Athena Review  Vol.1, no.1

Romano-British Sites and Museums (part I):

A guide to Roman forts and military sites.

The Roman era in Britain lasted for four centuries, with continuous Roman occupation from AD 43 to 410. Hundreds of archaeological sites representing mixtures of Roman and native British cultures are known in England, Wales, and Scotland, ranging from large forts and towns to individual villas and small farms. Findings may be seen at a variety of museums, from the huge collections at the British Museum to many local and regional displays  located throughout the UK.

The guide begins with the categories of  I) National museums; and II) Roman forts and related museums.  The second part (in Vol. 1, no. 2 of Athena Review) includes III)  Roman towns; IV) villas; V)  Regional and local museums; and VI) Other (non-British) Roman collections in the UK. Wherever available, related Internet links are provided.

I. National Museum collections:

• The British Museum, Dept. Prehistoric & Romano-British Antiquities. Great Russell Street, London, England
• National Museum of Scotland, York Buildings, Queen St., Edinburgh, Scotland

  Museum of Antiquities

• National Museum of Wales, Cathays Park, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales

II. Roman forts and related museums:

 codes:     (Roman name of fort in parentheses):                                                             

      *       Museum at or near site.    

                                                                                                                               BATH    Roman bathhouse present.            

 LEG       Legionary fortress: headquarters for one of the Roman legions in Britain

 SAX      Saxon Shore Forts (late 4th century AD coastal defenses).

a. Hadrian's Wall: main forts and outposts (northern England; built AD 122-130)

• Benwell (Condercum): Temple of Antenociticus. Broomridge Ave, Benwell, England
• Bewcastle (Fanum Cocidii): Outpost fort. 7.5 miles north of Banks, England.
• Birrens (Blatobulgium): Outpost fort. 7 miles NW of Gretna, outside of village of Middlebie.  
• Birdoswald (Banna): * Roman fort and Museum. Gilsland, Brampton, Cumbria, England
• Bowness (Maia): King's Arms, Bowness-on-Solway, Cumbria, England.
• Burgh-by-Sands (Aballava): St. Michael's Church, Burgh-by-Sands, Cumbria, England.  
• Carlisle (Luguvalium): * Tullie House Museum, Castle Street, Carlisle, Cumbria, England  
• Carrawburgh (Brocolitia): Roman fort and Mithraeum, Carrawburgh, Northumberland, England
• Carvoran (Magnis): * Roman Army Museum. Carvoran, Greenhead, Northumberland, England
• Castlesteads (Camboglanna): Castlesteads House, Cumbria, England. (very little remains of fort today).
• Chesterholm (Vindolanda): * Roman fort & Museum. Bardon Mill, Hexham, Northumberland, England (BATH).  
• Chesters (Cilurnum): * Roman Fort & Museum. Chollerford, Hexham, Northumberland, England (BATH)
• Corbridge (Coriosopitum): * Roman Fort & Museum. Corbridge, Northumberland, England
• Drumburgh (Congavata): Drumburgh, Cumbria, England (no visible signs of fort today).
• Great Chesters (Aesica): Roman fort. Northumberland, England.
• Halton Chesters (Onnum): Halton Tower Estate, Halton Shields, Northumberland, England.  
• High Rochester (Bremenium): * Roman Fort & Museum. High Rochester, Northumberland, England  
• Housesteads (Vercovicium): * Roman Fort & Museum. Haydon Bridge, Hexham, Northumberland, England  
• Maryport (Alauna): * Senhouse Roman Museum. The Battery, Sea Brows, Maryport, Cumbria, England
• Netherby (Castra Exploratorium): Outpost fort. Netherby Estate, 6 miles NE of Gretna, Cumbria, England.
• Newcastle (Pons Aelius) * Museum of Antiquities.Quadrangle, Univ. Newcastle-upon-Tyne,England

  University of Newcastle: Museum of Antiquities

• Rudchester (Vindovala): 1 mile east of Heddon, Northumberland, England.  
• South Shields (Arbeia): * Roman Fort & Museum. Baring St., South Shields, Tyne & Wear, England  

  Arbeia Roman Fort and Museum - 1     2    

• Stanwix (Petriana/ Uxelodunum): Stanwix churchyard, Stanwix, Carlisle, Cumbria, England.
• Wallsend (Segedunum): * Wallsend Heritage Centre, Buddle Street, Wallsend, England.

b. Hadrian's Wall: Milecastles and Turrets

(Turrets were placed every third of a mile between Milecastles. Their numbers show mileage west fromWallsend. )

• Banks: Turret 52a
• Black Carts: Turret 29a, Northumberland National Park nr. Walnick, England      
• Brunton House: Turret 26b. Hexham Road (A 6079), Chollerford, England.  
• Castle Nick: Milecastle 39  
• Cawfields: Milecastle 42; Turret 41a. Northumberland, England  
• Coesike: Turret 33b  
• Denton: Turret 7b
• Grindon: Milecastle 34; Turret 34a
• Harrow's Scar: Milecastle 49  
• Housesteads: Milecastle 37
• Hotbank: Milecastle 38  
• Milecastle 21

  Excavation project

• Mucklebank Crag: Turret 44b
• Peel Crags: Turret 39a
• Poltross Burn: Milecastle 48
• Sewingshields Crag: Milecastle 35; Turret 35a  
• Steel Rigg: Milecastle 40; Turret 39b
• Walltown Crags: Milecastle 46; Turret 45a

c. Other Roman forts in England:

