Latest news with #RomanFort
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
New evidence suggests there could have been a Roman fort in beauty spot
Evidence suggests that there could have been a roman fort north of Bolton, a local history society says. According to LiDAR imaging, which is a ground-penetrating radar, the remains of a 'small Roman fort' could be near the Wayoh Bridge in Turton. Scrapes from the research alludes to the 'fort' having signs of a previous water supply as well as double ditches on three sides, a single ditch on the road side and three rounded corners. Wayoh Reservoir in Turton, June 2021. Credit: Dave Wilson Ged Melia, from Turton Local History Society, said: "The evidence seems reasonable, but until Historic England accept there was a fort there we can't categorically say that there was one. More: The ancient burial sites just 30 minutes away from Bolton More: Ancient Egyptian relic kept in storage for 100 years goes on display in Bolton More: 'The suffering went on after VE Day' Bolton to commemorate Victory in Japan Day "We can't be definitive, but based on the LiDAR study there's certainly a case for there having been a small fort in Turton. "There are some questions as it hasn't been dug." The suspected water supply is believed to have come down from where Moorside Road is now. (Image: David Ratledge) The main bulk of research regarding the fort has been done by David Ratledge, who has also mapped out an old Roman road running from Manchester to Ribchester. Both Manchester and Ribchester housed forts that are now considered to be some of the most important in the region. The Roman road from Manchester to Ribchester passes the 'fort' on its south-west side, David's research suggests. The emergence of this new data coincides with the history society releasing two publications, one of which details a comprehensive history of Turton dating back to the bronze age. "I don't think anyone has been daft enough to ever do this before, anywhere," He added. The findings are documented in Number 40 is 'A Turton Timeline', and is a complete event driven history of the area from the Bronze Age to 2024. 'A Turton Timeline' was compiled to celebrate fifty years of the Society, originally formed in 1974. The publication took the society three years to put together and is available to purchase on Amazon. Booklets are written on a voluntary basis, with all proceeds being allocated towards maintaining the continuation of the society.
The Independent
03-07-2025
- General
- The Independent
Mystery over ‘unusually large' Roman shoes unearthed in Northumberland
Archaeologists were left baffled after unearthing 'unusually large' 2,000-year-old Roman shoes in Northumberland. Eight shoes at least 30cm (11.8in) long - the equivalent of a UK size 13 to 14 - were discovered at Magna Roman Fort earlier this year. Archaeologist Rachel Frame said the leather shoes had all been found in a defensive ditch, which the Romans also used as rubbish dumps. 'We have to assume it's something to do with the people living here, having bigger feet, being potentially taller but we don't know,' she told the BBC. 'Are the people living there from a specific region? Could that be why their shoes are so much larger? But at the moment, it's sort of, well, this is unusual.' Due to low oxygen conditions in the soil at the sites, the leather shoes have been preserved for centuries, according to Dr Frame. Dr Elizabeth Greene, associate professor at the University of Western Ontario and Vindolanda's shoe specialist, has seen and measured every shoe found at the site. She said: 'I think there is something very different going on here at Magna. Even from this small sample uncovered, it is clear that these shoes are much larger on average than most.' Last year, a section of one of Britain's most important Roman roads was unearthed in south-east London in a 'remarkable' archaeological discovery. The 2,000-year-old road, known as Watling Street, ran from the Roman port at Dover through London to the West Midlands. The 276-mile route was built shortly after the Roman invasion of Britain in AD 43 and was used by visiting emperors, including Hadrian in AD 122 when he ordered the building of his wall separating England and Scotland. Archaeologist Gillian King said the discovery had redrawn the Roman road map in the capital. She added: 'It is a key finding for archaeological research for London.' The section of road revealed lies to the south of the junction of Old Kent Road and Ilderton Road and was well-preserved, measuring about 19ft (5.8m) wide by almost 5ft (1.4m) high. Southwark Council said distinct layers could be seen, and showed a solid foundation of compacted gravel sealed by two layers of chalk, before it was topped with another layer of compacted sand and gravel. It added that the original surface of the road would likely have been made from the same material and would have sat at a similar level to the modern road, but over time, this had been lost. The London portion of Watling Street was rediscovered during Christopher Wren's rebuilding of St Mary-le-Bow in 1671 to 1673, following the Great Fire of London in 1666.
