Mancunium
Encyclopedia
Mamucium, also known as Mancunium, was a fort
in the Roman province
of Britannia
. The remains of the fort are protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument
, and are located within the Castlefield
area of the City of Manchester
, in North West England
. Founded c. AD 79, Mamucium was garrisoned by a cohort of auxiliary soldiers and guarded the road running from Chester
to York
. A vicus
, or civilian settlement made up of traders and the families of the soldiers, grew outside the fort and was an area of industrial activity.
The site lay in ruins until the Industrial Revolution
. During this period Manchester expanded and the fort was levelled to make way for new developments. It was damaged by the construction of the Rochdale Canal
and the Great Northern Railway
. The site is now part of the regenerated area of warehousing alongside the Rochdale Canal, part of the Castlefield Urban Heritage Park. Reconstructed remains of the fort's gatehouse, granaries, and some buildings from the vicus are on display to the public.
bluff
, guarding a nearby crossing over the River Medlock
. The fort was situated near a junction between at least two Roman road
s. It guarded the road between the legionary
fortresses of Deva Victrix
(Chester) and Eboracum
(York) running east to west, as well as the road between Manchester and Bremetennacum
(Ribchester
) to the north. In addition, Mamucium may also have overlooked a lesser road running north west to Coccium (Wigan
). The fort was one of a chain of fortifications along the Eboracum to Deva Victrix road, with Castleshaw Roman fort
lying 16 miles (25.7 km) to the east, and Condate (Northwich
) 18 miles (29 km) to the west. Stamps on tegulae
indicate that Mamucium had administrative links not only with Castleshaw, the nearest fort, but also those at Slack and Ebchester
; all the forts probably got the tegulae from the same place in Grimescar Wood near Huddersfield
.
The area around the fort changed greatly in the centuries that followed; the remains are now surrounded by mills built during Industrial Revolution
and were further damaged by the subsequent urbanisation of Manchester. Castlefield is located on the south west corner of Manchester city centre
and the Rochdale Canal cuts through the southern corner of the fort. Deansgate
, which has developed into a busy thoroughfare, passes close to the east of the fort and follows the general line of Roman road to Ribchester and Castlefield
.
scraper
, two Mesolithic
flints and a flint flake
have been discovered, as well as a shard of late Bronze Age
pottery; however these were mostly not found in situ
. Although the area was in the territory of the Celtic tribe Brigantes
until the Romans annexed the area, it may have been under the control of the Setantii
, a sub-tribe of the Brigantes. The fort was built around 79 AD; it was built as part of the fortifications erected under Gnaeus Julius Agricola
during his campaigns against the Brigantes after the treaty with the Celtic tribe failed. The name Mamucium is thought to derive from the Celtic meaning "breast shaped hill
", referring to the sandstone bluff the fort stood on; this later evolved into the name Manchester. The Welsh
word for Manchester is "Manceinion" which sounds very similar to Mamucium and has been passed on from the Brythonic language.
Excavations have demonstrated that the fort had three main phases
of construction; one in 79 AD, the second in 160 AD, and the third in 200 AD. The first phase of the fort was built from turf and timber. Mamucium was designed to be garrisoned by a cohort
, about 500 infantry. They would have been drawn from an auxiliary
, the non-citizen soldiers of the Roman army. A civilian settlement called a vicus grew around the fort in the late 1st and early 2nd centuries. Around 90 AD, the rampart
s surrounding the fort were strengthened. Manchester and the Roman fort at Slack – which neighboured Castleshaw – superseded the fort at Castleshaw in the 120s. Mamucium was demolished some time around 140 AD. Although the vicus grew rapidly in the early 2nd century, it was abandoned some time between 120 and 160 – broadly coinciding with the demolition of the fort – before it was re-inhabited when the fort was rebuilt.
There is a possible temple to Mithras associated with the civilian settlement, in modern day Hulme
. An altar dedicated to "Fortune the Preserver" was found, probably dating to the early 3rd century. In 2008 an altar dating from the late 1st century was discovered near the Roman settlement. It was dedicated to two minor Germanic gods and described as being in "fantastic" condition. The County Archaeologist
said
As well as Pagan worship, there is also evidence of early Christian worship. In the 1970s a 2nd century "word square" was discovered with an anagram of PATER NOSTER
. There has been discussion by academics whether the "word square", which is carved on a piece of amphora
, is actually a Christian artefact, if so, it is one of the earliest examples of Christianity in Britain.
