Building On Top Of Templeborough Roman Fort

[peterwarr]

I've recently been told that the National Projectile Factory built by Thomas Firth and Sons at Templeborough during WW1 was placed on top of the Roman fort which was there, perhaps obliterating it.

Other factories were built on the site after the war.

Does this mean that the Roman fort has been lost forever? Does anyone have information, please?

Many thanks, Peter

[Bayleaf]

I don't whether this adds anything useful, but Ella Armitage in "A key to English Antiquities with special reference to the Sheffield and Rotherham District" 1897, says

"...the remains were excavated a few years ago. It is deplorable that they have lately been covered up by the farmer, who wants the use of the land. When the history of Britain comes to be known and valued by the people of Britain, this field will be bought by the Rotherham Corporation, and the excavations will be renewed and completed, and without doubt many highly interesting discoveries will be made.

In the time of the antiquary Hunter (1831), the camp was still surrounded by a double bank, the outer line considerably exceeding the inner in height and thickness.""

In 1877 it was "a remarkably well-defined quadrangular earthwork, rather longer from N. to S. than from E. to W."

I wonder how deep a covering the farmer placed over the remains? If deep enough it's possible there are remains undisturbed.

[duckweed]

Some parts of buildings including a granary were taken to Clifton Park Museum Rotherham

[Unitedite Returns]

A survey carried out by the Roman archaeologist, Sir Thomas May in 1916 at the behest of Rotherham Corporation and the site owners Steel Peach & Tozer Ltd. who were extending their steelworks to meet the demands of the 1914-18 War. You can still obtain copies of the original published report, by Thomas May, titled THE ROMAN FORTS OF TEMPLEBOROUGH NEAR ROTHERHAM, as published by Henry Garnett, 1922, and I seem to recall that there was a reprint, sometime in the 1970’s, or 1980’s.

[Edmund]

Here's a couple of summary articles about the excavations in 1877. Not found any reference to how the site was left, though tours continued to visit the site for many years afterwards.

[miked]

I had a walk down there a while back armed with a rather poor map off the net. I did manage to establish that it is well and truly covered over, tarmac mainly.

I reckon it would be nice for people to see an outline painted on the ground?

[Bayleaf]

I had a walk down there a while back armed with a rather poor map off the net. I did manage to establish that it is well and truly covered over, tarmac mainly.

I reckon it would be nice for people to see an outline painted on the ground?

Templ. fort.jpg

I like the idea Mike. In Lincoln there are a number of circular metal markers in the pavement showing where the pillars of a roman building (I think the Roman forum?) stood.

[vox]

Image from publictransportexperience.blogspot.co.uk

[vox]

roman-britain.org

[duckweed]

They can do remote sensing even with tarmac covering so I am told. Maybe its a thought for Magna to ask Sheffield Uni to have a go? Could be interesting. There is so much in Rotherham and Sheffield that has yet to be looked at from an Archaeological perspective.

[Unitedite Returns]

The following extract recorded in the Antiquaries Journal;Volume 3 / Issue 02, of April 1923, pp 164-167, would suggest, unfortunately, that the site might have been extensively obliterated, following the Thomas May excavation.

http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=7810463

[lysander]

The National Projectile Factory was built by and managed by Sheffield steel makers, Thomas Firth and Son. It was built during WW1 as a direct result of the establishment of a Ministry of Munitions,after an acute shortage of shells became obvious.The site ,latterly occupied by Sheffield Steel Products Ltd,...was built on land more or less across the road from what was Steel , Peech and Tozer (SP&T) ( latterly, United Steels and then British Steel) The SP&T works occupied the site of the Roman Templeborough Fort....hence SP&T's "Templeborough" works.

[peterwarr]

Many thanks for all the great material.

It looks from Unitedite Returns (16 December) and Lysander (23 December) that my informant was incorrect: the factory built over the fort was not Firth’s National Projectile Factory, but was an extension by Steel, Peech and Tozer.

I’ve now been able to check the 1922 book by Thomas May cited by Unitedite Returns (it’s in both Rotherham and Sheffield Libraries). I’ve scanned the key Preface section for displaying here, but can’t manage to get it to appear. However, the crucial first sentence is:

“In 1916 the site of the Roman fortifications at Templeborough was acquired by the well known firm of Messrs Steel, Peech and Tozer Ltd. for works extensions to enable them to meet a pressing demand for their steel during the Great War.”

As mentioned by others, it would be good to “revive” it in some way. A centenary in 1916?

Peter

[Unitedite Returns]

Many thanks for all the great material.

It looks from Unitedite Returns (16 December) and Lysander (23 December) that my informant was incorrect: the factory built over the fort was not Firth’s National Projectile Factory, but was an extension by Steel, Peech and Tozer.

I’ve now been able to check the 1922 book by Thomas May cited by Unitedite Returns (it’s in both Rotherham and Sheffield Libraries). I’ve scanned the key Preface section for displaying here, but can’t manage to get it to appear. However, the crucial first sentence is:

“In 1916 the site of the Roman fortifications at Templeborough was acquired by the well known firm of Messrs Steel, Peech and Tozer Ltd. for works extensions to enable them to meet a pressing demand for their steel during the Great War.”

As mentioned by others, it would be good to “revive” it in some way. A centenary in 1916?

Peter

The preface section that I think that you make reference to, is attached below.

[Bayleaf]

Just read that before WW1 the Hunter Archaeological Society started a public fund to acquire the site. It was agreed that should the acquisition be successful, the National Trust would take the site over. Presumably not enough was raised, so the attempt failed. What a loss!