Letocetum facts for kids
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| Location | Wall, Staffordshire |
|---|---|
| Region |  England |
| Type | mansion and bath house |
| History | |
| Founded | c. 50 CE |
| Abandoned | 4th century |
| Periods | Roman Empire |
| Cultures | Romano-British |
| Site notes | |
| Condition | Ruins |
| Ownership | National Trust |
| Public access | Yes |
Letocetum was an important Roman settlement. It served as a key military stop and a place for official travelers to rest. It was located near where two major Roman roads, Watling Street and Icknield (or Ryknild) Street, met. Today, this ancient site is in the village of Wall, England.
The National Trust owns and manages the site, calling it the Letocetum Roman Baths Site & Museum. English Heritage also helps protect it as the Wall Roman Site.
The Romans arrived at Letocetum around 50 CE. They built a fortress during their early invasion of Britain. The area couldn't support many soldiers for long. So, Letocetum became a large "posting station." This was a place where official travelers could get food, lodging, and fresh horses.
Over time, the settlement grew. It had several bath houses and "mansiones." A mansio was like a hotel for Roman officials. These buildings served both travelers and the local people. We know a lot about Letocetum from digs in 1912–13. These digs focused on the mansio and bath-house. But there is also proof of a larger town. It might have had a public hall, temples, and even an amphitheater.
What you can see today are the stone ruins of the bath house and mansio. These were built around 130 CE. By this time, Letocetum was no longer a military base. It had become a civilian town. The town was busiest in the 2nd and 3rd centuries. It covered an area of about 8 to 12 hectares (20 to 30 acres).
Towards the end of the 3rd century, the town moved. It was rebuilt inside strong defensive walls along Watling Street. After the Romans left Britain in the early 5th century, Letocetum slowly faded away. The modern village of Wall now stands where Letocetum once was.
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What Does the Name Letocetum Mean?
The name of the site is mentioned as Etocetum in old Roman travel guides. This was a Latin version of an older British name. It likely meant "Grey-wood." This name might have come from the types of trees common in the area, like ash and elm.
Some historians believe Letocetum is the "Fort Greywood" mentioned in an old book called History of the Britains. This book lists 28 important cities in Britain after the Romans left.
Letocetum's History
Early British Settlement
Before the Romans came, a small British settlement probably existed here. It might have been a trading spot between two local tribes. These were the Corieltauvi from the East Midlands and the Cornovii from the west. These tribes did not fight much against Roman rule.
Roman Military Base
Around 50 CE, a Roman army unit built a large wooden fortress at Letocetum. It was on a hilltop near where the church is today. This fortress housed the Legio XIV Gemina (a Roman legion). They were fighting against a tribe called the Brigantes. It was a good place for defense. But the land around it was not good for farming. It could not feed many soldiers.
Later, a smaller fortress replaced the first one. Letocetum then grew into a major posting station. Most of the soldiers moved to a larger fortress at Viroconium Cornoviorum around 58 CE.
A Busy Posting Station
A "mansio" was built to offer lodging for official messengers. These messengers traveled along Watling Street. A bath house was also built for travelers and the growing local population. When the first mansio and bath house were ready, workers were needed. They supplied wood for the bath house and cared for animals. They also repaired vehicles for the official travelers. The local people likely provided many of these services.
The British settlement grew from the late 1st century onwards. It covered 8 to 12 hectares (20 to 30 acres). Roman graves from the 1st and 2nd centuries were found along Watling Street. A round dip in the ground might be where a Roman amphitheatre once stood. A large clay pot shaped like the goddess Minerva was found near the modern church. This suggests there might have been a temple to Minerva there. Another possible temple site is visible as a rectangular mark in the field.
When the Roman Legion XIV first arrived, they used existing paths. But they needed a stone road for reliable travel. Watling Street was paved with stone past Letocetum around 70 CE. This date comes from two coins found under the first road surface. We don't know exactly when Ryknild Street was built. But it seems Watling Street was built first. Watling Street connected Letocetum to London in one direction. It went to Wroxeter and Chester in the other. Ryknild Street was 7.3 meters (24 feet) wide where it crossed Watling Street. It linked Letocetum to Cirencester in the southwest and Yorkshire in the northeast.
