In the rolling hills of Cornwall, Pete, an egg farmer at Cornhill Farm, Camborne, is pioneering an alternative approach to poultry feed. Like many farmers, he faces rising costs and...
James Richards
Roman Invasion and occupation of Britain. In Cornwall native traditions persist alongside Roman marching camps and villas. Mining and naval trade networks continue to develop.
Period
The Romans built a fortress at Exeter (ISCA DUMNONIORUM) between AD55-75 and three forts in Cornwall are known of, all on river crossings: Calstock on the Tamar, Nanstallon on the Camel, and Restormel on the Fowey. There are no known towns and only one or two villas, but it is clear the Romans influenced and traded across Cornwall.
The large hillforts of the Iron Age were mostly abandoned, but life in the smaller ‘rounds’ continued. The tribal leaders of the Iron Age and their descendants still ruled and benefitted from connections to the Empire – typical Roman artefacts have been found, including Gaulish Samian ware, glass and metalwork. New ‘rounds’ changed to become sub-rectangular enclosures, and houses from circular to oval.
Unique to Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, courtyard houses were built in the 2nd century AD (over thirty have been found). These were round and oval stone dwellings, with other farm buildings looking onto partially paved courtyards, all confined within massive stone walls.
Also at this time, Cornish tin was again in high demand as the Empire’s Iberian mines were in decline. Cornwall was part of the larger kingdom of Dumnonia and, though independent from Rome, tin ingots were likely transported to the markets under Imperial control.
By the time the legions left Britain in 410AD, Cornwall had its first monetary economy, intensified trading links, expanded farming societies with fine ceramic table wares, coin hoards and expensive high-status metalwork – unsophisticated by Roman standards, but by no means poor. Christianity was brought from both the Romans and missionaries from Ireland, and when added to the ancient pagan landscape, the early church had its own distinctly Celtic character.
1 Monuments
1 Monuments
1 Monuments