BBC News
03-07-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Northumberland Roman Fort mystery over large shoes
Unusually large shoes discovered at a Roman fort have left archaeologists this year, 32 shoes were dug up at the Magna Roman Fort in Northumberland, eight of which were at least 30cm (11.8in) long - the equivalent of a UK size 13 to comparison, of the 5,000 discovered at the nearby Vindolanda settlement in Hexham over the past 55 years, just four or five were that large, according to Roman archaeology expert Dr Elizabeth Rachel Frame said it was still too early to explain the mystery behind the eight large shoes. Ms Frame said the leather shoes had all been found in a defensive ditch, which the Romans also used as rubbish dumps. The largest found at Magna Roman Fort was 32.6cm (12.8in) long, she said. She said there were several theories surrounding their origin."We have to assume it's something to do with the people living here, having bigger feet, being potentially taller but we don't know," she said."Are the people living there from a specific region? Could that be why their shoes are so much larger? But at the moment, it's sort of, well, this is unusual." The team knows very little about the shoes, other than the fact they are likely to be close to 2,000 years this year, it will analyse pottery found in the same soil layers as the shoes to help determine which time period they are can be achieved in several ways, Ms Frame said, including looking at the style of the pottery and checking whether those styles were produced at certain times. Beyond the large shoes, the team also found children's shoes at the site. Ms Frame said the team hoped to have a better idea of who was living there at different time periods following more analysis. So many shoes have been found at both Vindolanda and Magna Roman Fort because of their ground conditions, Ms Frame to low oxygen conditions in the soil at the sites, the leather shoes have been preserved for team also recently found a wooden hair comb on the site."It looks like a modern day knit comb," said Ms Frame. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
The Herald Scotland
17-06-2025
- The Herald Scotland
Where to find 10 of the world's most spectacular sundials in Scotland
This 55-acre art land, designed by the late Charles Jencks to mirror the celestial bodies that travel the heavens above it, is a fitting place to reflect on the passing of the hours, but there are others and they can be found on church walls, at mercat crosses and in gardens across the country. Read more Sundials, with their etched dials and inscribed aphorisms such as 'tempus fugit', are an intriguing mixture of alchemy and science. Using a gnomon they cast a shadow that traces the elliptical path of our nearest star and from the 17th century onwards they began to proliferate, forming a gentle precursor to the industrial age with its railway timetables and factory whistles. The finest dials were the property of wealthy landowners who vied with their peers to show off their knowledge of the newly-emerging sciences, commissioning ever-more elaborate sundials to grace their gardens. The result of this mania is that today Scotland is home to some of the world's finest sundials, both historic and contemporary, and the solstice - this Saturday, June 21 - is the perfect time to discover them. Greenbank Garden, Flenders Road, Clarkston G76 8BB Greenbank Garden Sundial (Image: unknown) At Greenbank Garden on the outskirts of Glasgow, the passing of time is marked by both a 17th century sundial and a contemporary new design by modern sundial makers Macmillan Hunter. Created 400 years apart, these beautiful instruments are a reminder to visitors that time doesn't stand still. Attadale House, Strathcarron, Wester Ross IV54 8YX The largest sundial in Scotland can be found at Attadale House in Wester Ross. The dial, which measures almost 11 metres in diameter, features a gnomon supported by a wild cat rampant, the heraldic sign of the Clan Macpherson. Dunvegan Castle, Dunvegan, Isle of Skye IV55 8WF Dunvegan Castle's 18th century lectern dial, with its four-pointed star and adjacent hemicylinder with polar dial, where the hour lines are on the plane of the polar axis, has gnomons that point to the North Star. Each sundial must be specifically made for the latitude of its site and at Dunvegan (57⁰N) the gnomons make an angle of 57⁰ to the horizontal. Drummond