Reasons for Designation
Roman camps are rectangular or sub-rectangular enclosures which were
constructed and used by Roman soldiers either when out on campaign or as
practice camps; most campaign camps were only temporary overnight bases and
few were used for longer periods. They were bounded by a single earthen
rampart and outer ditch and in plan are always straight-sided with rounded
corners. Normally they have between one and four entrances, although as many
as eleven have been recorded. Such entrances were usually centrally placed in
the sides of the camp and were often protected by additional defensive
outworks. Roman camps are found throughout much of England, although most
known examples lie in the midlands and north. Around 140 examples have been
identified and, as one of the various types of defensive enclosure built by
the Roman Army, particularly in hostile upland and frontier areas, they
provide an important insight into Roman military strategy and organisation.
All well-preserved examples are identified as being of national importance.
Details
The monument includes a Roman camp and a length of Roman road located on high
ground at the head of the wide valley of the River Glenderamackin and the
Trout Beck, from where it commands extensive views westwards towards Keswick,
northwards through the Caldew valley, and southwards over Matterdale and
Threlkeld commons. The camp is a parallelogram in plan with rounded corners
and measures approximately 78m and 80m internally along its north and south
sides, by 79m and 78m internally along its east and west sides. It has
defences consisting of a rampart, ditch and outer bank, with entrances on the
south and west sides. Limited excavation across the defences on the camp's
south side in 1955 found the rampart to measure 3m-4.5m wide and up to 0.6m
high. It was formed of turves and cobbles. The ditch was found to measure 2.7m
wide by 1.4m deep. A berm up to 0.3m wide separates the rampart from the
ditch. The outer bank is formed from the material cast up from the ditch and
measures up to 6m wide by 0.3m high. The two entrances are each defended by
internal and external claviculae: a clavicula is a curving continuation of the
rampart and ditch which partially obstructs access through the entrance. The
Roman road connecting Troutbeck Roman fort with the fort at Old Penrith, known
to the Romans as Voreda, passes the camp's south side and can be seen as a
raised agger or mound approximately 10m wide with faint traces of side
ditches. A thin gravel spread beyond the camp's ditch was found during the
1955 excavation and is considered to represent a path connecting the gateway
of the camp with the road.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
23753
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals
Legal
This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
End of official list entry
