Spinis / Spinae (Speen?)

Possible Roman Settlement

Speen is an Alleged site of a Roman settlement listed in the Antonine Itinerary. Two coins and pottery have been found, but no other substantive evidence.

The Antonine Itinerary contains details of many of the major trade routes in the Roman empire during the late second century. The British section of this document lists fifteen such routes, two of which deals with the road through the Newbury area. The thirteenth itinerary is titled “the route from Isca to Calleva“, and details the road between the fortress at Isca Silvrvm (Caerleon, Gwent) and Calleva Arebatvm (Silchester, Hampshire).

The name Spinis appears near the end of Iter XIII, lying equidistant, 15 miles from Wanborough in Wiltshire and 15 miles from Silchester in Hampshire. The reported distances place the settlement somewhere near Speen, which indeed, lies some 15 miles from Wanborough, but the actual measured distance between Speen and Silchester is only 12 miles, so some discrepancy exists. It is possible that the Roman settlement of Spinis is associated with Woodspeen, near Lambourne in Berkshire; a site favoured by A.L.F. Rivet.

References for Spinis / Spinae – ?

  • Historical Map and Guide – Roman Britain by the Ordnance Survey (3rd, 4th & 5th eds., 1956, 1994 & 2001).
Sites near Spinis / Spinae (Speen?)