Monument record 8270 - Roman Barrack Block (latera praetorii west)

Roman structural evidence recorded to the south of Hunter Street in 1914, 1989 and again in 2020-1, indicates the presence of a Roman barrack block (block 6 or F) in the area. First discovered in 1914, a number of walls were noted during construction work but not recorded in detail at the time. Later work in the same area in the late 1980s encountered a floor surface and several disturbed sandstone blocks believed to have come from a wall. Although the area investigated was small, it was possible to identify a junction of an internal and external wall as well as a possible veranda surface. More recently in 2020-1, during groundworks undertaken for the Northgate redevelopment, further structural evidence was recorded for the barrack including in situ sandstone walls, also an earlier earth-filled trench which is thought to relate to the first century, timber phase of the fortress (see CHER 8270/1). 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.