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Carsington: A Roman Settlement

Edited by Joe Perry (Buxton Museum and Art Gallery) | Added on 25th September 2017

You should be standing near the Sheep Wash Car Park, looking out over the reservoir.

In the 1980s the area in front of you was excavated. It was the last chance to investigate the land prior to the flooding of the valley and the creation of the reservoir. Archaeologists discovered the remains of Roman buildings constructed between 100-200CE and occupied for about 250 years. The buildings included a farmstead and, a little further away, a settlement comprising a group of buildings covering around 2 hectares.

Fragments of Roman glass found at Carsington.
Iron nail found at Carsington
Fragment of box-flue tile found at Carsington. These hollow boxes were placed inside walls to carry hot air from the under floor hypocaust system out of a building, heating the walls on the way.

The Romans weren’t just farming this landscape – they were attracted by Derbyshire’s mineral wealth. They hoped to find both silver and lead. Lead was plentiful, and essential for Roman engineering and building works. However, the lead ore was poor in silver.

Lead amulet in the shape a penis, found at Carsington. Possibly designed to hang from a horse’s harness. Phallic charms were used frequently by the Romans and were believed to ward off evil magic.

The Romans employed local people to mine the ore. It is likely that a small villa and farms at Carsington were built with profits from selling lead.

Pieces of lead found at Carsington, Roman. One is a fragment of a lead sheet with hole pierced through.

Many Roman lead ingots (known as ‘pigs’) that have been found in Derbyshire bear the name ‘Lutadarum’, thought to be their place of origin. It’s not known where Lutadarum was exactly, but it’s likely to have been somewhere close to Carsington.

 

 

 

 

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Connections in the Landscape

You can experience Carsington: A Roman Settlement out in the Peak District or Derbyshire by visiting the location marked on the map below, or find it with the help of the Pocket Wonders app.

Connections in the Museum

The objects below can be found in the Wonders of the Peak exhibition. Each has a connection to Carsington: A Roman Settlement.

  • Exhibit 19.28: Bronze handle
  • Exhibit 19.29: Bronze stud-pin
  • Exhibit 19.30: Iron nail
  • Exhibit 19.31: Lead amulet
  • Exhibit 19.32: Small block of lead
  • Exhibit 19.33: Sheet of lead, Sheet of lead,
  • Exhibit 19.35: Lump of lead
  • Exhibit 19.36: Tessera, Tessera, Tessera, Tessera,
  • Exhibit 19.37: Jet bead
  • Exhibit 19.38: Fragment of a jet bracelet
  • Exhibit 19.39: Fragment of a jet ring
  • Exhibit 19.40: Fragments of glass, Fragment of glass, Fragment of glass, Fragment of glass,
  • Exhibit 19.41: Sandstone spindle whorl
  • Exhibit 19.42: Sandstone spindle whorl
  • Exhibit 19.43: Ceramic spindle whorl
  • Exhibit 19.44: Sandstone disc
  • Exhibit 19.45: Fragment of ‘Castor ware’ pottery, Fragment of ‘Castor ware’ pottery,
  • Exhibit 19.46: Box-flue tile fragment, Box-flue tile fragment,
  • Exhibit 19.47: Roof tile fragment
  • Exhibit 19.50: Lead 'pig'

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