Early Mansiones and Bath Houses
Archaeologists found the foundations of the last mansio and its bath-house in 1912–13. They cleared the rooms to show the stone foundations. Underneath these, they found traces of two earlier wooden mansiones.
The first mansio was built around 54–60 CE. It was made of timber beams, with walls of woven wood and mud. Some walls were plastered and painted. The roof was probably thatch and burned down. The rooms were around a square courtyard. We don't know the full layout because later buildings were built on top. This first mansio was likely destroyed by fire in the early 2nd century.
The second mansio was also a courtyard building. Its walls were plaster and mud, painted in bright colors. In the courtyard, there was a large well. It was 2.29 by 2.44 meters (7.5 by 8 feet) wide and 6.1 meters (20 feet) deep. This second mansio was taken apart on purpose around 140–150 CE. This happened when the third mansio was being built. Around the same time, the second hilltop fort was abandoned. Letocetum stopped being a military site.
The earliest bath-house was found in 1956. A coin from 71 CE was found in its construction trench. This suggests the building was put up around 100 CE. It was probably built during the military period. The remaining stone work is very good quality. It has finely cut stones and thick walls. The second mansio, the last fort, and the first bath house all seem to have ended when the military left the site.
Letocetum Becomes a Civilian Town
Letocetum stopped being used by the military around 130 CE. It probably came under the control of the local British tribe, the Cornovii. Their main city was Viroconium Cornoviorum. Around this time, a new mansio and bath house were built.
The third mansio is the one we know most about. It was built on a stone base around 130 CE. It had at least two floors. The front had a row of columns with a tiled roof. A large door in the middle led into the building. Inside, there was a courtyard with a plastered floor. This central area was likely open to the sky and might have had a garden.
The entrance hall had rooms on each side. The one on the west had washing facilities. The largest room was in the northeast corner. It had a special heating system under the floor.
To the west of the mansio was the public bath-house. A cobbled road separated the two buildings. From the street, a paved area led to a row of columns at the front of the bath-house. Large doors opened into a big, covered courtyard. This courtyard might have been a "basilica," a public hall. A town this size would usually have one.
At the far north end of the bath complex was the stoke-room. This is where wood-fired furnaces heated the bath-house. Hot air from the furnaces circulated under the floors. This heated the warm room (tepidarium), hot room (caldarium), and sweating room (laconicum). The hot air also went up through special tiles in the walls. It then escaped through vents in the roof.
Late Roman Defenses and Decline
Letocetum lost its public buildings near the end of the 3rd century. The bath-house and mansio were destroyed by fire. Around this time, very strong defenses were built. These new defenses did not include the old bath-house or mansio sites. The reason for abandoning these buildings is not clear. It was probably for economic reasons. Other mansio sites in Britain were also abandoned around this time. This did not mean the end of the posting service at Letocetum. It might have been a cheaper way to reorganize things.
The new defenses were built around 300 CE. They were located about 150 meters (490 feet) east of the mansio site. They included a stone wall about 2.7 meters (9 feet) thick. In front of the wall were three ditches. Behind it was a rampart of earth. The area inside the walls was 2.1 hectares (5.2 acres).
Historians think these defenses were built because of a rebellion by Welsh tribes. The revolt was stopped quickly. But to prevent future problems, strongholds were built along Watling Street. Letocetum was one of these. All archaeological finds from the 4th century come from inside these defenses. This suggests that everyone lived within the walls by then. The latest Roman coin found at Letocetum was from 381 CE. Roman rule ended in Britain in the early 5th century. Nothing found at the site dates after this time.
After the Romans Left
Letocetum must have been important for some time after the Romans left. It is listed in a 9th-century book. The book mentions it among major towns like York, London, and Chester. This shows it was still a significant place. A British outpost was set up there. We don't know much about the period right after the Romans left. There is no historical or archaeological evidence.
Letocetum lost its importance when nearby Lichfield grew in the 7th century. Lichfield became the seat of a Bishop. When the place appeared in history again, it had a new name: Wall. This name referred to the remains of the late Roman defenses. Parts of these walls were still standing in the early 19th century.
Images for kids
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Letocetum Roman Baths Site & Museum
See also
In Spanish: Letocetum para niños
