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Summary

Possible Roman fortlet to the south of Okehampton Roman Fort, visible as cropmarks of buried ditch-defined features.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1015829: Okehampton Roman fort, fortlet and associated enclosures
• SHINE: Roman fort and associated enclosures west of and Roman road extending east of Chichacott Road

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 1035102
• National Monuments Record: 440810
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX59NE/73
• Old SAM County Ref: 1006
• Old SAM Ref: 28620
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX59NE14
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FORTLET (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD (Between))

Full description

National Monuments Record, SX5996 (Aerial Photograph). SDV346208.

Balkwill, C. J., 1976, Okehampton Bypass No 1 (North) (Report - Survey). SDV346198.

Griffith, F. M., 1984, DAP/AC, 3-7 (Aerial Photograph). SDV346200.

Griffith, F. M., 1984, DAP/AV, 6-7 (Aerial Photograph). SDV233514.

A roughly square ditch defined enclosure with rounded corners, measuring approximately 55 to 60 to a side, is visible as a cropmark about 10 metres to the south of Okehampton Roman Fort. Possible internal and external features are also visible as cropmarks.

Griffith, F. M., 1984, DAP/CG, 6-8 (Aerial Photograph). SDV267548.

Griffith, F. M., 1984, DAP/CV, 3-5a (Aerial Photograph). SDV233132.

Griffith, F. M., 1984, Roman Military Sites in Devon: Some Recent Discoveries, 12-14 (Article in Serial). SDV35308.

Immediately south of Okehampton Roman Fort. Probable fortlet, about 50 metres square and single ditched. Appears to be sited with some reference to the fort. Recorded as cropmark in June 1984. Other details: Figure 1.

Griffith, F. M., 1986, DAP/FX, 12 (Aerial Photograph). SDV22609.

Department of Environment, 1988, Roman Fort and Associated Enclosures (Correspondence). SDV346191.

Scheduled area extended.

Department of Environment, 1989, Roman Fort and Associated Enclosures (Correspondence). SDV346192.

Part of area descheduled.

Department of Environment, 1989, Roman Fort and Associated Enclosures (Schedule Document). SDV346193.

The monument comprises a Roman fort and a series of four enclosures visible as cropmarks immediately to the north-east and south-west. Aerial reconnaissance has demonstrated the fort to be a double ditched rectangular enclosure of circa 1.5 hectares externally. Trial excavation and salvage observations have confirmed the military nature of the occupation and suggested occupation in the period AD 50-80. On the basis of morphology and alignment the cropmark to the south of the fort is considered to be of Roman military origin. Other details: Monument 1006.

Gerrard, S., 1995, 139571 (Un-published). SDV346213.

Fortlet is square in shape with rounded corners and measures 50 metres square.

Miller, A., 1996, Aerial photographic assessment (Interpretation). SDV265154.

Department of Environment, 1996, Okehampton Roman Fort, Fortlet and Associated Enclosures (Schedule Document). SDV346194.

This monument includes a Roman fort and a series of five associated enclosures on a hilltop location overlooking the valley of the River Okement to the north west and Okehampton town to the south west. The central feature of the monument is the fort itself, which is a rectangular enclosure with rounded corners. To the south west of the fort lies a second enclosure of Roman military type which has also been identified by aerial photographs. This feature is interpreted as a fortlet. It is square in shape with rounded corners and measures 50 metres square. It survives as a buried ditched feature and has been cut on its eastern side by an electricity substation and to the south-east by a field boundary. All fence posts are excluded from the scheduling, but the ground beneath is
included. Other details: Monument 28620.

Bridgewater, W. R., 2000, Untitled Source (Correspondence). SDV346214.

Slides and letter concerning a sewage pipe trench cut in 1980 which contained burnt clay and charcoal.

National Monuments Record, 2011, 1035102 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV346215.

A Roman fortlet lying immediately next to the Okehampton Roman fort. It is square in shape with rounded corners and measures 50 metres square. It survives as a buried ditched feature and has been cut on its eastern side and to the south east.

National Monuments Record, 2011, 440810 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV346190.

A Roman fort and a series of associated enclosures on a hilltop location overlooking the valley of the River Okement to the north-west and Okehampton town to the south-west. The central feature of the monument is the fort itself, which is a rectangular enclosure with rounded corners. Excavations have confirmed the military origin of the fort and suggested occupation in the period AD 50-80. Surrounding the fort are a series of associated ditched enclosures mainly surviving as buried features.

Hegarty, C., 2013, Transcription of Okehampton Roman Fort cropmarks from Aerial Photographic and Lidar Sources (Interpretation). SDV354409.

A roughly square ditch defined enclosure with rounded corners, measuring approximately 55 to 60 to a side, is visible as a cropmark about 10 metres to the south of Okehampton Roman Fort. The cropmark measures circa 3 to 4 metres wide, supporting the interpretation of the feature as a substantial buried ditch. The south-east corner of the enclosure is possible visibly as a narrower cropmark to the south of the extant field boundary.
Poorly defined and roughly circular cropmarks between 10 and 14 metres in diameter are visible located at the external north-western and north-eastern corners of the fortlet, and could be interpreted as evidence of large pits or quarries. Any relationship between the fortlet and possible enclosure to the west is obscured by the more westerly of the two.
A possible oval ditch-defined enclosure roughly 17 by 14 metres in size is visible as a cropmark within the area of the fortlet, close to or possibly abutting the south-western boundary.
Cropmarks of a parallel ditch defined linear feature such as a trackway diagonally cross the interior of the fortlet, immediately to the west of the oval cropark. These do not appear to be related to likely entrances to either the fort or fortlet.
Slight indications of a second, internal ditch are visible towards the north-western corner of the enclosure, as approximately 25 metres of narrow cropmark roughly 5 to 7 metres in from the outer ditch.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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