Roman forts Gallery

Roman camp, Bradford Abbas 26650_004

Roman camp in Bradford Abbas, Dorset
Roman camps are temporary enclosures dug by Roman troops when on manoeuvres and have a very distinctive shape. The line of the buried ditch of a camp shows on this photo as different colours in the crops across several fields. This playing card shaped enclosure on a slope looking over the river Yeo fits the pattern of size, shape and location of a Roman camp. They're common in some areas of Britain, such as along the line of Hadrian's Wall, indicating militarised zones. However, they are relatively rare in the south west of England and the camp at Bradford Abbas is only the fourth to be discovered in the area. Evidence for Roman military activity is known nearby at Ham Hill, South Cadbury and the probable early Roman fort, and later town, at Ilchester. The discovery poses the question of whether the camp at Bradford Abbas could be a survival of an early Roman military campaign against the local population

© Historic England Archive

Richborough Roman Fort N070696

RICHBOROUGH ROMAN FORT, Sandwich, Kent. Aerial view. Richborough, or Rutupiae was known to be a major naval base This shows the triple ditch defences of the early 3rd century fort surrounding the concrete base of the 1st century monumental arch. All of these are surrounded by the outer defensive wall of a Saxon Shore fort - the bases of the Classis Britannica the Roman fleet based around the coast of Britain

© Historic England

Reculver Towers and Roman Fort N080988

RECULVER TOWERS AND ROMAN FORT, Kent. Aerial view of Roman Regulbium, a Saxon Shore fort and naval base for the Classis Britannica - the Roman fleet based in Britain. Part of the fort has suffered coastal erosion, but remains of the landward walls are still visible on the ground. The outline of the fort (with the remains of the later church at its centre) are much clearer from the air

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