The Roman fort at The Lunt, also known as the Lunt Roman fort, is the archaeological site of a Roman fort, of unknown name, in the Roman province of Britannia. It is open to the public and located in the village of Baginton on the south eastern outskirts of Coventry. The fort has now been fully excavated and partially reconstructed; the wooden gateway rebuild was led by archaeologist Margaret Rylatt, using the same tools and techniques that the military engineers of the Roman Army would have used. In 2001, Anglo Saxon artefacts dating to Sub-Roman Britain were discovered on the site.

The site has a large steep wooded bank, known as The Lunt, just beyond the northern boundary of the fort, which descends to the River Sowe. The elevation from the top of the bank provides good views of the landscape to the north for two or three miles (about ).

Etymology

The original Roman name for the fort is unknown. The modern name refers to "The Lunt", the local name for the steep wooded escarpment descending to the River Sowe from the plateau on which the fort sits. The name "Lunt" is derived from the Old Norse word lundr, which means a "grove" or "copse".

History

Four periods of occupation of the fort during periods of unrest in Roman Britain have been identified by excavation. The fort was built around AD 60 to act as a supply depot and headquarters for an unknown legion during the final campaign against Boudica.

From AD 64 it was used, in the second phase, by a cohort which reduced the size of the fort, but from which the principia, praetorium, two granaries and six barrack blocks have been excavated. A number of buildings were demolished to construct a gyrus. Many horse fittings, possible stabling, an extensive metalworking area, granary and storage space suggests a cavalry unit was present at this time. This second phase lasted until AD 77/8.

The third period of AD 77/78-79 included construction of a double ditch system, a twin-portalled gateway on the south and occupation outside the defences until the fort was decommissioned.

After AD 260, perhaps during the rebel Gallic Empire, it was recommissioned as a temporary fort with ditches on a similar alignment but slightly larger than that of Period 2.

This ring, the only known "gyrus" in the Roman Empire, may have been used for training horses,

The gyrus was added to the fort during its second period of occupation and its construction caused significant disruption to the fort. Having the gyrus within the fort affects not just the wall which curves to accommodate the structure deviating from the Roman playing card shape pattern but also the layout of the fort which is significantly different from the standard layout. This makes the fort unique not just in Britain but also in the Roman Empire.

Archaeology and preservation

thumb|Reconstruction of the main gate to the fort

thumb|The modern interpretation of the fort's granary

The site was identified when large quantities of Roman pottery were found in the 1930s. In the 1960s, Brian Hobley, keeper of field archaeology at the Coventry Museum, commenced a long-term project to combine excavation with a study of the methods by which Roman camps were built. Archaeological excavations identified three distinct periods of occupation of the Roman military site. During the 1970s some features of the fort were reconstructed upon the original foundations: these are a section of the wall, a gateway modelled on images of Trajan's Column, one of the three granaries and the gyrus.

In 2001 a team of Canadian students unearthed a fragment of Roman Samian pottery and a Nero's head coin dating from 65 AD.

Evidence of Saxon settlement was unearthed in 2001

References

  • Brian Hobley, BA. FSA. M.St. (Oxon) Excavator (1969) 'A Neronian-Vespasianic Military Site at The Lunt Baginton, Warwickshire' (Trans. B'ham & Wars.Archaeological Society.Vol.83 (1969)
  • (1972) 'Excavations at The Lunt Roman Military Site Baginton, Warwickshire' 1968–71.' ( Trans. B'ham & Wars.Archaeological Society. Vol.85 (1972)
  • (1974) 'The Lunt Roman Fort & Training School for Roman Cavalry, Baginton, Warwickshire. Excavations 1972–73' Trans. B'ham & Wars. Archaeological Society Vol.86
  • Roman-Britain