Duncot Roman Fort
Flavian Auxiliary Fort (AD 69–96)
The probable Fort at Duncot is situated alongside the south bank of the River Tern about two miles to the north of Wroxeter in Shropshire, this elongated enclosure is similar in outline to the suspected fort south of Wem, which lies about 10 miles to the north-north-west, although considerably larger. Its unusually elongated layout with gateways in the centre of the shorter sides only, has long dissuaded archaeologists from declaring the site as Roman, but an evaluation trench across its defences revealed a double-ditch system of typical Roman military profile, each defensive ditch being V-shaped, about 3½ feet (c.1 m) across the lip with a drainage slot in the bottom; traces of cervi– or cippi-type obstacles were also found in the inner ditch. Sherds of 2nd-Century pottery and iron nails have been turned up in the interior proving occupation during the early-Roman period at least, and traces of internal stone-built structures may indicate continued occupation. If a military enclosure is indicated, there is sufficient room here to have housed an entire regiment of foot-soldiers, a cohors peditata quingenaria containing a nominal 500 men, probably engaged in policing the river-crossing.
References for Duncot
Shropshire Sites and Monuments Record (PRN 00045, 2002)
Map References for Duncot
NGRef: SJ577117 OSMap: LR126
Roman Roads near Duncot
None identified
Sites near Duncot Roman Fort
- Norton 2 Temporary Camp (2 km)
Marching or Temporary Camp - Norton 1 Temporary Camp (3 km)
Marching or Temporary Camp - Viroconivm Cornoviorum (Wroxeter) Legionary Fort (3 km)
Legionary Fort - Wroxeter (Viroconivm Cornoviorum) Roman Settlement (3 km)
Aqueduct and British Civita - Viroconivm Cornoviorum (Wroxeter) Temples (3 km)
Temple Or Shrine - Wroxeter (Viroconium Cornoviorum) Roman Fort and City (4 km)
British Civita, Neronian Auxiliary Fort (AD 54–68) and Roman Bridges - Uffington Temporary Camp (5 km)
Marching or Temporary Camp - Wrekin (6 km)
Iron Age Hillfort - Leighton Vexillation Fort (7 km)
Vexillation Fort - Cound Hall Marching Camp (7 km)
Marching or Temporary Camp