Newcastle, Clavering Place, Roman coffins

HER Number:
13523

District:
Newcastle

Site Name:
Newcastle, Clavering Place, Roman coffins

Place:
Newcastle

Map Sheet:
NZ26SW

Class:
Religion or Ritual

Site Type: Broad:
Funerary Site

Site Type: Specific:
Coffin

General Period:
Roman

Specific Period:

Form of Evidence:
Structure

Description:
Two stone coffins were found east of a Roman road on the BEMCO site in 2008. The lids were meant to be seen on the surface but the crispness of the stone carving suggested that grass had covered them before long. Two similar coffins were found nearby in 1903. Bone preservation of the burials was very poor but a fine Whitby jet pin and a glass bead was found in one them, suggesting that the occupant was female. The individuals were probably the family of one of the senior officials in the Roman army, possibly fort commander.

Easting:
2489

Northing:
6377

Grid Reference:
NZ24896377

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
D.H. Heslop, 2009, Newcastle and Gateshead before AD 1080, in Diana Newton and AJ Pollard (eds), 2009, Newcastle and Gateshead before 1700, pages 14-15