Roman BritainRoman fort and enclosure at Sutton Cross
Roman Fort · Military

Roman fort and enclosure at Sutton Cross

Roman Britain
Pleiades ID: nhle-5013
Site type
Fort
Category
Military
Latitude
52.5784
Longitude
-0.3674
Overview

History & context

Sutton Cross lies in the East Midlands close to the line of Ermine Street, the major Roman road running north from London through Lincoln to York. The fort and associated enclosure here likely represent a relatively short-lived military installation of the conquest or early consolidation period (mid- to later 1st century AD), of a type used to police the road corridor and surrounding lowland landscape during the advance into the territory of the Corieltavi.

Source: Pleiades — A Community-Built Gazetteer and Graph of Ancient Places. View the Pleiades record →

Significance

Historical significance

Sites of this kind formed part of the network of marching camps, vexillation forts and smaller installations strung along Ermine Street between the legionary bases at Lincoln (Lindum) and the developing civilian centres of the region, securing supply and communications during the northward expansion of Roman control. Sutton Cross is not among the better-known forts of the province and does not appear to have developed into a substantial vicus or later town.

About this site

Questions & answers

What is Roman fort and enclosure at Sutton Cross?

Sutton Cross lies in the East Midlands close to the line of Ermine Street, the major Roman road running north from London through Lincoln to York. It is recorded in the Pleiades gazetteer of ancient places as a fort site from the Roman period in Britain.

What type of Roman site is Roman fort and enclosure at Sutton Cross?

Roman fort and enclosure at Sutton Cross is classified as a Roman fort — a military site in the Pleiades ancient world gazetteer. Roman Britain's archaeology encompasses thousands of sites ranging from legionary fortresses and marching camps to villas, temples and towns.

What other Roman sites are near Roman fort and enclosure at Sutton Cross?

Several Roman sites lie within a short distance, including Ailsworth (1 km), Site of Roman villa NE of Sibson Hollow (1.3 km), Roman villa SW of Castor station (1.4 km). Aubrey Research maps over 2,200 Roman sites across Britain, drawn from the Pleiades ancient world gazetteer.

How can I research the history of the area around Roman fort and enclosure at Sutton Cross?

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