The second phase was built around 160 AD. Although it was again of turf and timber construction, it was larger than the previous fort, measuring 2 hectares (4.9 acre) to accommodate extra granaries (horrea
). Around 200 AD, the gatehouses of the fort were rebuilt in stone and the walls surrounding the fort were given a stone facing. The concentration of furnaces in sheds in part of the vicus associated with the fort has been described as an "industrial estate", which would have been the first in Manchester. Mamucium was included in the Antonine Itinerary
, a 3rd century register of roads throughout the Roman Empire
. This and inscriptions on and repairs to buildings indicate that Mamucium was still in use in the first half of the 3rd century. The vicus may have been abandoned by the mid 3rd century; this is supported by the excavated remains of some buildings while were demolished and the materials robbed for use elsewhere. Evidence from coins indicates that although the civilian settlement associated with the fort had declined by the mid 3rd century, a small garrison may have remained at Mamucium into the late 3rd century and early 4th century.
During the medieval period, the area was used for agricultural purposes. After lying derelict for centuries, the ruins were commented on by antiquarian
s John Leland in the 16th century, William Camden
in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, and William Stukeley
and the Manchester historian, John Whitaker
in the 18th century. In the early 18th century, John Horsley said:
The name "Tarquin's Castle" refers to the legend that the fort had been occupied by a giant named Tarquin.
Whitaker described what remained of the fort in 1773:
Mamucium was levelled as Manchester expanded during the Industrial Revolution. The construction of the Rochdale Canal through the south western corner of the fort in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, and the building of viaducts for the Great Northern Railway over the site in the late 19th century, damaged the remains and even destroyed some of the southern half of the fort. When the railway viaducts were built, Charles Roeder documented the remains that were uncovered in the process, including parts of the vicus.
The first archaeological
investigation of Mamucium was in 1906. Francis Bruton, who would later work on the Roman fort at Castleshaw
, excavated the fort's western defences. A series of small scale excavations were undertaken intermittently between 1912 and 1967, generally exploring the northern defences of the fort. In the mid-20th century, historian A. J. P. Taylor
called the surviving stretch of Roman wall "the least interesting Roman remains in Britain". The first excavation of the vicus was carried out in the 1970s under Professor Barri Jones
. In 1982 the fort, along with the rest of the Castlefield area, became the United Kingdom
's first Urban Heritage Park, and partial reconstructions of the forts walls, including the ramparts and gateways, were opened in 1984. In 2001–2005 the University of Manchester Archaeological Unit
carried out excavations in the vicus to further investigate the site before the area underwent any more regeneration or reconstruction. The archaeological investigation of Mamucium Roman fort and its associated civilian settlement has, so far, provided approximately 10,000 artefacts.
, and of wattle and daub
construction. There may have been a cemetery to the south east of the fort.
Castra
The Latin word castra, with its singular castrum, was used by the ancient Romans to mean buildings or plots of land reserved to or constructed for use as a military defensive position. The word appears in both Oscan and Umbrian as well as in Latin. It may have descended from Indo-European to Italic...
in the Roman province
Roman province
In Ancient Rome, a province was the basic, and, until the Tetrarchy , largest territorial and administrative unit of the empire's territorial possessions outside of Italy...
of Britannia
Britannia
Britannia is an ancient term for Great Britain, and also a female personification of the island. The name is Latin, and derives from the Greek form Prettanike or Brettaniai, which originally designated a collection of islands with individual names, including Albion or Great Britain. However, by the...
. The remains of the fort are protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument
Scheduled Ancient Monument
In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a 'nationally important' archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorized change. The various pieces of legislation used for legally protecting heritage assets from damage and destruction are grouped under the term...
, and are located within the Castlefield
Castlefield
Castlefield is an inner city area of Manchester, in North West England. The conservation area which bears its name is bounded by the River Irwell, Quay Street, Deansgate and the Chester Road. It was the site of the Roman era fort of Mamucium or Mancunium which gave its name to Manchester...
area of the City of Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, in North West England
North West England
North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...
