Tuesday 4 October 2016, 7pm
Mansio, Medieval Pottery, M6 Toll and Museum: a personal perspective on Wall Roman site (Letocetum), Staffordshire
With Dr. Mike Hodder
Wall originated as a series of 1st-century Roman forts on a hilltop overlooking Watling Street. A small town which developed outside the forts included a bath house and mansio (an inn). At the end of the 3rd century a walled enclosure or burgus was built astride Watling Street. Excavations along the line of the M6 Toll motorway near Wall revealed a Roman cemetery and a pottery kiln.
In addition to a summary of the Roman sites in and around Wall as part of the Roman West Midlands, this lecture will consider Wall before and after the Romans, interpretation and display of the site and finds, and some questions for future research.
Mike dug at Wall in the 1970s and he regards it as a formative site in his career. He was involved with the M6 Toll when he was Birmingham City Council’s archaeologist, and he is now a member of the Friends of Letocetum who man Wall museum and promote the site.
This lecture forms an introduction to the Society’s excursion to Wall on Saturday 29 October (meet at Wall Museum 2pm) which will consist of a visit to the Museum and a guided walk.