Norton 2 Temporary Camp

Marching or Temporary Camp

The SE side of a large Roman camp, about 315m in length, together with E and S corner-angles were recorded in fields about ½ mile NNE of Norton Camp-1. The S corner is a perfect right-angle but the adjoining SW side is recorded for a length of only 50m before becoming untraceable among later ridge-and-furrow disturbances. The E corner-angle is markedly acute and connected to a 170m stretch of what appears to be the N rampart. A broken linear crop-mark lies 190m to the W of the SE corner and 230m W of the NE angle which may have formed the W defences of the camp, but no curvatures are visible at the extrapolated points where the N and S ramparts would have intersected this line which itself continues both to N and S, so it seems likely that this earthwork did not constitute the W rampart. A more-likely suggestion is that the S and N defences of the camp extended up to the Roman road which issues from the N gateway of the Roman city, and that the W ramparts of the camp were positioned along the E side of the road. This scenario would make the camp rhomboidal in outline, eith the approximate dimensions recorded above.

References for Norton Camps

Roman Camps in England – The Field Archaeology by the R.C.H.M.E.

Map References for Norton Camps

NGRef: SJ5609 OSMap: LR126

OS National Grid Reference: SJ571098
Dimensions: c.1,035 x c.1,180 ft (c.315 x c.360 m)
Area: c.28 acres (c.11.3 ha)

Roman Roads near Norton Camps

None identified

Sites near Norton 2 Temporary Camp