. Founded c. AD 79, Mamucium was garrisoned by a cohort of auxiliary soldiers and guarded the road running from Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
to York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
. A vicus
Vicus (Rome)
In ancient Rome, the vicus was a neighborhood. During the Republican era, the four regiones of the city of Rome were subdivided into vici. In the 1st century BC, Augustus reorganized the city for administrative purposes into 14 regions, comprising 265 vici. Each vicus had its own board of...
, or civilian settlement made up of traders and the families of the soldiers, grew outside the fort and was an area of industrial activity.
The site lay in ruins until the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
. During this period Manchester expanded and the fort was levelled to make way for new developments. It was damaged by the construction of the Rochdale Canal
Rochdale Canal
The Rochdale Canal is a navigable "broad" canal in northern England, part of the connected system of the canals of Great Britain. The "Rochdale" in its name refers to the town of Rochdale, Greater Manchester, through which the canal passes....
and the Great Northern Railway
Great Northern Railway (Great Britain)
The Great Northern Railway was a British railway company established by the Great Northern Railway Act of 1846. On 1 January 1923 the company lost its identity as a constituent of the newly formed London and North Eastern Railway....
. The site is now part of the regenerated area of warehousing alongside the Rochdale Canal, part of the Castlefield Urban Heritage Park. Reconstructed remains of the fort's gatehouse, granaries, and some buildings from the vicus are on display to the public.
Location
When the Roman fort in Castlefield was built, it was located on a naturally defensible sandstoneSandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
bluff
Cliff
In geography and geology, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. Cliffs are formed as erosion landforms due to the processes of erosion and weathering that produce them. Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, escarpments and along rivers. Cliffs are usually...
, guarding a nearby crossing over the River Medlock
River Medlock
The River Medlock is a river of Greater Manchester in North West England. It rises near Oldham and flows, south and west, for ten miles to join the River Irwell in the extreme southwest of Manchester city centre.-Source:...
. The fort was situated near a junction between at least two Roman road
Roman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
s. It guarded the road between the legionary
Roman legion
A Roman legion normally indicates the basic ancient Roman army unit recruited specifically from Roman citizens. The organization of legions varied greatly over time but they were typically composed of perhaps 5,000 soldiers, divided into maniples and later into "cohorts"...
fortresses of Deva Victrix
Deva Victrix
Deva Victrix, or simply Deva, was a legionary fortress and town in the Roman province of Britannia. The settlement evolved into Chester, the county town of Cheshire, England...
(Chester) and Eboracum
Eboracum
Eboracum was a fort and city in Roman Britain. The settlement evolved into York, located in North Yorkshire, England.-Etymology:The first known recorded mention of Eboracum by name is dated circa 95-104 AD and is an address containing the Latin form of the settlement's name, "Eburaci", on a wooden...
(York) running east to west, as well as the road between Manchester and Bremetennacum
Bremetennacum
Bremetennacum was a Roman fort which is now the village of Ribchester in Lancashire . The site is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The first Roman activity on the site was the establishment of a timber fort believed to have been constructed during the campaigns of Petillius Cerialis around AD 72/3...
(Ribchester
Ribchester
Ribchester is a village and civil parish within the Ribble Valley district of Lancashire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Ribble, northwest of Blackburn and east of Preston.The village has a long history with evidence of Bronze Age beginnings...
) to the north. In addition, Mamucium may also have overlooked a lesser road running north west to Coccium (Wigan
Wigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
). The fort was one of a chain of fortifications along the Eboracum to Deva Victrix road, with Castleshaw Roman fort
Castleshaw Roman fort
Castleshaw Roman fort was a fort in the Roman province of Britannia. Although there is no evidence to substantiate the claim, it has been suggested that Castleshaw Roman fort is the site of Rigodunum, a Brigantian settlement. The remains of the fort are located on Castle Hill on the eastern side of...
lying 16 miles (25.7 km) to the east, and Condate (Northwich
Northwich
Northwich is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It lies in the heart of the Cheshire Plain, at the confluence of the rivers Weaver and Dane...
) 18 miles (29 km) to the west. Stamps on tegulae
Imbrex and tegula
The imbrex and tegula were overlapping roof tiles used in ancient Greek and Roman architecture as a waterproof and durable roof covering. They were made predominantly of fired clay, but also sometimes of marble, bronze or gilt...
indicate that Mamucium had administrative links not only with Castleshaw, the nearest fort, but also those at Slack and Ebchester
Ebchester
Ebchester is a village in County Durham, in England. It is situated to the north of Consett and to the south east of Whittonstall.The parish church, which is dedicated to St. Ebba is of ambiguous origin, being of partly Norman construction with a foundation, described as being pre-Conquest...
