Summary: | Eighteen Roman forts are known in Devon. Three, St. Loyes, Topsham and Pomeroy Wood have no statutory protection. The others are designated scheduled monuments but that does not mean they are safe. Cullompton, where two Roman forts on the edge of the town were first discovered, as cropmarks from the air in 1984, is typical. It was realised that two sides of the larger fort, which replaced the first, survive as substantial hedgebanks. Although the forts at Cullompton are scheduled, the fields can nevertheless be ploughed and they are suffering due to arable farming. Eight of Devon's Roman forts are wholly or partly under cultivation. |
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