Roman Middlewich facts for kids

Harbutt's (or Harvest) Field, where the Roman fort was located.

The town of Middlewich was first built by the Romans. They called it Salinae, which means "salt works," because there was a lot of salt in the area. Middlewich was one of their main places for making salt.

The Romans built a strong fort at Harbutts Field, just north of the town. Recent digs have found more Roman activity south of the fort. They even found an old well and part of a Roman road. Another dig in 2004 found even more signs of Roman life.

A Roman Road called King Street runs between Middlewich and nearby Northwich. Some people thought this road was the first path the Romans took to conquer the North West of England. However, pottery found there suggests this might not be true.

Middlewich was an important meeting point for seven major Roman roads. Because of this, it was once known as 'Medius Vicus', which means "the town at the junction of the roads."

Discovering Roman Treasures

You can find many cool Roman objects in the Middlewich Library. These items help us learn about what life was like long ago.

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  This is a black tankard, a type of drinking cup. It was probably made between 120 and 200 AD. It was polished to make it look shiny and metallic.

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  An Amphora was a tall jar used to carry things like olive oil, wine, or even fish sauce across the Roman Empire. This one was later used for making salt. You can see the letters AMVRCO scratched on it, which means "salt waste."

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  This is a special military paper given to a soldier when they finished their service in 105 AD. It was found near King Street in Middlewich.

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  These are brooches, which were like pins used to fasten clothes. From left to right, you can see a Trumpet brooch, a Penannular brooch, and two other bronze brooches. They are from the 2nd to 4th centuries.

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  This cream-colored flagon is from the 3rd century. It was likely used to hold wine.

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  This is a piece of a Roman army stewpot. Soldiers would have used pots like this to cook their meals.

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  A mortarium was a mixing bowl used in Roman kitchens. This one is from 80-110 AD and has the potter's name, ALBINVS, on the rim. It was probably made in Wilderspool.

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  This is an orange-colored beaker, another type of drinking cup.

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  This is a Roman chimney pot, used to help smoke escape from buildings.

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  This is a piece of Terra sigillata, which was a fancy type of Roman pottery.

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  These are iron nails from the 2nd century AD. They would have been used in Roman construction.