Ravenscar Signal Station

North Sea Signal Stations

The Roman signal station at Ravenscar is one of several late Roman military installations thought to have been built along the Yorkshire coast during the late 4th century AD, likely around AD 370, to defend Roman Britain from increasing seaborne raids and inland incursions. Though the physical remains are limited and their interpretation debated, the site holds significant historical interest due to its strategic location and key archaeological finds.

Ravenscar is located on a high, grassy headland on the East Yorkshire coast, about 10 miles north of Scarborough and 700 feet above sea level. This elevated promontory, known as The Peak, offers extensive views across the North Sea—making it ideal for a coastal lookout and beacon system. Today, the Raven Hall Country House Hotel stands on the site, which is believed to be either directly above or very near the Roman installation.

Purpose and Construction

The Ravenscar signal station was part of a chain of signal and beacon stations extending from the Humber Estuary to the River Tees. These were built during a period of growing instability when Roman Britain faced threats from Saxon raiders, Pictish tribes, and other groups exploiting the weakening Roman frontier.

Typical of such stations, the installation would have included:

A square stone beacon tower, possibly timber-framed at the upper levels.
A courtyard enclosed by stone walls with lookout turrets.
A surrounding ditch and possibly palisades for extra defence.
A blockhouse or barracks to house a small military garrison.
In some cases, an adjoining fortlet—a small auxiliary fort—may have been constructed alongside, possibly beneath where the hotel now stands.

By around AD 405, these stations were abandoned as Roman authority in Britain collapsed and troops were recalled to the continent.

Evidence for Ravenscar Signal Station

The key piece of evidence linking Ravenscar to the Roman military is a Latin dedication slab discovered in 1774, during the construction of the original Raven Hall building. The slab was found just below the surface, among ruins that may not have been Roman in origin, leading to some doubt about its exact original position (i.e., whether it was found in situ).

RIB 721 - Inscription

Justinianus, commander Vindicianus, magister, built this tower and fort from ground-level.

IVSTINIANVS PP
VINDICIANVS
MAGỊṢTER TVRR[...]
M CASTRVM FECIT
A SO

For magister as a low rank in the army of the later fourth century Goodchild cites CIL v 8750 (ILS 2801), v 8988c (Concordia), CIL xiii 8262 (ILS 790) (Cologne). For turris he cites CIL viii 22774, Insrcr. Rom. Trip. 876. For castrum see ILS 859, 8937; the phrase turrem et castrum is a very exact description of a Yorkshire coastal signal-station.Sir Arthur Evans (Num. Chron. 3rd ser. vii (1887) 207), following Young loc. cit., conjectures that this Justinianus is to be identified with the general whom Constantine III in 407 sent from Britain to Gaul. Haverfield considered this identification to be acceptable. Collingwood (JRS) says that if the inscription dates from the foundation of this signal-station about a.d. 370, the identity of names may be a coincidence. Alternatively, it might mark a rebuilding about 395, but he regards any identification as hazardous. Stevens (in 1940, loc. cit.) says that there is no need to identify the two persons, but (orally in 1957) he considers that they may be identical. Goodchild points out that elderly generals were not unknown in the field-army of the later Empire.

The slab is now preserved in Whitby Museum. In 1930, a shaft discovered beneath the hotel was interpreted as a ventilation structure from later alum works, not Roman construction. This, along with other evidence of 18th–19th century industrial activity in the area, has led to speculation that the dedication slab may have been reused or relocated, possibly during the alum industry’s expansion, and not originally part of a Roman building at that precise spot.