Binchester Roman Fort - the Bath houses
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Binchester Roman Fort - the Bath houses

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The first fortification at Binchester just outside of Bishop Auckland in County Durham was built around AD 75. It occupied a spur of high ground which was flanked on the south and west sides by the River Wear which served as both a natural defensive barrier and a key logistical artery. The fort itself, which would have been an earth and timber fortification, in the standard Roman 'playing card' layout

The Headquarters was located in the centre of the site and would have been flanked by the Commanding Officer's house and granaries whilst workshops and barracks would have occupied the four quadrants.

The ditches of the first fort were filled in sometime between AD 125 and AD 150 suggesting it was abandoned at this time. It is uncertain if there was a gap in occupation before a new fort was built around AD 150. This new fort was smaller than the original, enclosing just eleven acres, but the layout was similar. The garrison at this time was the Spanish Wing of Vettones (ala Hispanorum Vettonum), a 1,000 strong cavalry unit comprised of Roman citizens traditionally recruited from central Spain. A civilian settlement grew up along Dere Street between the fort and the river. There were also substantial civilian buildings to the south-east of the fort. At some point during the third century AD the garrison changed to the First Cohort of Frisiavones (Cohors Primae Frisiavonum), a Regiment from Holland.

Binchester Roman Fort remained in use until the Roman withdrawal from Britain in the early fifth century AD. However, whilst the Roman supply chain may have ceased to function, the fort continued to be occupied. The troops at this time had probably been recruited locally and it is possible that they continued to function as a local war band. The site continued to be used into the Anglo-Saxon period although the fabric of the fort itself had started to be stripped out - in particular stone had been robbed from the defences to build Escomb church.

This video focuses on the 2 bath Houses - the second larger one is currently out of bounds but I was lucky enough to be taken around it by the County Archaeologist
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