Monument record 8342 - Roman Barrack Block E (retentura east) at Deanery Field

Archaeological investigations by Prof Newstead in the eastern part of the Deanery Field in 1935 recorded evidence of a Roman structure on a north south alignment believed to be a barrack block east of the Via Decumana. Two narrow cuts were made across the structure towards the northern end and near the centre. Both trenches identified east-west aligned walls with several floor surfaces to either side. The two floor areas comprising compacted sand and a series of walls comprising the north-south aligned external walls to the east and west as well as the partition wall dividing two suites of rooms (contubernia). The features were interpreted by Prof Newstead as a barrack block on a north-south alignment. (1) Legionary barrack blocks each accommodated a century of 80 men plus their officers, and were normally arranged in groups of 6 (a cohort of 480 men). Narrow streets gave access to facing pairs of barracks. The centurions' quarters were situated at the ends of the barracks, adjacent to a major road - either the perimeter road (via sagularis) or main transverse street (via principalis). The centurions' quarters were divided from those of the rank-and-file by a narrow alley. They were wider than the men's quarters but lacked a veranda. In ground plan they consisted of a corridor with rooms (including a private latrine) opening off on each side. The men's quarters consisted on 14 (later 11 or 12) units of two rooms for approximately eight men, fronted by a veranda that often contained an enclosed latrine at one end. The outer room was used to store equipment; the inner was for living and sleeping and contained a hearth. Only 10 pairs of rooms should have been needed to accommodate a century; the purpose of the spare rooms is uncertain. The first barracks were constructed using a timber frame with wattle-and-daub infilled panels. These timber barracks underwent a varying number of re-buildings in a relatively short period of time. From about AD 100, there was intermittent rebuilding in stone (perhaps with timber superstructures). However, there were also periods of abandonment. A comprehensive rebuilding was finally undertaken in the early third century. These barracks had much the same plan as their timber predecessors. A diminished number of barracks continued to be occupied into the fourth century.