Margam Stones Museum: guidebook

1949 (2nd impress. 1967)

The guidebook presents the collection of a Roman milestone, early Christian inscriptions, and later monastic material that were moved into the old School House at Margam in 1932.

The guidebook by C.A. Ralegh Radford starts with a history of the area that allows the material in the museum to be placed in context: The Silures and Glamorgan in the Roman period; the restoration of native rile and the introduction of Christianity; the early Christian memorial stones; the formation of Glamorgan; the Celtic monastery at Margam; the pre-Romanesque crosses; the later history of the kingdom of Morgannwg; the Norman conquest of Glamorgan; the Cistercian abbey of Margam.

The second half includes a description of the pieces, starting with the early 4th century Roman milestone from Port Talbot (RIB 2254).

The guidebook includes a plan of the museum showing how the stone were displayed.

Vindolanda: Roman milestone

Vindolanda, Roman milestone © David Gill

The Roman milestone on the Stanegate near Vindolanda was placed in State Guardianship (‘Chesterholm Roman Milestone’). The fort was place in State Guardianship in 1939 and also had Ministry signs.

A second milestone lies one Roman mile to the west. It originally carried the inscription, bon[o] reipublic[ae] nato (RIB 2308).

The 1959 Regional Guide notes: ‘The earliest occupation dates from the time of Agricola whose road, the Stanegate, runs past the north gate of the fort and retains, near the burn, a Roman milestone; the base of another (not in the Ministry’s guardianship) stands a Roman mile to the west.’

Vindolanda, Roman milestone © David Gill

I have a photograph of the milestone from the late 1970s with some of the bushes encroaching on its space and obscuring the line of the road.

Vindolanda, Roman milestone © David Gill

Signs of Dere Street

Dere Street © David Gill

Dere Street ran north from York to the Firth of Forth, passing through Aldborough, Piercebridge, Corbridge and Newstead. A section of the Roman road can be followed to the south-west of Soutra Aisle as it cuts across the Lammermuir Hills before it drops down to the Forth.

The road continued in use into the Medieval period.

This section of the road is in the case of Historic Scotland.

Dere Street near Soutra Aisle © David Gill

Dere Street near Soutra Aisle © David Gill

Dere Street at Soutra Aisle © David Gill

Roman milestone from Tintagel

Roman milestone, Tintagel © David Gill

A Roman milestone made of slate is displayed in the parish church of St Materiana at Tintagel (RIB 2231). It was first noted in 1889 on the east side of the churchyard.

The inscription, on the upper part of the column, records the emperor Caesar Galerius Valerius Licinianus Licinius, and should therefore be dated by Collingwood to 308-24.

A second milestone was discovered to the east of Tintagel in 1919 (RIB 2230). It records the names of Gallus and Volusian, and should therefore be dated to 251-53.

It has been suggested that the Roman settlement of Durnocornovium, recorded in the Ravenna list, was located on the north Cornish coast, and that the road on which these stones were markers, served it.

Roman Sites and English Heritage

Walltown Crags, Hadrian’s Wall © David Gill

Hadrian’s Wall and Stanegate

• Benwell Vallum Crossing
• Benwell Roman Temple
• Denton Hall Turret (7b)
• Heddon on the Wall
• Planetrees Roman Wall
• Brunton Turret (26b)
• Chesters Bridge Abutment
• Chesters Roman Fort
• Black Carts Turret (29a)
• Carrawburgh, Temple of Mithras
• Sewingshields Wall (35)
• Housesteads Roman Fort (36b)
• Winshields Wall
• Cawfields (42)
• Walltown Crags (45a)
• Poltross Burn Milecastle (48)
• Willowford Wall, Turrets and Bridge (48a, b)
• Harrows Scar Milecastle and Wall (49)
• Birdoswald Roman Fort
• Leahill Turret and Piper Sike Turret (51a, b)
• Pike Hill Signal Station
• Banks East Turret (52a)
• Hare Hill

Stanegate

• Corbridge

Roman Forts

• Ambleside Roman Fort
• Chester Roman Amphitheatre
• Hardknott Roman Fort
• Ravenglass Roman Bath House
• Scarborough Castle (Roman Fortlet)

Saxon Shore Forts

• Burgh Castle
• Caister Roman Fort
• Dover Castle (Roman Lighthouse)
• Pevensey Castle
• Portchester Castle
• Reculver Towers and Roman Fort
• Richborough Roman Fort and Amphitheatre

Roman Towns

• Aldborough Roman Town
• Cirencester Amphitheatre
• Leicester, Jewry Wall
• London Wall
• Old Sarum
• St Albans (Verulamium)
• Silchester Roman City Walls and Amphitheatre
• Wall Roman Site
• Wroxeter

Roman Villas

• Great Witcombe Roman Villa
• Lullingstone Roman Villa
• North Leigh Roman Villa

Roman Temples

• Jordan Hill Roman Temple
• Maiden Castle (Roman Temple)

Other features

• Piercebridge Roman Bridge
• Wheeldale Roman Road

Roman Road Signs

Wheeldale Moor Roman Road © David Gill

The Roman road over Wheeldale Moor in North Yorkshire is well signposted. It is now in the care of English Heritage.

Near Goathland there is a choice of routes. The reverse of the ‘route for motors’ sign is blank.

Wheeldale Moor Roman Road © David Gill

 

Piercebridge Roman Bridge

Piercebridge Roman Bridge © David Gill

The Roman road, Dere Street, from York (Eboracum) to Corbridge crossed the river Tees at Piercebridge. Remains of the Roman bridge are in the care of English Heritage (full details here including plan and bibliography). This bridge appears to date to the early 3rd century AD.

A short entry on on the bridge (with reconstruction) appears in the English Heritage guidebook to Aldborough Roman Town.