Roman Birmingham 4 : Excavations at Metchley Roman Fort 2004-2005

Alex Jones, Hilary Cool, Greig, James, Rob Ixer, Erica Macey-Bracken

Report on an area excavation Dec. 2004-May 2005 within the western part of the interior and defences of Metchley Roman fort, Birmingham (West Midlands, England), undertaken on instruction from University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust in advance of proposals for a new hospital development. The excavation covered approximately 9% of the total internal area of the Phase 1 and Phase 3 fort. Among the features identified were a gate, gatehouse, and possible praetorium in the western defences of the first fort; a subsequent military stores depot; the rectangular fort representing the first military re-occupation of the Metchley site (phase 3A); and buildings outside the fort defences, including palisade trenches holding livestock, hearths, ovens, and a timber-framed building. A "funnel" to facilitate the herding of livestock into the fort may have had a later Roman civilian or...