Rigodunum

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Rigodunum
Rigodunum (Greater Manchester)
Rigodunum
Shown within Greater Manchester
Building information
Town Castleshaw, Greater Manchester
Country England
Coordinates 53°34′60″N 2°00′06″W / 53.583245, -2.001737Coordinates: 53°34′60″N 2°00′06″W / 53.583245, -2.001737
Completion date 79
Style Roman fort

Rigodunum was a fort in the Roman province of Britannia. Its remains are located on the edge of Castleshaw in Saddleworth in the English county of Greater Manchester. It is a scheduled ancient monument,[1] and is located on Castle Hill on the eastern side of Castleshaw Valley, about 275 meters above sea level, at the foot of Standedge but over looking the valley (grid reference SD99880965).[2]

The fort at Castleshaw, constructed from turf and timber, was built around AD 79 and guarded the York to Chester Roman road. The fort covered an area of approximately 1.2 hectares (3.0 acres), and fell out of use during the mid AD 90s. It was replaced by a fortlet, also built using turf and timber, in AD 105. The fortlet fell out of use in the mid 120s and covered 1,950 square metres (0.48 acres).[2] A small vicus may remain intact around the site of the fort, but has not been discovered.[2] The fort and fortlet of Castleshaw were superseded by the neighbouring forts at Mamucium and Slack.[3]

The name means "Royal fort".[4] Inscriptions suggest it was first occupied by the Spanish Cohors III Bracaraugustanorum and then by part of the Legio VI Victrix.[5]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Rigodunum Roman fort. Pastscape.org.uk. Retrieved on 2007-12-29.
  2. ^ a b c Extra-Mural Settlement in a Marginal Context: Roman Castleshaw by Norman Redhead in Mike Nevell (ed) (1999). Living on the Edge of Empire: Models, Methodology & Marginality. CBA North West, the Field Archaeology Centre, University of Manchester, and Chester Archaeology, 74-81. ISBN 0-9527813-1-X. 
  3. ^ Edited by Mike Nevell and Norman Redhead (2005). Mellor: Living on the Edge. A Regional Study of an Iron Age and Romano-British Upland Settlement. University of Manchester Archaeological Unit, Greater Manchester Archaeological Unit, and the Mellor Archaeological Trust, 59. ISBN 0-9527813-6-0. 
  4. ^ Rivet, A.L.F. (1980). "Celtic Names and Roman Places". Britannia 11: 18. 
  5. ^ Kevan W White (2005-06-14). Rigodunum Roman Fort & Fortlet. Roman-Britain.org. Retrieved on 2007-12-05.