Alchester Roman Town

A Roman settlement was established at Alchester between 43 - 45 AD, according to dendrochronological analysis of surviving wooden posts unearthed by archaeologists in 2003.

Unfortunately, its original name is not known, but it may have been synonymous with a place spoken of by the Romans themselves as 'Alavna'; the suffix 'cester'/'ceaster' can be translated to 'fortified town'.

Alchester was built at a strategic location, at a crossroads of an important Roman road which connected Silchester, Towcester and Dorchester-on-Thames. It was one of the first Roman legionary fortresses constructed in Britain following the initial occupation in 43 AD, and was also the earliest site of its kind known to have it's own artificial water supply.

The Romans may have chosen this site due to its location on the border between two Belgic tribes who occupied the area: the Dobunni and Catuvellauni. Building a town here would have ensured that they could exercise some level of control over the tribes.

Following the successful Conquest of nearly the entirety of Britain, the Romans abandoned Alchester - then heading south to Exeter - between 60 - 68 AD.

It was during the aforementioned archaeological excavations that the broken tombstone of one Alchester resident was found; click here to find out more!

The image below depicts the entrance to the Roman town, as it may have looked circa 44 AD.