Romans by the River Culm

Have you ever wondered what the River Culm at Cullompton looked like almost 2000 years ago?

captivating reconstruction drawing offers us an insight into how the River Culm may have looked as it meandered through the Culm valley, next to a Roman Fort at Cullompton. The intricate illustration by artist Jane Read, features the Roman Fort on St Andrews Hill and provides a visual representation of the surrounding landscape during the second half of the 1st century AD.

If you zoom in on the image, you can see where the Roman road from the Blackdown Hills to the east, meets the River Culm at Stoneyford. This strategic location allowed people and carts to traverse the river safely.

The fort itself would have accommodated approximately 500 Roman auxiliary soldiers. Buildings inside the fort would include rows of barrack blocks, granaries, workshops and administrative buildings. Outside of the fort, an ad-hoc civilian settlement developed which would have served the needs of the Roman soldiers.

The reconstruction drawing is based on archaeological evidence found during excavations in Cullompton along with reference to other Roman military sites in the area. To see the painting in person, copies are on display at The Walronds Café and the Hayridge Centre, Cullompton.

The painting was commissioned by the Monument Management Scheme, funded by Historic England and run by Devon County Council. The site of the Roman Fort is a Scheduled Monument and protected by law. It is on private land with no public access to the site.