University of Oxford Department for Continuing Education From Civilisation To Barbarism?

1. University of Oxford Department for Continuing Education From Civilisation To Barbarism? Western Britain in the Early Middle Ages Tutor: Dr Kirsten Jarrett Week Two: Urban Settlement

2. Student Information Continuing Education Library Rewley House, Wellington Square, Oxford, OX1 2HY http://www.conted.ox.ac.uk/facilities/library/ Opening hours Term-time (to 14th Dec.): Mon–Thurs: 9am - 8.30 pm Fri: 9am - 5 pm Sat: 9.30 am - 5.30 pm Sun: 1pm - 4pm Vacation (to 7th Jan.): Mon – Fri: 9am - 5pm Sat & Sun: Closed Closed 22nd Dec.-1st Jan. Necessary for Homework & Assignments!

3. Assignments • Option A: • To enable feedback between each assignment: to tutor ASAP • Complete portfolio (four answers, each x 250 words): • Preferably to tutor by 27th Nov. • Final deadline: 4th Jan. (submissions after final class - to OUDCE) • Option B: • Essay plan to tutor before final class • Final deadline: 4th Jan. (submissions after final class - to OUDCE)

4. Part One • Group discussion: Home-study review and key questions • Written evidence and place names: settlement • Urban decline and change: dark earth & decay • Group exercise: placing place names (depending on time taken on group discussion: if short of time, undertake as homework) [Handout: p. 8, Worksheet 2A p. 9]

5. De Excidio Britanniae (‘D.E.B.’) 3:2. [Britain] is ornamented with twenty-eight cities…. 24:3. All the major towns were laid low by the repeated battering of enemy rams… 26:2. But the cities of our land are not populated even now as they once were; right to the present day they are deserted, in ruins and unkempt.

6. Towns of later Roman Western Britain

7. ‘Nennius’s’ ‘Ancient Cities’ Cairgurcoc (Anglesey?) Caircusteint (Caernarfon) Cairguoranegon (Worcester) Cairmerdin (Carmarthen) Cair lion (Caerleon-upon-Usk) Cairceri (Cirencester) Cairgloui (Gloucester) Cairbritoc (Bristol) Cairligion (Chester?) Cairguent (Caerwent) Cairguorcon (Warren, Pemb.?) Cairteimm (Teigngrace, Devon) Cairurnahc (Wroxeter) Caircolemion (?‘Camelet’) Cairmeguaid (Meifod, Powys) Cairguorthegern (Salisbury?) Cairdaun = dauri (Dorchester?)

8. Urban Transformation: ‘Decline’ or change? • General late 4th century trends in major towns: • Changing use / contraction of public buildings • Increased wealth of private buildings and encroachment onto roads • Increased industrial activity • Enhanced defences and control of movement Small Towns: • Late C4: Commercial and industrial centres - Few indicators of continuity

9. Late 4th – 7th Century Transformation of Urban Centres • Contraction of town walls • Possible intra-mural agriculture • Demolition of public buildings • Construction in timber • Intra-mural burial and / or construction of ecclesiastical buildings in some towns

10. Place names Creech = cruc Tre = Farmstead Avon = River Pen = Headland Coyd = wood Caer = walled settlement Walh = ‘foreigner’ Chester = (Roman) Walled town Wic = settlement Ham = homestead (Handout 2A, p. 7, & Worksheet 2A, p. 8)

11. Part Two • Regional case studies • Session review / Home-study guidance [Week 2: Session review sheet] • Group exercise: analysing urban settlements, (depending on time taken on group discussion: if short of time, undertake as homework) [Worksheet 2B: p.9-10]

12. Wroxeter basilica

13. New Market Hall site: • Ash & molten lead = metalworking • Spearhead & human jaw on mosaic • Hoard including early C5 coin • Late Roman ‘military ‘buckle, bracelet & penannular brooch • Continued use of some later Roman ceramics • ‘Dark earth’ • Castle Site: • Building continued use C5+ • (TPQ = 374 C14: TAQ =C6) • Post-holes cut into floor • Build up of loam • Hearths, lead ingot, & charcoal = metalworking • C5 pottery • Human / animal bone Gloucester St Oswalds Tilery >EC5 Castle • Tilery: • Post-holes = timber building • Dark earth • Continued presence of some later Roman ceramics • Early C5 coin • ‘Grass-tempered’ pottery >LC4 <C6

14. Caerwent

16. Group Exercise: Urban Settlements