Okehampton Roman Fort

Claudian Auxiliary Fort (AD 43–54)

Roman fort of the 1st century AD at Okehampton on the north edge of Dartmoor, occupies the saddle of a spur between the river Okement and one of its tributaries, at 183m above sea level. First observed on aerial photographs in 1971 the Roman fort at Okehampton lies partially beneath the north-eastern suburbs of the modern town. The fort measures approximately 475 by 295 feet (145 x 90 m) between the ditches, which enclose an area of just under 3¼ acres (c.1.3 ha). Trial-trenching across the defences at the time of discovery uncovered 1st-Century pottery and proved the rampart’s construction was of clay, further A.P.’s in 1980 revealed a double-ditch defensive system on the observable west, north and east sides, also a number of enclosures in the immediate surroundings of the fort.

The proximity of the station at North Tawton makes it extremely unlikely that the two sites were occupied at the same time, but the exact sequence has not yet been ascertained.

References for Okehampton

Air Reconnaissance in Roman Britain 1977-1984 by G.S. Maxwell & D.R. Wilson in Britannia xviii (1987) p.5.

Map References for Okehampton

NGRef: SX5996 OSMap: LR191

Roman Roads near Okehampton

Probable road: WSW (5) to North Tawton Camp (Devon) ESE (17) to Isca Dvmnoniorvm (Exeter, Devon)

Sites near Okehampton Roman Fort