Chance to dig into the past at Roman site
THE first dig for 60 years is set to start at a Roman fort in Northumberland dubbed one of the best preserved in the empire.
People are being invited to join in the excavations, which start on Saturday, at Epiacum fort, near Slaggyford in the South Tyne Valley.
The diamond-shaped fort is on the Maiden Way Roman road and halfway between Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland and another Roman base near Stainmore on the border of Cumbria, County Durham and North Yorkshire.
It is believed that Epiacium was built to oversee the traffic in lead and silver from the Alston ore field. An aerial survey by English Heritage revealed signs of more than 3,000 years of human habitation around the fort site. They include evidence of:
Prehistoric roundhouses and settlements.
The eight-acre fort with its associated civilian settlement and a possible parade ground.
Possible Dark-Age long houses and medieval settlements
At least six bastles, or fortified farmhouses.
17th – 19th Century drift and pit mines with spoil heaps and 19th century shielings, or shelters.
“Is the large rectangular shape a Roman parade ground or an early timber fort? Are the hollows and humps a medieval village? Support our test pit digs and find out,” said Elaine Edgar, who lives at Castle Nook Farm at the site.
She set up Epiacum Heritage Ltd as an independent, not-for-profit organisation responsible for the stewardship, management and development of the scheduled monument fort, and which works to explore and develop the site for public participation and access.
There will be a charge to diggers of £30 a day for taking part in the excavations from September 23 and 24, and from September 27 - 30 and October 1.
There will be family field days on September 23 and 24 with half-day sessions available, for accompanied six-to-16 year olds at £8 child and £15 adult per half day.
Details on epiacumheritage.org/events.
“In order to fully cover the costs of the excavations, we need to raise around £2,400 - we don’t have any grant funding to cover this – so we hope people will consider this something worthy of supporting,” said Elaine. “As part of our current work, we are developing a research framework for the site, which will guide future research and activity linked to the amazing heritage landscape around the Roman fort site.”
The operation, under the guidance of archaeologist Dr Rob Young, will open up around 20 test pits to explore the suspected “parade ground” location, significant Iron Age settlement close to the fort and a mystery structure revealed by a geophysical survey.
“We are particularly excited to be exploring the possibility of a parade ground, as if found it will be only the third one known about in the UK,” said Elaine.
There will be guided tours of the excavations on September 28 and 30 at 11am and 3pm. £5 per person. The fort, also known as Whitley Castle, is notable for an extensive array of outer defences – four lines of banks and ditches to the north and east and seven to the south west.