The Roman Mancetter Exhibition and Project

A picturesque manor house, almshouses and ancient church cluster around the tiny green at the centre of Mancetter, North Warwickshire.(1)  St Peter’s Church is known as a medieval Guild Church,(2) while within its south aisle another significant era is celebrated, in the Roman Mancetter Heritage Centre(3) (CV9 1NH  www.romanmancetter.co.uk )

For almost 400 years the Romans developed Manduessedum ( i.e. Mancetter).  First a fort protecting the infant Watling Street in the earliest days of their conquest, it went on to flourish through almost two and a half centuries of prosperous villas supported by a pottery industry that traded mortaria nationwide.  The Centre tells of the fort, a “ Roman Stoke-on-Trent” and a puzzling second-century development that bestrides Watling Street   –  a burgus.

The exhibition is a necessity, for a reason resembling the uncovering of Sutton Hoo.  Before excavation, the Sutton Hoo terrain was just ordinary meadowland with a few unremarkable bumps and lumps: similar to Mancetter’s flat fields. But for both sites, those fields concealed finds of great interest.  In Mancetter’s case, its 20th century archaeological discoveries are now covered over.  But they are presented in the Heritage Centre: entry free, Saturdays April to October, or specific bookings for groups.

The exhibition suggests one further major possibility.

Mancetter lays claim to be the site of Boudica’s last battle.   The village lies downhill from the very visit-able Hartshill Hayes Country Park, whose topmost point bears an information board inviting us to consider that the land (4)  before us may well be where Queen Boudica’s campaign against the Romans came to its gory end.(5) The Centre offers recent original evidence(6) from Latin records, from configurations in the Land, from battle Logistics and from the place name Manduessedum.  Is this where British history was set on course?

Picture of the church

Picture of the Exhibition

The landscape photo from the board

Pictures of Celtic chariot, and Boudica and Paulinus , all from the board

Photograph of book’s cover