Castle, Muthill, Crieff PH7 4HN Drummond Castle Sundial (Image: unknown) The multi-faceted obelisk sundial that sits at the centre of Drummond Castle's great parterre, was carved in 1630 by master mason John Mylne III. It has 61 dials and provides 131 ways to tell the time. Aberdour Castle, Aberdour KY3 0SL Aberdour is Scotland's oldest-standing castle, with a history that dates back to the 12th century, and the passing of time is marked here in not one, but three sundials including a 17th century obelisk, a horizontal sundial and, high on the eastern range, a wall dial that catches the rays of the rising sun. Inveresk Lodge Garden, 14 Inveresk Village Road, Musselburgh EH21 7TE With its Roman Fort and impressive villas built by prosperous merchants, the village of Inveresk reflects significant periods in the history of Scotland. Step through the gate of Inveresk Lodge and, on a south facing lawn overlooking the River Esk, there stands a 17th century sundial that would have marked out its original owner as a man of wealth and learning. Hugh Miller's Cottage, Church Street, Cromarty IV11 8XA Hugh Miller was a 19th century fossil hunter and geologist, as well as a writer and campaigner for social justice. He was a man of science and a craftsman and in the garden of the whitewashed cottage in Cromarty, where he lived, is a sundial plinth carved by the man himself. Little Sparta, Stonypath, Dunsyre ML11 8NG Little Sparta Sundial (Image: Robin Gillanders) At Little Sparta in the Pentland Hills, a sundial bench bearing the motto 'Dividing The Light I Disclose The Hours' is one of more than 200 artworks created by poet and maker Ian Hamilton Finlay, who used his garden to explore ideas of politics and philosophy. Mount Stuart, Isle of Bute, PA20 9LR The obelisk sundial, carved in the 1600s, that stands at the centre of Mount Stuart's 'Wee Garden' predates the magnificent gothic mansion by 200 years. The entire gardens cover 300 acres and include a walled garden, a huge rock garden and a productive kitchen garden. Glamis Castle, Castle Road, Forfar DD8 1RJ The impressive sundial at Glamis Castle was commissioned in the 1670s by Patrick third earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne. It features four massive lions carrying sundials in their claws and, at the very top of the obelisk, 80 individual dial faces. It is one of the tallest sundials in Scotland. In association with Discover Scottish Gardens
Daily Mail
13-06-2025
- Science
- Daily Mail
Footius Maximus! Scientists discover a 2,000-year-old leather shoe belonging to a Roman soldier with absolutely ENORMOUS feet
Archaeologists have always said that Romans left a massive footprint in Britain, but they probably didn't mean it quite so literally. Scientists have discovered an enormous shoe belonging to a Roman soldier with massive feet. The hefty leather sole measures 12.6 inches (32cm) from toe to heel - the equivalent of a modern men's size UK 13. That means this 2,000-year-old centurion had bigger feet than muscleman Arnold Schwarzenegger, who stands at 6ft 2" (188cm) tall. The archaeologists who found it said the discovery 'drew impressed gasps' as it was pulled from the ground. The shoe was found in the grounds of Magna, a Roman fort built along Hadrian's Wall around 112 AD. It was found alongside two others inside an 'ankle breaker' trench, a vicious trap consisting of a narrow, deep trench that would be almost invisible to approaching soldiers. However, the archaeologists don't say whether this shoe was lost by someone falling prey to the ankle breaker. Compared to other Roman structures in Britain, Magna is relatively un-excavated, but digs are now beginning to yield some exciting discoveries. In late March, the archaeologists began to excavate the outer ring of defensive ditches, ramparts, and banks that had been built on the North side of the fort. Among some fragments of pottery and scraps of leather, the researcher's most exciting discovery was the three, remarkably well-preserved shoes. Two of these were almost intact, with one still maintaining part of the heel section and a row of hobnails along the bottom of the sole. But it was the enormous size 13 shoe which generated the most excitement. Rachel Frame, Magna Project senior archaeologist, says: 'Although in this case only one of the several sole layers, the sheer size of the shoe and guesses about who could have worn it dominated the conversation. 