Quarry Hill Roman Camp

[cnosni]

Cardiarms wrote: Dunno - but just to annoy some Cornish nationalists I've been winding them up about our old Elmet heritage and our right to claim Cornish nationality. however i did read that the Romans left Elmet alone and did'nt impose much on the area, probably due to an agreed pay off everynow and then. It certainly is a defendable position but I would have thought a site close to the Leeds bridge on the other side of LadyBeck would have made more sense. Elemete was a post Roman era kingdom,formed from the complete collapse of 4 centuries of Roman rule and administration.The Romans werent interested in "doing deals",they saw that as weakness on their part.They did try to pursuade local chieftans into adopting Roman ways and values,which they eventually did,but this was a "take it or else" option.Eventually the population as a whole adopted Roman ways and customs,and eventually adopted the Empires new religion (in the 4th century)Christianity.The Romans invaded lands and subjegated their peoples and taxed them to the hilt,they didnt need a pay off,they demanded and took everything.Roman camps were built to a tried,tested and consistant formula,which was always based on flat ground,a hill would have been disruptive to their camp layout.Hill fortifications were the domain of the pre and post Roman era,so any fortifications seen by Thoresby on there would be more likely to be from either of those eras.Given the account by Bede the place of Campodum/Cambodum and the subsequent modern assertion that such a place COULD have been Leeds then it would be more likely that it is the latter option.That is not to say that the Romans didnt pass through Leeds,what is more likely is that the existing inhabitants became Romanised and as a consequence adopted the necessary traditions and customs in order to get on in life (money etc),post invasion.If there was a permanant Roman camp in the area then this would have eventually become a larger on more substantial structure with associated civilian settlement being attached,then we would see far more evidence from the Roman and post Roman period than what we have.A good example is Castleford,where the Romans used the shallow ford on the Aire to cross the river.A substantial road,whos route is still visible,was built either side of the river,with a Roman military camp built next to it on the south bank.This camp was enlarged and improved in later years and it attracted civilians to set up their businesses close to the camp,along the edge of the road,to ply their trade with the incumbents of the camp and also those persons passing through on the road.http://www.wakefieldmuseums.org/roman_c ... e_fort.php    

[chameleon]

Si wrote: While looking for something else on the 1847 OS map of Leeds (Headrow,) I noticed a part of Quarry Hill marked "Wall Flats" with a right-angled dotted line around it with the legend "site of a supposed Roman camp." I'd heard (probably on here!) that there were rumours of a Roman fort in this area, but didn't realise there was an actual known site.Click on the map to enlarge. Wall Flats is halfway down the right hand edge.Does anyone have any more info?Thanks,Si     Si, if you enter the Quarry House site carpark from under the flyover at Regent STreet, to the left of you is a derelect (more than the rest!) area, fenced off. My best guestimate is that this would be Wallflat as on your map. You can easily see the area I mean on Google Earth.

[Si]

chameleon wrote: Si wrote: While looking for something else on the 1847 OS map of Leeds (Headrow,) I noticed a part of Quarry Hill marked "Wall Flats" with a right-angled dotted line around it with the legend "site of a supposed Roman camp." I'd heard (probably on here!) that there were rumours of a Roman fort in this area, but didn't realise there was an actual known site.Click on the map to enlarge. Wall Flats is halfway down the right hand edge.Does anyone have any more info?Thanks,Si     Si, if you enter the Quarry House site carpark from under the flyover at Regent STreet, to the left of you is a derelect (more than the rest!) area, fenced off. My best guestimate is that this would be Wallflat as on your map. You can easily see the area I mean on Google Earth. Yes, I've looked. Obviously, no signs of earthworks, etc, due to hundreds of years of building and demolition.Chris - not all Roman camps were built on the flat. Housesteads, Hard Knott and Bainbridge come to mind. And Quarry Hill is more of a gentle plateau, rather than an Ingleborough!There does seem to be very little in the way of artefacts, though.     

[tilly]

Si wrote: chameleon wrote: Si wrote: While looking for something else on the 1847 OS map of Leeds (Headrow,) I noticed a part of Quarry Hill marked "Wall Flats" with a right-angled dotted line around it with the legend "site of a supposed Roman camp." I'd heard (probably on here!) that there were rumours of a Roman fort in this area, but didn't realise there was an actual known site.Click on the map to enlarge. Wall Flats is halfway down the right hand edge.Does anyone have any more info?Thanks,Si     Si, if you enter the Quarry House site carpark from under the flyover at Regent STreet, to the left of you is a derelect (more than the rest!) area, fenced off. My best guestimate is that this would be Wallflat as on your map. You can easily see the area I mean on Google Earth. Yes, I've looked. Obviously, no signs of earthworks, etc, due to hundreds of years of building and demolition.Chris - not all Roman camps were built on the flat. Housesteads, Hard Knott and Bainbridge come to mind. And Quarry Hill is more of a gentle plateau, rather than an Ingleborough!There does seem to be very little in the way of artefacts, though.      Hi Si you have got to picture how it would have looked over a few thousand years ago it would not have been a gentle slope then.Think of a boiled egg then take off the top this is how it has changed in the last few hundred years.It would have been a hill in the forest of Knaresbrough this forest went all the way down to Nottingham. It would not have been very easy to find with miles and miles of forest all around an ideal place to live hunt and fish through the passage of time we end up with the Leeds we have today. Its not as simple has it sounds but it might give you a rough idea.Or you might think what the heck is he on about lol    

[Si]

tilly wrote: Its not as simple has it sounds but it might give you a rough idea.Or you might think what the heck is he on about lol     Thinks..."What the heck is Tilly on about?"

[Steve Jones]

I know it is not in the centre of leeds,but a Roman coin hoard was found on Sugar Well hill in meanwood in the early 20th century c.f the councils "Conservation Plan for Meanwood" for details.

[tilly]

Steve Jones wrote: I know it is not in the centre of leeds,but a Roman coin hoard was found on Sugar Well hill in meanwood in the early 20th century c.f the councils "Conservation Plan for Meanwood" for details. Hi Steve Jones Romans were in the area they had the big camp at Adel. They would have been passing through the Leeds area but has for a camp in what we know as Leeds i dont think there is enough proof i could be wrong, but you do find one or two things of Roman origin but not the amount you would expect to find on a Roman camp site. The area around a site has many Roman objects left in the ground even if there is nothing left of the settlement they came from.

[blackprince]

Followed up Cambodonum on the web and found this "Leeds might be the site of a settlement called Cambodunum which is marked on a fourth-century Roman route finder. This was destroyed by King Penda of Mercia in 633AD." - From the YEP in 2007 so it must be true!This English heritage reference may be of interest to casual readers like me who had never heard of Cambodonum until now.http://pastscape.english-heritage.org.u ... search=all

[Cardiarms]

Pampocalia? Sounds like a health spa or a skin rash!

[Croggy2]

Lol - also reminded me of Pompocali - which has been discussed before, I think.