Monument Type(s):

• SETTLEMENT (Roman - 43 AD to 410 AD)

Summary

This location at Harcourt Park has often been proposed as the site of Rutunium mentioned in the Antonine Itinerary.

Related records

Associated Finds

• FSA1004 - ROTARY QUERN (Late Iron Age to Roman - 43 AD? to 409 AD?)
• FSA1564 - SHERD (Late Iron Age to Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Associated Events

• ESA1496 - 1962 field observation by the Ordnance Survey
• ESA1497 - 1978 field observation by Whitchurch Area Archaeological Group
• ESA1498 - Trial Excavation in c 1973 at Harcourt Park (postulated site of Rutunium) by the Shropshire Roman Research Group

Description

Marked on OS 1956 Roman Britain map as the site of Rutunium mentioned in the Antonine Itinerary <1a>
The site revealed by air photographs centred at SJ5583 2536 was visited Nov 12th 1930 by LF Chitty and Dr Gepp. Broad ditches enclosed a raised square or oblong in low-lying pasture overgrown with rushes <1b>
In 1932 Miss Chitty found a Roman potsherd, prob C2, at SJ5570 2534 <1e>
In 1954 Miss E Sladdin found fragments of Samian and RB coarse ware at SJ5575 2550. Dated by G Webster to C2 <1c><1d>
A few fragments of Roman pottery, including Samian, were picked up in the northern field of the area indicated. This field slopes to the S and was under plough, whilst the field to the S is on level ground and was grass covered. At SJ5569 2553 I found part of the lower stone of a rotary quern which I presented to Shrewsbury Museum. No other trace of occupation was found. The feature referred to by Miss Chitty is at SJ5580 2536 . It is small and its weakness is apparently inherent. Its age and purpose are doubtful. Nothing was found in the land drains which have been cut recently near it S side. OS FI 1962 <1><1f>

Intensive field work carried out in the area of the supposed site of Rutunium. The general reference is ..SJ557 255 (Harcourt Park). The agger of the Roman road from Wroxeter to Chester (SA 66) is visible in marshy land crossing the River Roden. Quarrying has effaced many features (in this area)..but it seems unlikely that a Roman settlement would have been set up in an area subject to severe flooding. A few trial boxes failed to reveal any significant features. It could be that the site lies on higher ground to the WNW <2>

"Field work and excavation in the area of the supposed site of RVTVNIVM failed to find any trace of the settlement." The area is subject to severe flooding and seems unsuitable for a settlement. <3>

Sixteen body sherds & two rimsherds of coarse ware and two sherds of plain Samian found when fieldwalking on E side of River Roden at SJ5570 2554 in 1978 <7>

Additional reference from the NRHE. ->

-> RUTUNIUM. Roman settlement or posting-station which, although ill-attested archaeologically, must have existed near where the Roman road from Whitchurch to Wroxeter (RR 6a) crossed the river Roden; the name Roden is evidently derived from the British 'Rutuna'. Probably the alleged settlement at Harcourt Mill (SJ 5525). <8><8a>

Alternative location for the site of Rutunium suggested at c. SJ56442506 from calculations based on two fragments of Roman milestone found in 1812 somewhere to the east of Lee Brockhurst which read, IMP CAE M.P which interprets as Imperator Caesar Mille Passum, “ Emperor Caesar one mile”. Examination of the LIDAR at this location revealed the partial remains of a possible double ditched enclosure which contains a square feature. <9>

GIS polygon added to indicate the general area for proposed location suggested by source [<9>]. Double ditched enclosure was not seen. <10>

Sources

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