Excitement grows over possible discovery of rare Roman temple underneath Lancaster

The release of a new city council report marks an important step forward in the understanding of Lancaster’s Roman heritage,

Lancaster City Council has released the report on the archaeological excavation history of the city’s Roman fort site on Castle Hill and related nearby areas,

The report looks back on a century of excavations and it is thought that recent excavation and geophysics work may have revealed a rare northern example of a Romano-Celtic temple.

Coun Sandra Thornberry, cabinet member with responsibility for museums, said: “The possible discovery of a Romano-Celtic temple would be very exciting and greatly add to the significance of the site.”

The report has been put together for the council by Jason Wood of Heritage Consultancy Services, who was the lead archaeologist for the Beyond the Castle project.

It will feed into work to develop a research framework to guide priorities for archaeological and historical investigation on the wider site, with a focus on Vicarage Fields and Quay Meadow in particular.

To help deliver on the research framework, the council has established an advisory group of experts from local heritage groups and the general public.

Until the priorities for investigation have been decided, it is proposed no further excavations will be held on Vicarage Fields and Quay Meadow.

Signs have been erected reminding users that metal detecting is not allowed. Part of the area is legally protected because of its historical importance so metal detecting and any other activity that might damage the heritage of the site is a criminal offence.

What is a Romano-Celtic temple?

A Romano-Celtic temple is a sub-class of Roman temple found in the north western provinces of Roman Britain.

Most temples in Roman Britain were of a Romano-Celtic design. This was a much less elaborate structure than its classical predecessor.

Each temple normally consisted of a box-like cella, of variable height, surrounded by an ambulatory or veranda built from stone, wood or both.

The floor plan is typically square or rectangular, but triangular, circular and polygonal layouts are also known.

Find out more

More information and a copy of the Lancaster City Council report can be found at www.lancaster.gov.uk/roman