Scheduled MonumentsEnglandCaister-on-Sea Roman fort and Saxon settlement

Caister-on-Sea Roman fort and Saxon settlement

England
List entry 1015268
Nation
England
The designation
Reference
List entry 1015268
Authority
Historic England (NHLE)
Status
Scheduled Monument
Scheduled area
1.62 hectares
Grid reference
TG 51669 12296
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic England (NHLE)

Overview

History & significance

Caister-on-Sea is a Roman fort in Norfolk, England, established during the late third century as part of the coastal defence system known as the Saxon Shore. The fort, originally called Gariannonum, was constructed to protect against Saxon and other Germanic raids on the east coast of Roman Britain. Substantial remains of the fort's defensive walls survive, standing to considerable height and constructed of flint and mortar, making them among the most impressive Roman structures visible in East Anglia. The site was occupied into the early Saxon period, demonstrating continuity of settlement following the Roman withdrawal from Britain in the early fifth century.

Caister-on-Sea Roman fort and Saxon settlement is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1015268. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Caister-on-Sea Roman fort and Saxon settlement?

Caister-on-Sea is a Roman fort in Norfolk, England, established during the late third century as part of the coastal defence system known as the Saxon Shore. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1015268.

Who is responsible for protecting Caister-on-Sea Roman fort and Saxon settlement?

Caister-on-Sea Roman fort and Saxon settlement is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic England (NHLE) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in England. The official designation reference is 1015268.

What other scheduled monuments are near Caister-on-Sea Roman fort and Saxon settlement?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Caister Castle (1.2 km), Midsands Cross on Crosstead road (2.4 km), Second World War Heavy Anti-Aircraft (HAA) Battery, 345m east of Decoy Farm, Mautby (3.2 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Caister-on-Sea Roman fort and Saxon settlement

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 15 strands of Caister-on-Sea Roman fort and Saxon settlement's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman Britain
The Roman roads, forts and towns near here, and the Iron Age people who held the land before Rome arrived.
Domesday
The settlement's entry in the 1086 Domesday Book: who held it, what it was worth, and the people who worked the land.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
LiDAR
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks hidden under fields and woodland, with likely features flagged.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
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The ground beneath

The bedrock under Caister-on-Sea Roman fort and Saxon settlement

Caister-on-Sea Roman fort and Saxon settlement stands on Neogene To Quaternary Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Quaternary. The rock here is gravel, sand, silt and clay.

The wider landscape

Around Caister-on-Sea Roman fort and Saxon settlement

Caistor St EdmundsRoman town · ~18.6 miles