Roman Nottinghamshire


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Sorry if this isn't the right forum for this but here goes: I've been commissioned to write a book about Roman Nottinghamshire and would like to hear from anyone who has some anecdotes and stories about the county's Roman sites eg playing on the fields as kids where the fort was at Margidunum at East Bridgford, seeing the old ford at Littleborough when the Trent was low during droughts, hearing about the fort at Broxtowe that was built over, stories about the villa at Barton in Fabis etc.

This isn't an advertising gimmick. The book is due to be published by Nottm publisher Five Leaves Press in the spring of 2011 and the project can be easily verified by the owner (Google it for contact details). Or, anyone interested can email me at mpatt67@btinternet.com. I can't pay you for your stories but if I put them in the book I can guarantee that you'll be contributing to a usually overlooked part of local history. Thanks.

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I was led to believe the site at Broxtowe was more likely a villa than a fort.I guess in those days the local hoodies were members of the Corieltauvi gang (I mean tribe)

A visit to Dorket Head north of Arnold stresses the importance of elevated sites to the Romans.Nowadays in clear weather, Belvoir Castle can be seen in one direction and the Charnwood Hills around Coalville in the other.

Communication between Dorket Head by Heliograph (mirrors) or signal fires would have been simple with the fort at East Bridgeford (Margidunum) the other side of the Trent.

Nearby Fox Wood just above Calverton is the site of another fort.The embankments and ditches are still clear after all this time with a bit of imagination.

There were many Roman finds at Redhill...the Site of Ratcliffe power station..just above Barton in Fabis. The fordable condition of the Soar at Ratcliffe must have been useful to them.

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I'd assume that you may be familiar with the interesting local Roman information on the Bingham Heritage Trails Association website.

http://www.binghamheritage.org.uk/history/roman.htm

The current A46 dualling work, between Widmerpool and Farndon, has already revealed some further Roman finds, including a well near to the A46/A6097 'Margidunum' roundabout, which the BHTA hope to preserve relatively intact. Apparently, many rapid excavations took place as the present roundabout was being originally built, during the 50's?.

Local tale/myth is that, as the Fosse descends from the Owthorpe ridge, the curve in the route was the sharpest deviation from dead-straight between Exeter and Lincoln...perhaps you might know the reality?

Cheers

Robt P.

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Many thanks for that swift response - these are all sites I plan to look at, especially Margidunum and Redhill. May I ask on what you base your ideas about signalling? Is it speculation or scholarly research? The last I heard Broxtowe was still a fort but it hasn't been investigated since the 1930s for obvious reasons. May be there is some research on the site I haven't heard about.

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Thanks - very interesting. I'm trying to keep abreast of the dualling work but didn't know about the well. I'm currently taking photographs of the work since the current road at least bears some resemblance in width to the Roman road underneath. There's a public enquiry beinng held next month - do you know where this is taking place? Meantime I'll contact the Bingham people. Mark

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artgarfheinkel just Add Reply at the bottom of the page.

Incedently re excavation work, during my stint as a civil engineer, we were always told "If you find anything 'bury it again' " as anything of interest would hold the job up !!! I have often wondered how many actual treasures and archiological finds have been lost in this way. (I never found anything)

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May I ask on what you base your ideas about signalling? Is it speculation or scholarly research?

Speculation...both methods were used by the Greeks and Romans, so I see no reason why not over here...apart from the lack of sun.

Certainly quicker for simple messages than a swift horse.I think with regard to mirrors I read somewhere the use is shown in a frieze, possibly on Trajans column.

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artgarfheinkel just Add Reply at the bottom of the page.

Incedently re excavation work, during my stint as a civil engineer, we were always told "If you find anything 'bury it again' " as anything of interest would hold the job up !!! I have often wondered how many actual treasures and archiological finds have been lost in this way. (I never found anything)

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I would think it's common knowledge really!!!

Any way matey there's no need to quote the previous post all the time just hit the Add Reply button near the bottom of the page (or fast reply at the bottom)

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I company I used to work for did civil engineering works, and we were always aware that certain areas may be of "historical value" and we had to factor in extra time/money for roadworks we did around those areas.

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