The newly uncovered Roman fort is documented in medieval records - but its history of use goes back further. Courtesy University of Exeter
Archaeologists have discovered a Roman fort in Cornwall – only the third to have been found in the county, making it a rare and exciting find.
It is also intriguing, given that the Romans were thought to have left the region largely to its own devices a few decades after the invasion in AD43. Remains of a furnace and the fort’s location close to a silver mine also suggest the resident occupiers could have been making use of the local mineral deposits.
The fort, in Calstock, south-east Cornwall, was unearthed by a team from the University of Exeter following a geophysical survey. The survey revealed a familiar shape, very similar to the other Roman fort recently discovered in Cornwall at Lostwithiel. On commencing the dig, the instantly recognisable shape of a Roman military ditch confirmed the site as a Roman fort.
The Roman military ditch that gave the game away. Courtesy University of Exeter
“When I first saw the results from the geophysical survey, suggesting the outline of a Roman fort, I could hardly believe my eyes,” said archaeologist Dr Stephen Rippon of the University of Exeter. “As an archaeologist it is so rare to find something so significant, which was previously entirely unknown. It’s a very exciting discovery.”
Other finds at the site include 1st century pottery, and the intriguing remains of furnaces that could be related to silver working. Radiocarbon dating techniques will be used to establish the date of the furnace remains, to see if the Romans were making use of Cornwall’s mineral deposits. If so, it could be the first evidence of their taking silver from Britain, which they would most likely have sent on to Italy for turning into Empire coins.
A fragment of 1st century pottery. Courtesy University of Exeter
“The Roman army only stayed in the South West for a few decades after the conquest, before moving on to Wales,” continued Dr Rippon.
“This find could help us to understand whether they were merely keeping watch over the locals, or were actually interested in exploiting commercial opportunities in the region. The discovery could therefore further our understanding of the rich history of mining in the country.”
The fort is next to St Andrew’s Church in Calstock, on top of a hill in an area known to have been involved in silver mining in medieval times. Interest in the site was first aroused when archaeologists found references in medieval documents to silver smelting ‘at the old castle’.
Site manager Chris Smart and Dr Stephen Rippon. Courtesy University of Exeter
The two other Roman forts in Cornwall are also in the south-east of the county – at Restormel Castle, Lostwithiel (discovered 2007) and Nanstallon, near Bodmin – in areas associated with tin mining. Very little is known about the Roman occupation of Cornwall, so every find is an important part of the jigsaw puzzle.
The research project was funded by the Leverhulme Trust with support from the University of Exeter.
