Home » Travel & Places » Western Europe » United Kingdom

Roman Temple Complex at Marcham/Frilford

Ranked #9,243 in Travel & Places, #237,441 overall

Mysterious Roman Ampitheatre Behind the Noah's Ark Inn.

For Centuries Noah's Ark Inn must have been an isolated but popular staging post on the way to and from Wantage, Abingdon and Oxford, travellers must have little dreamed that a thousand years or more before the place had been a thriving temple complex. An Anglo Saxon graveyard was discovered in in 1865, then the Romano-British building and later on what is known as the Roman Temple Complex was discovered in Trendle's Field.

For the past 10 years Oxford University School of Archeology has been excavating the site each summer. A very popular open day is held to show the uncovered remains and explain the results.

Open Day: Sunday 24th July 2011 10am-4pm

Tour the site, feel the artefacts, join the Roman Army!

Plus: Exhibition of archaeological models, Craft stall and Refreshments

Ample parking: donations of £5 per car will contribute towards excavation expenses.

THIS IS THE LAST YEAR of EXCAVATIONS

The Dig has featured on Time Team see the link below. The Project Directors Dr Gary Lock and Chris Gosden.
William and Janey Cumber own Trendle's Field which is part of Manor Farm, Marcham and are enthusiastic supporters of the project.

The photo is a model of the site showing the Roman Temple with its surrounding wall (Tenemos) with a path towards the round amphitheatre with various outbuildings including a bakery.

Despite all the finds and effort archaeologists are still waiting for the big breakthrough. Why was this spot chosen by the iron-age peoples why did it subsequently attract the Romans? what was the purpose of the site, religious, fertility, where did the visitors stay, there seems to be no accommodation . Why did the site fall totally out of use?

Timeline of Discoveries Made at Frilford

It is marvellous opportunity for archaeologists when they discover a lost site like this where there has been practically no development for a thousand years. Although there are Anglo Saxon burials at the site they eventually abandoned the site so what was so interesting about the location to the Iron Age tribes and then the Romans? It is surmised that the River Ock was a frontier between two Iron Age Tribes. There is a salt spring which may have attracted the Romans and the site is on the Roman road from Oxford to Wantage. Much still remains to be determined making this excavation one of the most interesting in the UK.
  1. 1864 Ackerman
    In 1864 and 1865 several Anglo-Saxon graves were found by labourers quarrying for stone on Frilford Heath
  2. 1867
    George Rolleston excavated an additional 123 graves in 1867-68, ten of which were Anglo-Saxon cremation
  3. 1910
    E.T. Leeds and D Buxton excavated a single female Anglo-Saxon burial in the north corner of the quarrry
  4. 1920
    In 1920 the Oxford University Archaeological Society under the direction of D Buxton excavated a further 40 Romano-British and 5 Anglo-Saxon graves
  5. 1937
    Bradford and Goodchild investigate a Roman Temple site behind the Noah's Ark Inn at Frilford. A Romano-British temple and underlying IronAge structures in the gardens of the ex-Noah's Ark pub
  6. 1964
    D.Harding investigates an Roman and Iron Age remains behind the Noah's Ark Inn
  7. 1976 Big Round Cropmark Discovered
    While crop spraying Trendles Field from the air the very noticeable crop mark of the former Roman Amphitheatre was first noticed.
  8. 1980s Richard Hingley
    Made small scale excavations which located the stone arena walls and a rectangular stone box at the southern cardinal point, the Royal Box
  9. 1985
    D Harding reinterprets results
  10. 2001-2010
    Ongoing Excavations at Marcham/Frilford 2001 by the School of Archaeology, University of Oxford and many volunteers.

Excavating the Roman Bakery at Frilford

The Roman Shop at Frilford

They seem a little young to be real Romano-Britons.

The ampitheatre at Frilford

The Supposed Amphitheatre at Frilford with a Drain?

The Royal Box

The stone structure was initially called the Royal Box. This fell out of favour for a few years when it thought it was some kind of drain/sluice building. However the Royal Box description is now reinstated, could have been both of course.

Roman Amphitheatre at Frilford

Roman Soldiers Training the Brittunculi at Frilford/Marcham

Diggers Camp at Trendles Field Frilford/Marcham

Trendle is apparently an old Saxon word for Round Thing. So the question is how long were remains visible, how long before most of the stones were robbed, how long before the Amphitheatre was filled in. The name Noah's Ark here probably originates from the Saxon for basket, ie the basket coffins that were found here.

