The Roman Period
The Roman invasion of AD 43 had momentous influence on the history of our region. This is not reflected in actual physical evidence, but it is not possible to understand our local history without taking account of developments during this period. As with all our history notes, it is not the intention to write a full history but rather tell what needs to be known to inform our various walks.
In fact, around 100 years before the actual Roman invasion, there was an impact on Cornwall. This impact would be felt around 56 BC, when Julius Caesar’s conquering army arrived in Armorica (Brittany). At the famous naval battle in the Bay of Quiberon the Veneti tribe of southern Armorica were defeated, and the area fell under Roman domination. Many “Celts” left Armorica for Cornwall at this time and brought new ideas with them and this would surely strengthen Cornish trading ties with their Celtic speaking cousins.
However, the first significant Roman action was the creation of the “civitas”, or Province of Dumnonia, which included Devon, Cornwall and Western Somerset. This gave this large region an identity, its citizens rights in law and a common purpose. It would have major consequences for North Cornwall in the centuries to come. Of course, Dumnonia included the tin and copper rich areas of Dartmoor and the Moors of Cornwall, plus the Iron of West Somerset and North Devon, all valuable, tradable, commodities for the Roman world.
Our region had no towns, just a collection of small hamlets and life would have continued largely unaffected. It could be that it was in the interest of the Romans to be on friendly terms with their new Province as it offered no real threat but had so much economic trade potential. In fact, Diodorus Siculus writing in 8 BC speaks of how unusually hospitable and industrious the people of Cornwall were and he describes how they traded tin across the English Channel from (St Michael’s Mount?) to Gaul (France) and down through the country to the Rhone and beyond. So, the people of the newly formed Dumnonia were fairly peaceable, and law abiding and probably known to the Romans.
There was more Roman influence on the extreme west of Cornwall; Roman shipping needed to have sight of land to navigate, particularly around treacherous waters off the promontories of west Cornwall. They also created a depot on the Scilly Isles from where smaller ships delivered goods to west Cornwall and along our local coastal waters to Wales and Ireland.
Archaeologists are now fairly confident that the Romans constructed a road from Isca Dumnoniorum (Exeter) to somewhere in North Devon and it is highly probable that a road of some kind existed along the high watershed from Hartland and south into Cornwall. It is known that there was a signal station, or early warning camp at Northcott Mouth, just to the North of Bude. This was monitoring the Bristol Channel movements before the invasion of Wales. Clearly, some land connection was necessary as well as a probable Port and Duckpool - again, just to the north of Bude. People do speak locally, to Bude, of “the Roman Road” and at Stratton, situated on the high ground at Stamford Hill, there is a “Round” or “Embanked Enclosure” with evidence of early trade and industry, dated through late Iron Age to the post-Roman period. Kilkhampton also has various sites thought to be of Roman origin and it is known that Duckpool, to the west of Kilkhampton, was a base for Romano-British imports, like South Devon Ware (pottery) and re-worked copper – presumably servicing the needs of Roman citizenry. (See walks: Crooklets to Duckpool; around Stratton and Kilkhampton.)
At around AD55 a small Roman fort, or administrative post, was built at Nanstallon, to the south of Wadebridge, but its use lasted just 25 years- perhaps reflecting a trust in local administrators. Finds of pottery, coins and two Roman inscribed pillars at Tintagel suggest activity on the headland and Mediterranean high-status ware supports the idea that Tintagel was an important trading station at this time. Nearby Roman milestones have been found. These milestones were erected by road builders to commemorate the emperor who commissioned the work. So, it is logical that there was a “Strata” or Roman Way to Nanstallon, at least. The road may have been a continuation of the high watershed road through North Cornwall but may also have signified a new route Exeter to Launceston and to Week St Mary, then down the spinal road to Nanstallon. There is a least one farm in the Week St Mary area that has foundations with Roman Villa characteristics.
The Romans, of course, converted to Christianity and introduced this to larger towns, such as Exeter, but it is questionable whether the small local rural communities would have been fast to adopt this new religion.
Throughout the Roman period there was a great deal of local trade within Dumnonia as well as with Mediterranean countries, the river Tamar now a trading waterway rather than an obstacle to invaders. There is also a lot of evidence to suggest strong trade with Ireland, but, yet Ireland lived with a fear that they may be invaded when the Romans had given up attempts to overcome the tribes in Scotland. When the Germanic tribes started to cause trouble in Gaul Irish tribes combined with the Picts of southern Scotland and in 367AD started to harass the trade routes of wester Britain. The Roman response was to build small forts and watchtowers along the coast of West Somerset and North Devon, to give advance warning potential threats and it is thought that these extended into Cornwall. Roman soldiers manning these watchtowers and other smaller forts required salt, to preserve their meat and use in day-to-day cooking. It is possible that salt was produced locally to Stratton- maybe along the river Neet estuary at Bude. Certainly, in Saxon times ten salt producing houses were known to exist, so the necessary skills could have carried forward from Roman times. (See Stratton Walks.)
When the Romans legions left Britain to fight in Gaul Cornish people went with them having been promised land as a reward for their support, in lieu pay. The Cornish settlers would name their new region “little Britain” or Brittany.
The Roman departure left turmoil in eastern Britain, while Cornwall remained essentially unaffected and continued to trade with their fellow western British, Welsh, Brittany and the Mediterranean.
The importance of this little piece of history is that Kilkhampton, Stratton and Duckpool has Roman association and the creation of the Province of Dumnonia will act as a buffer against the Anglo-Saxon invaders as they try to push their dominance westward. As a consequence, Tintagel becomes a very important trading post and probable home of the Kings of Dumnonia. This fact, and its association with King Arthur, will influence Richard, 1st Earle of Cornwall, following the Norman invasion, to build his Castle there and numerous other castles all within a day’s march of this location. And, our local Manors would become the possession of Celtic speaking Normans and Bretons, easing the transitions and acceptance on the new invaders. This will herald a high mark in the importance of our region and its influence on Cornish history.