; all the forts probably got the tegulae from the same place in Grimescar Wood near Huddersfield
Huddersfield
Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
.
The area around the fort changed greatly in the centuries that followed; the remains are now surrounded by mills built during Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
and were further damaged by the subsequent urbanisation of Manchester. Castlefield is located on the south west corner of Manchester city centre
Manchester City Centre
Manchester city centre is the central business district of Manchester, England. It lies within the Manchester Inner Ring Road, next to the River Irwell...
and the Rochdale Canal cuts through the southern corner of the fort. Deansgate
Deansgate
Deansgate is a main road through the city centre of Manchester, England. It runs roughly north–south in a near straight route through the western part of the city centre and is the longest road in the city centre at over one mile long....
, which has developed into a busy thoroughfare, passes close to the east of the fort and follows the general line of Roman road to Ribchester and Castlefield
Castlefield
Castlefield is an inner city area of Manchester, in North West England. The conservation area which bears its name is bounded by the River Irwell, Quay Street, Deansgate and the Chester Road. It was the site of the Roman era fort of Mamucium or Mancunium which gave its name to Manchester...
.
History
Although there is no evidence of prehistoric settlement, there is evidence of activity in the area. A NeolithicNeolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
scraper
Scraper (archaeology)
In archaeology, scrapers are unifacial tools that were used either for hideworking or woodworking purposes. Whereas this term is often used for any unifacially flaked stone tool that defies classification, most lithic analysts maintain that the only true scrapers are defined on the base of...
, two Mesolithic
Mesolithic
The Mesolithic is an archaeological concept used to refer to certain groups of archaeological cultures defined as falling between the Paleolithic and the Neolithic....
flints and a flint flake
Lithic flake
In archaeology, a lithic flake is a "portion of rock removed from an objective piece by percussion or pressure," and may also be referred to as a chip or spall, or collectively as debitage. The objective piece, or the rock being reduced by the removal of flakes, is known as a core. Once the proper...
have been discovered, as well as a shard of late Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
pottery; however these were mostly not found in situ
In situ
In situ is a Latin phrase which translated literally as 'In position'. It is used in many different contexts.-Aerospace:In the aerospace industry, equipment on board aircraft must be tested in situ, or in place, to confirm everything functions properly as a system. Individually, each piece may...
. Although the area was in the territory of the Celtic tribe Brigantes
Brigantes
The Brigantes were a Celtic tribe who in pre-Roman times controlled the largest section of what would become Northern England, and a significant part of the Midlands. Their kingdom is sometimes called Brigantia, and it was centred in what was later known as Yorkshire...
until the Romans annexed the area, it may have been under the control of the Setantii
Setantii
The Setantii were a pre-Roman British tribe who apparently lived in the western and southern littoral of Lancashire in England...
, a sub-tribe of the Brigantes. The fort was built around 79 AD; it was built as part of the fortifications erected under Gnaeus Julius Agricola
Gnaeus Julius Agricola
Gnaeus Julius Agricola was a Roman general responsible for much of the Roman conquest of Britain. His biography, the De vita et moribus Iulii Agricolae, was the first published work of his son-in-law, the historian Tacitus, and is the source for most of what is known about him.Born to a noted...
during his campaigns against the Brigantes after the treaty with the Celtic tribe failed. The name Mamucium is thought to derive from the Celtic meaning "breast shaped hill
Breast shaped hill
A breast-shaped hill is a mountain in the shape of a human breast. Such anthropomorphic geographic features are to be found in different places of the world and in some cultures they were revered as the attributes of the Mother Goddess, like the Paps of Anu, named after Anu, an important goddess of...
", referring to the sandstone bluff the fort stood on; this later evolved into the name Manchester. The Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
word for Manchester is "Manceinion" which sounds very similar to Mamucium and has been passed on from the Brythonic language.
Excavations have demonstrated that the fort had three main phases
Archaeological phase
Archaeological phase and phasing refers to the logical reduction of contexts recorded during excavation to near contemporary archaeological horizons that represent a distinct "phase" of previous land use. These often but not always will be a representation of a former land surface or occupation...
of construction; one in 79 AD, the second in 160 AD, and the third in 200 AD. The first phase of the fort was built from turf and timber. Mamucium was designed to be garrisoned by a cohort
Cohort (military unit)
A cohort was the basic tactical unit of a Roman legion following the reforms of Gaius Marius in 107 BC.-Legionary cohort:...