Iron Age Huts at Trendles Field

Roman Britain

Loading

The Roman Temple Complex at Frilford/Marcham Website Links

These are the best links for the excavation
Tourist Information for the Vale of White Horse - from Oxford to the Cotswolds
Accommodation, travel, tourist information, what to see, attractions.
RBH: History of Roman Frilford, Berkshire (Oxfordshire)
Frilford, Marcham and Abingdon were until the 1970s in the Old County of Berkshire.
Vale and Ridgeway Project - School of Archaeology - University of Oxford
The excavation is organised and lead by School of Archaeology of the University of Oxford. 2010 will betheirtenth season of work here. Between 2001 and 2009 various Romano-British structures have been excavated, including a temple and a possible amphitheatre, and Iron Age and Bronze Age deposits. Each year the excavations at reveal more fascinating questions about the age and purpose of this Romano-British site.
Marcham and District News
Marcham and District News everything going on locally
Marcham Society
The Marcham Society was founded in 1994 to foster community interest in the
history, natural history and environment of the village and the local area. We
arrange eight evening meetings each year with talks by guest speakers or
members. There are monthly walks and group visit
Time Team: Big Roman Dig - Channel 4
The Internet home of Time Team: Big Roman Dig at Channel 4; includes Time Team: Big Roman Dig Series and Episode Guides. Visit Channel4.com for more on Time Team: Big Roman Dig.
Welcome to Cumbers of Theale and Marcham
Cumbers of Theale produce and sell 100% organic beef and lamb, alongside free range rare-breed pork, from our farms at Marcham and Bradfield.

How to Travel to The Roman Dig at Frilford

Where is Frilford.

The dig is generally described as being at Frilford, however Trendle's Field is technically in Marcham and to confuse matters it may be described as being at Abingdon. The county is Oxfordshire but was until 1970 in Old Berkshire. It is behind the former Noah's Ark Inn but that is also a relatively modern building. The Inn must have been an important staging Inn on the Toll Road and old Roman Road from Oxford to Wantage. It was also the junction for the roads to Abingdon and Kingston Bagpuize. At Noah's Ark Inn there is also a bridge over the River Ock (Saxon for Salmon, the modern German is Lachs), it is believed that in Roman times the Ock was navigable to Frilford.

The nearest main road is the North South artery the A34 which joins the M4 near Newbury and the M40 North of Oxford. Local train stations include Oxford and Didcot

The Mystery of the Roman Temple Complex at Frilford.

No military finds have been made at the site, no swords or arrow heads. Lots of inexpensive votive offerings have been found possibly made and sold on site. Was the Amphitheatre water-filled or just built round a holy spring? A late unfinished cruciform building suggests the arrival of Christianity also some East to West burials. At some stage the amphitheatre was deliberately filled in was this intended to suppress lingering pagan religions? In very recent times the Amphitheatre was rediscovered as a very distinctive crop mark and became known as the Big Round Thing.

View The Roman Temple Complex at Frilford on Google Maps

Switch to Satellite Mode

Noah's Ark Inn and Trendle's Field are located at the first bend south of Frilford Crossroads.

Former Noah's Ark Inn at Frilford

Apparently the name is due to the Old Saxon word for a casket, I suppose they refer to the Romano-Saxon burials found near the Inn. Although the building looks modern the central part in Oxford Stone is older.

Romano-Saxon Cemetary at Frilford

This was first brought Frilford to the attention of Archaeologists. This is one of the few cemeteries to show continuation of use after the departure of the Romans. The graves were found during quarrying which eventually destroyed the site. Bradford and Goodchild did excavate the site beforehand.

Friday Summary of the Dig, Iron Age Skeleton found

This youth had excavated the skeleton that day which was found in the standard folded position.

Diagram Comparing Frilford Amphitheatre with Lutece and Lillebonne

Roman Wax Tablet found at Frilford

July 2010 big excitement at Frilford, a Roman Wax Tablet has been found at Frilford in the pit shown along with two animal skulls on a bed of leaves. Apparently Wax Tablet indicates military activity. It is hoped that there i writing on the tablet

Archaeology Requires the Most Sophisticated Equipment These Days

The Wheel-Barrow Park at Frilford

Iron Age Big Round Thing

This year 2010 archaeologists focused on the Iron Age remains revealed by the very complex Geophysics readings. A big round thing has been discovered as you can just trace in the photo as the darker material. To date archaeologists are confused by the results there seems to be no domestic activity. No grubenhaus etc. So was this site a ceremonial place for the Iron Age peoples as well?

Frilford Feedback

Show All

National Archaeology Day At Frilford 2010

There were many activities for children this year, the photo shows them investigating the spoil heap. This gave kids a legitimate chance to do what they like best i.e. play in dirt. Honestly though they were very enthusiastic and very excited every time they found a fragment of pottery or tile. Older children patiently cleaned finds with toothbrushes or made pots. I always wonder how many seeds have been sown in young minds, how many future archaeologists have made.

by

thesuccess

> 101 Keyword Research Tips

> 101 SEO Tips to get more Traffic

> 101 Handy Tips

> 101 Success Tips

> 101 Fun Quizzes more »

Feeling creative? Create a Lens!

Explore related pages

Related Tags