The guest house
What did the archaeologists find?
Travellers along the Roman road needed food, drink and rest. The archaeologists found the guest house (mansio) where travellers could stay next to the road and close to the fort.
;)
1. The guest house was laid out round a courtyard. Small rooms opened off the courtyard and there was a statue in the middle of the courtyard.
What did the guest house look like?
The guest house was built from stone and was one of the largest buildings in the vicus. The archaeologists found a well-made stone floor in one of the rooms. The floor was made with a mixture of concrete and crushed tile called opus signinum.
;)
2. s reconstruction shows what the guest house and the temple/market building next door might have looked like from the road. The guest house is on the right.
Evidence from the finds
One of the small rooms was a grain store. The investigations revealed that the grain store had burned down. Most of the guest house was built from stone but the grain store had a wooden floor. The archaeologists found evidence of burnt timbers and burnt grain in the storeroom.
;)
3. Archaeologists excavating the grain store. Like the granaries in the fort it had a raised wooden floor. This kept the grain dry and away from rats. Botanical (plant) evidence shows that wheat had been kept in the store. Barley, rye, oats and hazel nuts were also found.
Timeline:
© Cultural Services, Library Headquarters, Balne Lane, Wakefield, WF2 0DQ