, about 500 infantry. They would have been drawn from an auxiliary
Auxiliaries (Roman military)
Auxiliaries formed the standing non-citizen corps of the Roman army of the Principate , alongside the citizen legions...
, the non-citizen soldiers of the Roman army. A civilian settlement called a vicus grew around the fort in the late 1st and early 2nd centuries. Around 90 AD, the rampart
Defensive wall
A defensive wall is a fortification used to protect a city or settlement from potential aggressors. In ancient to modern times, they were used to enclose settlements...
s surrounding the fort were strengthened. Manchester and the Roman fort at Slack – which neighboured Castleshaw – superseded the fort at Castleshaw in the 120s. Mamucium was demolished some time around 140 AD. Although the vicus grew rapidly in the early 2nd century, it was abandoned some time between 120 and 160 – broadly coinciding with the demolition of the fort – before it was re-inhabited when the fort was rebuilt.
Hulme
Hulme is an inner city area and electoral ward of Manchester, England. Located immediately south of Manchester city centre, it is an area with significant industrial heritage....
. An altar dedicated to "Fortune the Preserver" was found, probably dating to the early 3rd century. In 2008 an altar dating from the late 1st century was discovered near the Roman settlement. It was dedicated to two minor Germanic gods and described as being in "fantastic" condition. The County Archaeologist
County Archaeologist
A County Archaeologist is a local government employee in the United Kingdom with responsibility for overseeing development-led archaeological investigations required by PPG16...
said
As well as Pagan worship, there is also evidence of early Christian worship. In the 1970s a 2nd century "word square" was discovered with an anagram of PATER NOSTER
Lord's Prayer
The Lord's Prayer is a central prayer in Christianity. In the New Testament of the Christian Bible, it appears in two forms: in the Gospel of Matthew as part of the discourse on ostentation in the Sermon on the Mount, and in the Gospel of Luke, which records Jesus being approached by "one of his...
. There has been discussion by academics whether the "word square", which is carved on a piece of amphora
Amphora
An amphora is a type of vase-shaped, usually ceramic container with two handles and a long neck narrower than the body...
, is actually a Christian artefact, if so, it is one of the earliest examples of Christianity in Britain.
The second phase was built around 160 AD. Although it was again of turf and timber construction, it was larger than the previous fort, measuring 2 hectares (4.9 acre) to accommodate extra granaries (horrea
Horreum
A horreum was a type of public warehouse used during the ancient Roman period. Although the Latin term is often used to refer to granaries, Roman horrea were used to store many other types of consumables; the giant Horrea Galbae in Rome were used not only to store grain but also olive oil, wine,...
). Around 200 AD, the gatehouses of the fort were rebuilt in stone and the walls surrounding the fort were given a stone facing. The concentration of furnaces in sheds in part of the vicus associated with the fort has been described as an "industrial estate", which would have been the first in Manchester. Mamucium was included in the Antonine Itinerary
Antonine Itinerary
The Antonine Itinerary is a register of the stations and distances along the various roads of the Roman empire, containing directions how to get from one Roman settlement to another...
, a 3rd century register of roads throughout the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
. This and inscriptions on and repairs to buildings indicate that Mamucium was still in use in the first half of the 3rd century. The vicus may have been abandoned by the mid 3rd century; this is supported by the excavated remains of some buildings while were demolished and the materials robbed for use elsewhere. Evidence from coins indicates that although the civilian settlement associated with the fort had declined by the mid 3rd century, a small garrison may have remained at Mamucium into the late 3rd century and early 4th century.
