Description

Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by Videotext Communications Ltd to carry out archaeological recording and post-excavation analysis on an archaeological evaluation by Channel 4’s ‘Time Team’ at Binchester Roman Fort, County Durham, centred on NGR 421000 531300. The fieldwork comprised geophysical survey and three machine-excavated evaluation trenches.
Binchester fort is one of a number of military complexes built as part of Governor
Agricola’s push into Scotland in the late 1st century AD, and later consolidated to
support the defences at Hadrian’s Wall. The fort was built to guard the point where Dere Street crossed the River Wear and was first constructed in timber around AD80, to be replaced by a larger stone fort in the early 2nd century AD. Today only the excavated buildings and the earthwork remains of the north-eastern ramparts survive above ground. Archaeological excavation has shown what happened to the fort after it was abandoned by the Romans around AD410.