• Ambleside (Galava): * Displays at Armitt Library, Ambleside, Cumbria, England
• Binchester (Vinovia): * Bowes Museum, Binchester Hall Hotel,Bishop Auckland, Durham, England (BATH).
• Brougham Castle (Brocavum): Roman Fort, Brougham, England
• Burgh Castle (Gariannonum): near Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England
• Carisbrooke Castle & Museum: * Carisbrooke, Isle of Wight, England
• Chester (Deva): * LEG. Grosvenor Museum, 27 Grosvenor St., Chester, Cheshire, England
• Chew Green, fortlet and campaign camps, Northumberland, England
• Ebchester (Vindomora), Mains Farm, Ebchester, Durham, England (BATH).
• Hardknott Fort (Mediobogdum): Auxiliary fort. Hardknott Pass, Eskdale, Cumbria, England (BATH)
• Hod Hill, Dorset, England. Vexillation fort within Iron Age hill-fort (some items in British Museum)
• Ilkey (Olicana): * Manor House Museum, Castle Yard, Ilkey, West Yorkshire, England
• Lancaster Fort and bath-house. * The Castle, Lancaster, Lancashire, England (BATH).
• Lympne (Lemanis): * SAX. Stutfall Castle, Nr.Hythe, Kent, England  
• Lunt: Baginton, Coventry, Warwickshire, England Maiden Castle fortlet: Stainmore, Cumbria, England
• Malton * Auxiliary fort and Museum. Yorkshire, England.
• Manchester (Mamucium): * Roman fort and vicus. Liverpool St, off Deansgate, Manchester, England
• Old Penrith (Voreda). * Penrith Museum, Robinson's School, Middlegate, Penrith, Cumbria, England
• Old Sarum (Sorbiodoni): Old Sarum, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England
• Pevensey Castle (Anderitum): SAX. Pevensey, East Sussex, England.
• Portchester (Portus Adurni):SAX. near Portchester, Hampshire, England.
• Ravenglass (Glannaventa) fort, Cumbria, England (BATH).
• Reculver (Regulbium): SAX. 5 km east of Herne Bay, Kent, England.
• Ribchester (Bremetennacum): * Roman Museum Riverside, Ribchester, Lancashire, England (BATH).
• Richborough (Rutupiae): * SAX. Fort and Museum. near Sandwich, Kent, England. (BATH).
• Risingham (Habitancum): south of West Woodburn, Northumberland, England
• York (Eburacum): * LEG. Yorkshire Museum, Museum Gardens, York, North Yorkshire, England (BATH)

d. The Antonine Wall (Scotland): Built AD 142-145

• Bar Hill, Strathclyde, Scotland (BATH).
• Bearsden Fort Bathhouse. Roman Road, Bearsden, Scotland (BATH).  
• Cramond. Cramond House, Cramond, Scotland Croy Hill, Scotland
• * Hunterian Museum, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland. Legionary inscriptions and displays from Wall.

  Hunterian Museum: Sample displays on Antonine Wall; Distance slabs

• Kinneil House * Museum and fort. Kinneil Esate, Bo'ness, West Lothian, Scotland
• * National Museum of Scotland, York Buildings, Queen St., Edinburgh, Scotland Museum of Antiquities
• Rough Castle Roman Fort. High Bonnybridge, Scotland
• Watling Lodge. Antonine Wall Ditch. Scotland

e. Other Roman forts in Scotland:

• Ardoch (Alauna). Braco, c/o Keir Estate Office, The Mill, Station Rd, Bridge of Allan, Stirling, Scotland
• Bothwellhaugh, fort and bathhouse, Strathclyde Park, Strathclyde, Scotland (BATH)
• Castle Greg.  Fortlet. SE of West Calder, Scotland
• Inchtuthil:  LEG. (abandoned before completion): west of Meikleour village, Perthshire, Scotland
• Kirkbuddo. South of Forfar, Perthshire, Scotland
• Newstead (Trimontium) Fort. Extensive, well-preserved finds at National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh.                 Newstead Project . University of Bradford; recent site surveys around fort.
• Woden Law and Pennymuir. Hillfort & temporary camps. Pennymuir, nr Howman & Hindhope, Borders, Scotland

f. Roman forts in Wales, and associated museums:

• Blaen-Cwm-Bach, Campaign camp, West Glam., Wales
• Brecon Gaer (Cicucium): * Brecknock Museum, Captains Walk, Brecon, Powys, Wales
• Caerleon (Isca): * LEG. Roman Legionary Museum, High Street, Caerleon, Gwent, Wales (BATH)
• Caerau. Llangamarch, Wales Caer Gybi. Northern part of Holyhead, Gwynedd, Wales
• Cardiff Castle, * Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales
• Caernarfon (Segontium): * Roman Fort Museum, Beddgelert Rd., Caernarfon, Gwynedd, Wales (BATH).
• Castell Collen. Between Llandrindod and Rhayader, Powys, Wales.
• Llandovery. Llanfair-ar-y-bryn, Dyfed, Wales
• * National Museum of Wales, Cathays Park, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales
• Pen-y-Gaer. Powys, Wales
• Prestatyn. Fort and bath house. Melyd Ave, Prestatyn, Clwyd, Wales (BATH).
• Pumpsaint (Luentinum): fort associated with Dolaucothi gold mines. Pumpsaint, Dyfed, Wales

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