Post-Roman
Antiquarian
An antiquarian or antiquary is an aficionado or student of antiquities or things of the past. More specifically, the term is used for those who study history with particular attention to ancient objects of art or science, archaeological and historic sites, or historic archives and manuscripts...
s John Leland in the 16th century, William Camden
William Camden
William Camden was an English antiquarian, historian, topographer, and officer of arms. He wrote the first chorographical survey of the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and the first detailed historical account of the reign of Elizabeth I of England.- Early years :Camden was born in London...
in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, and William Stukeley
William Stukeley
William Stukeley FRS, FRCP, FSA was an English antiquarian who pioneered the archaeological investigation of the prehistoric monuments of Stonehenge and Avebury, work for which he has been remembered as "probably... the most important of the early forerunners of the discipline of archaeology"...
and the Manchester historian, John Whitaker
John Whitaker (historian)
John Whitaker B.D., F.S.A. , was an English historian and Anglican clergyman. Besides historical studies on the Roman Empire and on the early history of Great Britain he was a reviewer for London magazines and a poet.-Life:He was the son of James Whitaker, innkeeper, and was born in Manchester on...
in the 18th century. In the early 18th century, John Horsley said:
The name "Tarquin's Castle" refers to the legend that the fort had been occupied by a giant named Tarquin.
Whitaker described what remained of the fort in 1773:
Mamucium was levelled as Manchester expanded during the Industrial Revolution. The construction of the Rochdale Canal through the south western corner of the fort in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, and the building of viaducts for the Great Northern Railway over the site in the late 19th century, damaged the remains and even destroyed some of the southern half of the fort. When the railway viaducts were built, Charles Roeder documented the remains that were uncovered in the process, including parts of the vicus.
The first archaeological
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
investigation of Mamucium was in 1906. Francis Bruton, who would later work on the Roman fort at Castleshaw
Castleshaw
Castleshaw is a hamlet in the Saddleworth parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amid the Pennines, north of Uppermill, west-southwest of Marsden, and east-northeast of Oldham....
, excavated the fort's western defences. A series of small scale excavations were undertaken intermittently between 1912 and 1967, generally exploring the northern defences of the fort. In the mid-20th century, historian A. J. P. Taylor
A. J. P. Taylor
Alan John Percivale Taylor, FBA was a British historian of the 20th century and renowned academic who became well known to millions through his popular television lectures.-Early life:...
called the surviving stretch of Roman wall "the least interesting Roman remains in Britain". The first excavation of the vicus was carried out in the 1970s under Professor Barri Jones
Barri Jones
Geraint Dyfed Barri Jones was a classical scholar and archaeologist.Born in St Helens to Welsh-speaking parents, he attended High Wycombe Royal Grammar School from 1947–1954, and won a Welsh Foundation Scholarship to read classics at Jesus College, Oxford.-Fieldwork and...
. In 1982 the fort, along with the rest of the Castlefield area, became the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's first Urban Heritage Park, and partial reconstructions of the forts walls, including the ramparts and gateways, were opened in 1984. In 2001–2005 the University of Manchester Archaeological Unit
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
carried out excavations in the vicus to further investigate the site before the area underwent any more regeneration or reconstruction. The archaeological investigation of Mamucium Roman fort and its associated civilian settlement has, so far, provided approximately 10,000 artefacts.
Layout
The fort measured 160 metres (175 yd) by 130 metres (142.2 yd) and was surrounded by a double ditch and wooden rampart. Around AD 200 the wooden rampart was replaced by stone ramparts, measuring between 2.1 metres (7 ft) and 2.7 metres (9 ft) thick. The vicus associated with Mamucium surrounded the site on the west, north, and east sides, with the majority lying to the north. The vicus covered about 26 hectares (64.2 acre) and the fort about 2 hectares (4.9 acre). Buildings within the vicus would have generally been one storey, timber framedTimber framing
Timber framing , or half-timbering, also called in North America "post-and-beam" construction, is the method of creating structures using heavy squared off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden pegs . It is commonplace in large barns...
, and of wattle and daub
Wattle and daub
Wattle and daub is a composite building material used for making walls, in which a woven lattice of wooden strips called wattle is daubed with a sticky material usually made of some combination of wet soil, clay, sand, animal dung and straw...
construction. There may have been a cemetery to the south east of the fort.
See also
- History of ManchesterHistory of ManchesterThe history of Manchester encompasses its change from a minor Lancastrian township into the pre-eminent industrial metropolis of the United Kingdom and the world. Manchester began expanding "at an astonishing rate" around the turn of the 19th century as part of a process of unplanned urbanisation...
- Scheduled Monuments in Greater ManchesterScheduled Monuments in Greater ManchesterThere are 37 Scheduled Monuments in Greater Manchester, a metropolitan county in North West England. In the United Kingdom, a Scheduled Monument is a "nationally important" archaeological site or historic building that has been given protection against unauthorised change...