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holding six graves that contained holding six graves that contained holding six graves that contained cremated human remains dating to the late 2nd and early 3rd centuries. These included an example of a bustum burial, where the funeral pyre was constructed over a pit intended to collect the cremated human remains for burial. The cemetery may have represented a military burial ground, partially as it was located beside a road serving the fort, but also as bustum burials are regarded as high status, and, when identified in the vicinity of the northern frontier, most likely represent part of a military funerary custom.

fortification and formalisation During the early years of the 3rd century, the vicus became recognisable as a town. The settlement on the south side of the River Swale was fortified side of the River Swale was fortified side of the River Swale was fortified by a substantial wall, and another new fort was constructed on the site of the Antonine fort, which may be attributed to Septimus Severus’s advance north towards Caledonia in AD 209-210. The remains of the town wall were investigated by excavations at Agricola Bridge, revealing a large cobble-and-clay wall foundation at the top of the steep riverbank, along with the remains of the north gatehouse that stood adjacent to Dere Street as it approached a bridge crossing the Swale.

Although no evidence for a bridge structure was discovered, several large ashlar blocks, later identified as bridge stones, were recovered from the rubble on the face of the slope. Another bridge stone, reused in a later floor surface, was notable for the carved left The excavation of a late 1stcentury well at Fort Bridge yielded a wealth of well-preserved organic finds, including a wicker basket and the earliest pistachio nut known in Britain.

phallus – a symbol often associated with protective powers (see CA 315) – on one of its sides, paralleled by a similar example within the fabric of a Roman bridge across the North Tyne at Chesters. Finally, further hints of the flourishing town’s facilities came from a large stone-capped drain that issued through the town-wall foundation and may have served a bathhouse recorded by Wacher’s excavations in the 1950s.

Roman bridge across the North Tyne at Chesters. Finally, further hints of the flourishing town’s facilities came from a large stone-capped drain that issued through the town may have served a bat by Wacher’s excavations in the 1950s.

T echo the fact that within all areas of the town, timber structures were gradually replaced in stone during this period. A number of buildings constructed using red sandstone are believed to form part of a planned building programme, and an example uncovered at Fort Bridge was found to be of relatively high status, with painted wall plaster, a stone-flagged floor, and a stone-tiled roof. The building was adapted during its lifetime with an internal partition that allowed for the insertion of a raised floor and hypocaust system

These interesting masonry finds echo the fact that within all areas of the town, timber structures were gradually replaced in stone during this period. A number of buildings constructed using red sandstone are believed to form part of a planned building programme, and an example uncovered at Fort Bridge was found to be of relatively high status, with painted wall plaster, a stone-flagged floor, and a stone-tiled roof. The building was adapted during its lifetime with an internal partition that allowed for the insertion of a raised floor and hypocaust system in a newly created room in the southeast corner. Adjacent to this partition, the remains of a newborn baby had been interred in the clay floor-bedding, possibly deliberately placed in a gesture associated with the repurposing in the 3rd century.

The northern suburb, which had been unenclosed following the abandonment of the Antonine defences at the end of the 2nd century, appeared to serve as a supply area from the mid-3rd century, with several large ovens found in association with openfronted stone and timber structures. The buildings that faced onto the west side of Dere Street occupied individual plots that extended back from the road for some distance and, during the early to mid-4th century, the back plots were

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FEBRuaRy 2020