevation on Lidar between Falcadon Farm and Pecketsford Bridge. Measuring between 19m and 30m wide, this stretch is interpreted as the agger of a probable Roman Road. It is more prominent on the Lidar image to the south of Little Rowden in a stretch which extends from approximately SX653993 to 651992. Animal erosion has exposed firm areas of metalling at SX653993. The road has been further ground-truthed with a test pit at SX652991 (MDV122651).
The agger, or displaced roadstone from the agger, has been observed in a number of natural and/or manmade exposures east of Rowden Bridge.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7638 - Landscape Investigation, Field Walking and Test Pit Excavation between North Tawton and Okehampton

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.