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Summary

Four possible ditch defined enclosures are visible to the north of Okehampton Roman Fort as cropmarks on aerial photographs of 1984.

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: 440810
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX59NE/72
• Old SAM County Ref: 1006
• Old SAM Ref: 28620
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX59NE14
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

National Monuments Record, SX5995, 4 (Aerial Photograph). SDV346207.

National Monuments Record, SX5996, 4-10,12-16,26-29 (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.

Immediately north of Okehampton Roamn Fort parts of at least four other enclosures visible in June 1984 as cropmarks. Of these three are rectilinear and one curvilinear.

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

Cropmarks defining between two and four possible ditch defined enclosures of possible Roman date are visible.

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

Cropmarks defining between two and four possible ditch defined enclosures of possible Roman date are visible.

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

Griffith, F. M., 1984, DAP/DA, 3 (Aerial Photograph). SDV341807.

Griffith, F. M., 1984, Roman Military Sites in Devon: Some Recent Discoveries, 12-13 (Article in Serial). SDV35308.

Cropmark enclosure to the north-east of Okehampton Roman Fort are not dateable. They consist of three or four enclosures. The western enclosures are rectilinear and the eastern enclosure is sub-circular. Other details: Figure 1.

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

Griffith, F. M., 1989, DAP/NM, 5-6 (Aerial Photograph). SDV339117.

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, 139573 (Un-published). SDV346216.

At SX59699612 three enclosures lie 28 metres to the north-east of the Roman fort. Two of them overlap and their exact chronology is not clear. The westernmost two partially underlie a field boundary, whilst the easternmost one lies in the same field as the fort. The westernmost, and largest survives as a small earthwork in the form of a slightly raised platform with a maximum height of 0.4 metres to the south of the field boundary, although to the north it is preserved as a buried ditch. This enclosure measures 65 metres north-east to south-west and 62 metres east to west and has rounded corners. The central enclosure is rectangular and survives only as a buried ditched feature. It measures 46 metres east to west and 38 metres from north to south. The easternmost enclosure is subcircular in shape, and measures 30 metres east to west and 28 metres north to south and is also preserved only as a buried ditched feature. Although probably of Roman date, the function of these enclosures is uncertain, though they could represent some form of extra-mural development.

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

Griffith, F. M., 1996, DAP/ABC, 13-15 (Aerial Photograph). SDV321074.

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.Twenty eight metres to the north-east of the fort is a series of three enclosures. Two of these overlap each other. The westernmost two of the three partly underlie a field boundary, whilst the easternmost one lies in the same field as the fort. The westernmost and largest of the three survives as a small earthwork in the form of a slightly raised platform with a maximum height of 0.4 metres to the south of the field boundary, although to the north it is preserved as a buried ditch. This enclosure measures 65 metres from north-east to south-west and 62 metres from east to west and has rounded corners. The central enclosure is rectangular and survives only as a buried ditched feature. It measures 46 metres from east to west and 38 metres from north to south. The easternmost enclosure is subcircular in shape, and measures 30 metres from east to west and 28 metres from north to south and is also preserved only as a buried ditched feature. All fence posts are excluded from the scheduling, but the ground beneath is included. Other details: Monument 28620.

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.

Three or four possible ditch defined enclosures of possible Roman date are visible as cropmarks on DAPs of 1984. The most confidently identifiable enclosure is roughly rectangular in shape, centred on circa SX59709612 and measures up to 37 by 42 metres internally. It is bisected by a modern extant field boundary.
An irregularly sub-circular ditch-defined enclosure is visible immediately to the east, either abutting, overlaying or overlain by the sub-rectangular enclosure. Due to the difficulty in interpreting the cropmark sequence the dimensions of this enclosure are difficult to define, but it are no larger than circa 23 by 30 metres in size.
Two possible roughly rectangular ditched enclosures are recorded immediately to the west and north. These are identified only by poorly defined ditched boundaries visible overlain by the extant field boundary, to which they are orientated at roughly 45 degrees. If they are ditch defined enclosures they are substantial in size, measuring over 50 metres to a side. However, it is the opinion of this interpreter that they are more likely to be geological in origin.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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