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Roman towns near the Vale Unsurprisingly the Fosse Way connects several Roman settlements. In the late 1990s evidence was revealed for conquest-period forts predating each of the Roman small towns along the Fosse Way. These were at Vernemetum (Willoughby on the Wolds) in the south, Margidunum (Bingham), Ad Pontem (East Stoke) and Crococalana (Brough). But be careful as there's also a Roman small town near Brough in Derbyshire, known as Navio. There is some evidence that these settlements were in use before the Roman invasion. More details here. Interestingly Brough is the only settlement on the Fosse Way between Newark and Lincoln. The name Brough is from the Old English word for fortifications. To the south of Newark the village of East Stoke also straddles the line of the original Fosse Way. But as the Roman name was Ad Pontem, 'the place at the bridges', then clearly it would be on the routeway itself. The Roman ironworking site at Goadby Marwood is just south of the Belvoir ridge so not in the Vale of Belvoir. The towns along the Fosse Way are on the western boundary. Within the Vale Roman coins and pottery have been discovered at Redmile and Knipton suggesting settlement sites. Evidence for some sort of Roman settlement has been discovered in Orston parish but whether or not this was a villa is difficult to decide. However a villa would account for the later importance of Orston as a royal estate centre (see this article). I suspect a deep dive into the HER would reveal that Roman coins, sherds and tiles have been brought to light in other parishes in the Vale. The best evidence for a Roman site is right in the middle of the Vale. Excavations at Langar in 1959/60 revealed Roman pottery and the stone foundations of a substantial Roman building. A few tesserae must have come from a mosaic floor implying this was part of a villa, although it could be the successor to a late Iron Age shrine as two Iron Age votive offerings were recovered. A fragment of hypocaust together with the location near the Stroom Dyke imply a bath house. Coins from the vicinity mostly date from AD 260 to 378. Further excavations in 2017 and 2019/20 recovered substantial amounts of Roman pottery and ceramic building material such as tiles. Certainly the Roman building was succeeded by a late Anglo-Saxon and medieval church (see the entry for St Ethelburga's church). More details of the excavations at St Ethelburga's: 2020 report 2017 article 2016 overview Back to top of this page     Back to home page   This website does not gather or store any visitor information. Copyright Bob Trubshaw 2025 No unauthorised copying or reproduction except if all following conditions apply: a: Copy is complete (including this copyright statement). b: No changes are made. c: No charge is made. www.hoap.co.uk/chronicle

Chronicle entries home page what's new? the geology of the Vale the boundaries and rivers of the Vale long, long ago prehistory in the Vale prehistoric boundaries in the Vale north-south prehistoric routeways Romans roads in the Vale Roman settlements in and near the Vale long ago introduction to Anglo-Saxons place-names of the Vale waterborne transport around the sixth century Orston's early church Anglo-Saxon sculpture in the Vale why Orston lost out to Bingham and Bottesford what the Normans did for the Vale Granby's importance in 1086 Granby's lost castle the Vale's watermills in 1086 Romanesque sculpture in the Vale St Remigius why Bottesford is in Leicestershire the Vale in medieval times medieval gargoyles of the Vale Eastwell's chancel screen St Ethelburga's church other early saints Elston's old chapel Muston and Long Clawson saltways of the Vale the Vale's medieval tile collection the Vale in Tudor times Dissolution in the Vale not that long ago the Vale in the C17th the 'great and the good' of the Vale Bottesford's effigies 'wicked practice and sorcerye' the whales on the Whalley memorial Car Colston's bigoted GP cum JP the Vale's very own regicide Wiverton Hall five rare C17th fonts in the Vale pinfolds and pounds in the Vale dovecotes in the Vale the Vale in the C18th turnpiking the Vale gravestones and C18th trade routes goodbye 'Belvoir Angels' C18th gravestone carvers in the Vale Daffy's Elixir the Marquess of Granby Stilton from the Vale springs and spas of the Vale outstanding organs in the Vale Grantham canal changes in the Vale's agriculture since 1800 Eastwell's recusant priest house and chapel Colston Bassett's ruined church seems like yesterday windmills in the Vale stained glass in the Vale village life in the southern Vale 1850 to 1880 folklore of the Vale Flintham museum lacemaking in the Vale gypsum pits in the Vale brick and tile works in the Vale ironstone quarrying in the Vale ironstone railways ironstone quarries of Leicestershire (YouTube video) The Vale's railway stations Orston's famous architect Mothers Union banners of the Vale redundant telephone exchanges in the Vale WWII airfields and pillboxes in the Vale the Vale in 1944 location shooting at Belvoir Castle Screveton's giants researching and writing local history the Vale as a verb getting started free advice from 2005 asking curious questions (YouTube video) local history groups in and around the Vale Aslockton (Cranmer LHG) Bingham Heritage Trails Association Bottesford Eastwell Harby Harlaxton Hickling Redmile archive Belvoir Villages History and Memories Group Belvoir Angel Society Grantham Canal Society you may also be interested in free PDFs written by Bob Trubshaw Earliest Churches in Nottinghamshire How Anglo-Saxons Found Their Way Anglo-Saxon Leicestershire Conversations in Churchyards Little-known Leicestershire and Rutland Bob Trubshaw's YouTube channel Introduction to medieval carvings Anglo-Saxon and Romanesque carvings How Anglo-Saxons found their way Anglo-Saxon shrines at fords Meetings at triangles Rota's Land and Franni's Land Reading Romanesque fonts Church and manor The significances of square headdresses Early churches and waterborne trade Charnwood slate gravestones and C18th trade routes Ironstone quarries of Leicestershire Roman roads in north-east Leicestershire Salt ways in Leicestershire Why Melton Mowbray needed to called 'middle town' Evolving Anglo-Saxon agriculture Nottinghamshire's earliest churches Ploughs not piety? Economic regeneration in the C7th Were Anglo-Saxon weaving huts women-only places? Barrowby Until Now website Rutland Village by Village website Sepulchral Effigies of Leicestershire and Rutland