'Could this one be the largest in the Vindolanda Trust collection? We certainly look forward to finding out!' With size 13 feet, the owner of these huge shoes had the same size feet as the 6ft 4" (195 cm) actor Stephen Fry. These finds reveal how Romans made their shoes with multiple layers of leather in the sole and reinforced areas for walking like a modern walking boot Likewise, their feet were only just smaller than those of Stephen Merchant who stands at a towering 6 ft 7 in (201 cm) Hadrian's Wall, named after the Roman emperor Hadrian, was constructed in 122 AD to separate the Roman-occupied territories in the south from the unconquered lands of Scotland. As the Romans built the wall and consolidated their rule over Britain, they also constructed several small forts across the country. Magna, also known as Carvoran, is one of the forts that was built along the wall during this period. Located seven miles (11 km) west of the large Roman fort Vindolanda, which has been the site of many archaeological finds, this smaller fortification was constructed to guard the crossroads of two major Roman roads. These discoveries also help archaeologists to get a better understanding of how the Romans made their shoes. Ms Frame says: 'This gives us a really good look at how Roman shoes were made: multiple layers of leather were used to form the sole, held together with thongs, stitching and hobnails. 'These also reinforced the outer surface for walking and are found on many styles of shoe.' This discovery is important because organic materials like leather or wood are normally broken down by microbes in the soil before archaeologists can find them, making leather shoes an exciting find. Only when it is kept in a wet environment with limited oxygen can leather last for thousands of years. But if the soil dries out, microbes can get to the materials and start to break them down. The archaeologists excavating the Magna Fort are currently concerned that this year's exceptionally dry spring might lead to some artefacts decaying before they are found. In the first two weeks of May, the Magna site received less than half a millimetre of rain, leaving the soil unusually dry. Franki Gillis, geoarchaeologist for the Magna Project, says: 'At Magna, the lack of rain has caused the groundwater level to drop considerably. 'So although nice, this abnormally lovely warm spring, may be harmful to the continual preservation of our organic finds at Magna and Vindolanda.' How England spent almost half a millennium under Roman rule 55BC - Julius Caesar crossed the channel with around 10,000 soldiers. They landed at a Pegwell Bay on the Isle of Thanet and were met by a force of Britons. Caesar was forced to withdraw. 54BC - Caesar crossed the channel again in his second attempt to conquer Britain. He came with with 27,000 infantry and cavalry and landed at Deal but were unopposed. They marched inland and after hard battles they defeated the Britons and key tribal leaders surrendered. However, later that year, Caesar was forced to return to Gaul to deal with problems there and the Romans left. 54BC - 43BC - Although there were no Romans present in Britain during these years, their influence increased due to trade links. 43AD - A Roman force of 40,000 led by Aulus Plautius landed in Kent and took the south east. The emperor Claudius appointed Plautius as Governor of Britain and returned to Rome. 47AD - Londinium (London) was founded and Britain was declared part of the Roman empire. Networks of roads were built across the country. 50AD - Romans arrived in the southwest and made their mark in the form of a wooden fort on a hill near the river Exe. A town was created at the site of the fort decades later and names Isca. When Romans let and Saxons ruled, all ex-Roman towns were called a 'ceaster'. this was called 'Exe ceaster' and a merger of this eventually gave rise to Exeter. 75 - 77AD - Romans defeated the last resistant tribes, making all Britain Roman. Many Britons started adopting Roman customs and law. 122AD - Emperor Hadrian ordered that a wall be built between England and Scotland to keep Scottish tribes out. 312AD - Emperor Constantine made Christianity legal throughout the Roman empire. 228AD - The Romans were being attacked by barbarian tribes and soldiers stationed in the country started to be recalled to Rome. 410AD - All Romans were recalled to Rome and Emperor Honorious told Britons they no longer had a connection to Rome.
