Regulbium
Encyclopedia
Regulbium was the name of an ancient Roman
fort of the Saxon Shore
in the vicinity of the modern English resort of Reculver
in Kent
. Its name derives from the local Celtic language, meaning "great headland".
in the reign of Claudius
, protected by earthworks. The fortlet, strategically located at the entrance of the Wantsum Channel
, possibly housed a signal tower, perhaps a lighthouse, and continued in operation at least until the late 60s, since coins dating to the reign of Nero
were found on site. This structure lay within the bounds of the later, larger stone fort, which was built in the early 3rd century, probably in ca. 210, since the sole stone inscription found at the fort (in 1960) mentions the then governor of Britain, Aulus Triarius Rufinus
. This construction occurred at a time when cities and strategic sites all over Western Europe were fortified in response to the greater threat posed by barbarian raids. The archaeological remains display another period of great activity towards the end of the century, the time of the Carausian Revolt
, and again in the first half of the 4th century. However, it appears that after 360, the fort was abandoned by the Roman military. During the 3rd century, and possibly also until its abandonment, the fort was garrisoned by the cohors I Baetasiorum (the "first cohort
of Baetasii"), as attested in the Notitia Dignitatum
and in tile stamps found at the site.
After the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons
in Britain, the site continued to be inhabited, and, now called Raculf, became a residence of the Kings of Kent. In 669, King Ecgberht of Kent
founded a monastery on the site of the fort. It clearly was important, since in 690, its abbot, Bertwald
, became Archbishop of Canterbury
.
, which separated the Thanet
island from the mainland. The Channel was a favoured passage for shipping, and the fort was built to both control it and act as a navigational marker. The fort itself was a typical castrum, square-shaped with rounded corners. The single rampart was 10 feet (3 m) thick at the base and tapering to 8 feet (2.5m) at the top, with a height of probably 20 feet (6 m). It was additionally strengthened by an earthen rampart in the interior, and surrounded by two external ditches. The fort covered an area of 3.06 ha, but almost half of that has been lost to the sea due to erosion.
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
fort of the Saxon Shore
Saxon Shore
Saxon Shore could refer to one of the following:* Saxon Shore, a military command of the Late Roman Empire, encompassing southern Britain and the coasts of northern France...
in the vicinity of the modern English resort of Reculver
Reculver
Reculver is a hamlet and coastal resort situated about east of Herne Bay in southeast England. It is a ward of the City of Canterbury district in the county of Kent. Reculver once occupied a strategic location at the western end of the Wantsum Channel, between the Isle of Thanet and the Kent...
in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. Its name derives from the local Celtic language, meaning "great headland".
History
The first Roman military installation in the area was a small fortlet built directly after the invasion of BritainRoman conquest of Britain
The Roman conquest of Britain was a gradual process, beginning effectively in AD 43 under Emperor Claudius, whose general Aulus Plautius served as first governor of Britannia. Great Britain had already frequently been the target of invasions, planned and actual, by forces of the Roman Republic and...
in the reign of Claudius
Claudius
Claudius , was Roman Emperor from 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, he was the son of Drusus and Antonia Minor. He was born at Lugdunum in Gaul and was the first Roman Emperor to be born outside Italy...
, protected by earthworks. The fortlet, strategically located at the entrance of the Wantsum Channel
Wantsum Channel
The Wantsum Channel is the name given to a now silted-up watercourse separating the Isle of Thanet and what was the mainland of the English county of Kent...
, possibly housed a signal tower, perhaps a lighthouse, and continued in operation at least until the late 60s, since coins dating to the reign of Nero
Nero
Nero , was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68, and the last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Nero was adopted by his great-uncle Claudius to become his heir and successor, and succeeded to the throne in 54 following Claudius' death....
were found on site. This structure lay within the bounds of the later, larger stone fort, which was built in the early 3rd century, probably in ca. 210, since the sole stone inscription found at the fort (in 1960) mentions the then governor of Britain, Aulus Triarius Rufinus
Rufinus (Roman governor)
... Rufinus is the fragment of the name of a governor of Britannia Superior, a province of Roman Britain probably some time during the early third century AD. He may have been the same man as Aulus Triarius Rufinus who held the consulship in 210 although Quintus Aradius Rufinus who was consul ten...
. This construction occurred at a time when cities and strategic sites all over Western Europe were fortified in response to the greater threat posed by barbarian raids. The archaeological remains display another period of great activity towards the end of the century, the time of the Carausian Revolt
Carausian Revolt
The Carausian Revolt was an episode in Roman history, during which a Roman naval commander, Carausius, declared himself emperor over Britain and northern Gaul. His Gallic territories were retaken by the western Caesar, Constantius Chlorus, in 293, after which Carausius was assassinated by his...
, and again in the first half of the 4th century. However, it appears that after 360, the fort was abandoned by the Roman military. During the 3rd century, and possibly also until its abandonment, the fort was garrisoned by the cohors I Baetasiorum (the "first cohort
Cohort (military unit)
A cohort was the basic tactical unit of a Roman legion following the reforms of Gaius Marius in 107 BC.-Legionary cohort:...
of Baetasii"), as attested in the Notitia Dignitatum
Notitia Dignitatum
The Notitia Dignitatum is a unique document of the Roman imperial chanceries. One of the very few surviving documents of Roman government, it details the administrative organisation of the eastern and western empires, listing several thousand offices from the imperial court down to the provincial...
and in tile stamps found at the site.
After the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
in Britain, the site continued to be inhabited, and, now called Raculf, became a residence of the Kings of Kent. In 669, King Ecgberht of Kent
Ecgberht of Kent
Ecgberht was a King of Kent who ruled from 664 to 673, succeeding his father Eorcenberht s:Ecclesiastical History of the English People/Book 4#1....
founded a monastery on the site of the fort. It clearly was important, since in 690, its abbot, Bertwald
Bertwald
Berhtwald was the ninth Archbishop of Canterbury in England. The medieval writer Bede claims that he served as the Abbot of Glastonbury, and documentary evidence names Berhtwald as abbot at Reculver before his election as archbishop...
, became Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
.
Location and construction
In Antiquity, the fort stood directly at the northern entrance of the mile-wide Wantsum ChannelWantsum Channel
The Wantsum Channel is the name given to a now silted-up watercourse separating the Isle of Thanet and what was the mainland of the English county of Kent...
, which separated the Thanet
Thanet
Thanet is a local government district of Kent, England which was formed under the Local Government Act 1972, and came into being on 1 April 1974...
island from the mainland. The Channel was a favoured passage for shipping, and the fort was built to both control it and act as a navigational marker. The fort itself was a typical castrum, square-shaped with rounded corners. The single rampart was 10 feet (3 m) thick at the base and tapering to 8 feet (2.5m) at the top, with a height of probably 20 feet (6 m). It was additionally strengthened by an earthen rampart in the interior, and surrounded by two external ditches. The fort covered an area of 3.06 ha, but almost half of that has been lost to the sea due to erosion.