Durocornovium facts for kids
Durocornovium was a Roman town in Britain, situated on the Roman road between Corinium Dobunnorum (Cirencester) and Calleva Atrebatum (Silchester). In many ways Durocornovium was a typical small Roman town.
Site
The town, encompassing around 25 hectares at its peak, was located at Nythe Farm, east of the A419 adjacent to modern Swindon, although the site is usually associated with the village of Wanborough to the southeast. The farmland is a designated flood plain and has a history of inundation, alleviated by modern drainage, based on clay and gravel beds.
There is no public access and no remains are visible.
Excavations
The following digs have been made at Durocornovium.
1692 - Workmen uncovered an earthen pot containing two thousand coins dated no later than the reign of Commodus
1862 - Sir R. C. Hoare made a visit to the site and found it had every mark of Roman residence, in coins, figured bricks, tiles, but unfortunately, had not preserved them.
1967 - Evidence of stone buildings uncovered.
1968 - A stone building found plus cobbled surfaces and post holes.
1969 - Six week dig that revealed earlier buildings.
1970 - Inconclusive dig in areas suffering from post-Roman disturbance.
1975 - Two trenches dug and material recovered.
1976 - The most extensive dig which allowed a chronology for the town to be created.
Industry and commerce
This was a town on a major communication link and for that reason a busy commercial element is probable. At Roman agricultural sites in the area, particularly to the south, the existence of ovens for drying corn indicates a trade in grain. The Romans also quarried stone from the hill to the west.
Located in what is now West Swindon the Romans maintained a considerable pottery industry. The town has shown evidence of pottery remains from all over southern Britain, and some from Gaul and Africa, yet the potters of Durocornovium created a unique style of painted wares which never became fashionable nor widespread.
