Time Team: 6x2

Back Garden Roman Finds - Papcastle, Cumbria

The team are in North West England, investigating Roman finds and a possible Roman building, unearthed in a family’s back garden. The house is just 100 metres from a Roman fort, and south-west of the end of Hadrian’s Wall. Geophysics are using state-of-the art Swedish radar equipment, to detect foundations beneath two metres of soil. A fragment of bronze mirror hints at a domestic settlement, a vicus, that would have sprung up next to the fort. But the diggers are finding plenty of archaeology, indicating much larger and more organised Roman building, possibly a city. Through the expertise of potter Gilbert Burroughes, the team are going to try to make a Samian ware bowl during the three days. The team are joined by Roman specialist Lindsay Allason-Jones.