Wednesday, 6 February 2019

Shining a light on Margidunum


Above the big green sign that tells me its time to leave the A46, I noticed for the first time an add-on-extra sign stuck above it, saying Margidunum. Knowing that the old A46 is also the Fosse Way, I guessed that it might, therefore, not just be a roundabout between Bingham and Newton that I thought it was but something of greater significance. I have to admit that the sign could well have been put up last week, or it may have been there for 2,000 years. I just wouldn’t know, because although I might like to think that I’m observant, I’m really not that much, it seems.

Once back home, the internet dramatically increased my education about the location - from absolutely nothing to quite a bit, in fact - and in a relatively short time. There was a substantial Roman camp there, which has yielded lots of important information about the Romans, both from the earthworks and from the artefacts that they left behind. There was even a Roman road going in pretty much a straight line to our village - where there was also a smaller camp - and beyond.

Coincidentally, I had been handling artefacts myself for most of the morning, but coming from much closer to the present day. You would have thought I would have been a bit more tuned in. Well, shine a light.

No comments:

Post a Comment