What Lies Beneath

[poohbear 1,360]

Mysterious place Nottingham.Unlike York,Cheltenham,and elsewhere In fact little information of the district before 900 AD.

We rarely have Roman finds in the district.They were here 400 years and yet we are lead to believe they happily traversed the Fosse way just a few miles away and yet ignored the Nottingham area as if it didn't exist.Although it was undoubtedly occupied by the Corieltauvi Britons.

A hilly easily fortified and well watered place like Nottingham wouldn't have been ignored in those days.Scattered Roman finds have turned up but nothing like a settlement this side of the river.Broxtowe is now thought to have been a British settlement although visited on occasion by Roman legions,mostly in the early years according to Roman coins and finds in the area.The Corieltauvi who occupied this region gave no resistance to the Romans...so the mixture of races and finds are not unusual.

Further South there have been more positive sites found,like Barton and Redhill at Ratcliffe on Soar.

I've always felt there had to be a Roman ford or bridge in the Wilford area.An iron age settlement was found there years ago with piles driven into the ground to support huts in the marshy area next to the Trent.Two dug out canoes now in the Castle were found last century.

According to experts the Trent was more navigable in those early days and only became more usable in later years when the canal systems were built and the river dredged.

Some 20 miles north a definite Roman bridge was found in the Winthorpe area of the Trent.Oak piles and flagstones under the surface...this was unfortunately destroyed in the 1800s when more depth was needed for barges.

Going back to the Wilford area...Amongst my clutter I found this clip from the 1800s, the area in question on this side of the river not far from Wilford.

The Highfields House mentioned was on the site of todays university, as were the Keighton Fields.The Lowe family lived there for many years one being Lord Mayor of Nottingham on three occasions.

I haven't found if the area was investigated further as mentioned.Or why the finds were considered Roman and British, there being no further details of the 'finds of battle'

As for the Subterranean passage with a tasselated pavement...that sounds very Roman but I have no clue as to what or where it was...Yet!

[mick2me 3,033]

There is a Lowe's Wong in Southwell.

Wong being field, connected?

[piggy and babs 544]

LENTON HAS GOT SUCH A LOT OF HISTORY ONE WAY OR ANOTHER THE ONLY ROUGH RIDER TO BE BURIED OUTSIDE LONDON IS BURIED IN PRIORY CHURCH YARD THE GRAVE STONE IS STILL THERE AND STILL READABLE ITS ON THE WALL THAT IS NEAREST TO ABBY ST .DONT KNOW WERE THE ORIGINAL GRAVE WAS AS BY THE TIME I WENT TO LIVE THERE EARLY 70S THE GRAVESTONES HAD ALL BEEN MOVED TO MAKE THE GRAVEYARD MORE USABLE

[Cliff Ton 10,486]

Perhaps not going back quite as far as the Romans, but this is a little-known feature and has connections with druids, hermits, monks etc. There's a reference to it going back to times before Lenton Priory was built.

http://www.lentontimes.co.uk/images/gallery/castle_boulevard/castle_boule_listener_39.htm

[StephenFord 866]

Mysterious place Nottingham.Unlike York,Cheltenham,and elsewhere In fact little information of the district before 900 AD.

We rarely have Roman finds in the district.They were here 400 years and yet we are lead to believe they happily traversed the Fosse way just a few miles away and yet ignored the Nottingham area as if it didn't exist.Although it was undoubtedly occupied by the Corieltauvi Britons.

Maybe local authorities that insist on sweeping away all traces of previous history are not restricted to the 20th/21st centuries?

[.... 23]

We were informed on the local history course I'm attending that the Romans 'acquired' Cockpit Hill, the initial settlement of Arnold, from it's predecessors by 'peaceable' means. Not sure that they've found (or dug for) much Roman stuff there. The fort was said to be used as a stores encampment by the Romans as opposed to one that was a fortified living place. I have heard that Fox Wood between Calverton and Woodborough was similarly used. There was also a reference that there were/may have been similar forts along the Mapperley ridge.

The definitive work about Romans in the area appears to be by Mark Patterson who has visited this site in the past.

Book:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Roman-Nottinghamshire-Mark-Patterson/dp/1907869123

Blog:

http://romannottinghamshire.wordpress.com/

[.... 23]

Maybe local authorities that insist on sweeping away all traces of previous history are not restricted to the 20th/21st centuries?

One would hope not but it would be par for the course maybe.

In more recent times what has been carried out has been criminal. I'm of the acquaintance of an older chap who worked in demolition locally years ago - he actually worked on the demolition of Drury Hill amongst many other places. He mentioned that he worked on sites in Arnold, which apparently has more caves than anywhere else in Notts apart from Nottingham itself, according to him. He claimed he was instructed by bosses/council etc that upon discovering any caves whilst carrying out demolition work in the area that he should say nothing but just immediately fill it in. It takes me back to when demolition work was carried out to build the Arnold ASDA and they had to stop work for some time when caves were discovered on the site. He also recounts tales of stumbling across caves whilst driving heavy machinery, falling partly into them and having to reverse out again gingerly. Fascinating stuff.

[.... 23]

An excellent Roman gazetteer by the above gent:

http://romannottinghamshire.wordpress.com/gazetteer-ac/#alphaselect

[mudgie49 401]

The Romans were quick to use the native men of the various lands they occupied, as levies/militia to keep order in areas of importance.

These units were commanded by Roman senior nco's and junior officers.This would be a reasonable explanation,as to the lack of evidence regarding the Roman's being in and around Nottingham.

One cohort of Roman soldiers (600)is known to have marched through Nottingham,up Mansfield road and camped in and around the two hill forts either side of the road at Arnold.

They did not stay long, as they were to meet up with the rest of the legion they belonged to.

Historians seem to think this cohort had orders to find a crossing of the river Trent, in the area of Nottingham.

I can't quote any books on this,as I attended lectures and only made brief notes, but I'm sure the books are out there.

[NewBasfordlad 3,599]

I am sure I remember going with my dad to a wood off George's Lane and him showing me what was supposed to be a roman wall.

If you go down the lane from Dorket Head there was/is a sharp left hand bend followed by a steep hill. If you carried on at this bend down a dirt track it was about 1/2 a mile or so down there.

Colin

[MELTONSTILTON 452]

Here are two good links on Roman Notts

http://www.le.ac.uk/ulas/publications/documents/25nottrom_000.pdf

http://www.binghamheritage.org.uk/history_of_bingham/roman/