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MancetterRoman History Project (AtherstoneCivic Society):a LEADER PROJECT

Planning Application for the installation of an Inll the of MancetterParish Church.

ConservationArea Aporaisal

TheMancetter Conservation Area was designatedin qndatlractiveness of theolder part of thesettlement. Ankerto theeast and theCoventry Canal.

Thearea is centredaround the Green,andincludes such buildings as the Church,the Manor House,and twogroups ofalmshouses which are all listedas beingof SpecialArchitectural or Historicmerit. Treesin thechurchyard and the Manor House grounds and important openspaces in lhe village add to the specialcharacter of the area.

Theboundary of theConservation Area wasreviewed during the course ofwork on the AtherstoneDistrict PIanwhich was adopted on 21"'May 1981.In thePIan the Council proposesthat the srea shouldbe extendedto include the wholeof Mill Lane and the properlies therein,including the round-endterrace on the corner ofthe lane. This area is visually unitedwith the remainderof the olderpart of Mancetterand forms a link between thevillage green and theRiver Anfter. (Conservation Areas in the Boroughof Mancetter 1995,p. 69. We couldfind no DesignationReport for Mancetterin this document,only for theExtension to the ExistingConservation Area).

Mancetterchurchyard is particularlyattractive with a numberof memorialsdating from the l7s century,including the chesttomb of RichardWarwick, Merchant Taylor of London,who wasa notablelocal benefactor and died in 1633.The churchyard is framedto the westby the Grameralmshouses of 1728,their white-washedexterior uniting them visually with the ManorHouse and the Arts andCrafts houses ofthe late 19mcentury which edge the southof the Green. Arts and Crafts housesare rare in the Mancetter/Atherstonearea and thesehave mellowedwith time to becomean attractivejuxtaposition to the 14'century ManorHouse, reflectingits designand character, and adding considerably to theattractiveness ofthe area. At the northof thechurchyard stands the sandstoneSt Peter'sChurch, of l2n c. origin and probablystanding on the siteof theprincipal building of RomanMancetter.

This partofthe ConservationArea is thusa synthesisofEnglish history and it is very importantthat it doesnot sufferany unsympathetic intrusion. However, visitors who paus€at The Greento admirethe building will be largely unawarethat the areahad a rich history prior to the Norman Conquest.Apart from a traceof the earthworkwhich formedthe eastern defencesofthe Romanhalf-legionary vexillation fbrtress, there is nothingin the landscapeto suggestthis earlyhistory.

It is consideredthat an informationboard outlining the Roman history of the areawith a QR codelinking to geaterdetail, would enable local people and visitors to accessMancetter's hiddenhistory. This wouldenhance the culturalidentity ofthe areaand be beneficialto the localeconomy. This aspirationhas been endorsed by LEADER,who have to AtherstoneCivic Societyto carryout the project.

However, AtherstoneCivic Societyrecogrrises the uniquenessof the Mancetter Areaand the importanceof protectingit from unsympatheticdevelopment. carehas been taken to choosea sitefor the informationboard which will have impacton theamenity ofthe area. It is proposedto placeit behindthe eastem wal I churchyard,facing out ontothe footpath,where it will beaccessible to passers-by, their levelof mobility. Theboard will measure1200 mm x 1000mm, be madeof um sheet,finished on theface with anti-graffrtifilm. It will be seton steelposts, with anti-vandalclips andshear-off nuts, all paintedblack. Thetext on the display will be blackand white, written in a simplelanguage to appealto all ages.Line drawings photographswill be in mutedcolours.

Although the proposedsite is not within the boundaryof the ScheduledAncient (Ref.: 1005738)it is nevertheless,archaeologically, a highly sensitivearea. Great will be taken when excavatingthe holesto securethe two postsand it is proposedto an archaeologiston site to carry out a watching brief.

It is recognisedthat the chann ofthe ConservationArea lies partly in the fact that i sufferedno damagingalterations. Apart from a bench,placed on The Greenand to illuminatethe Church(and the extension to theChurch) there have been no developmentsin recentyears. It is thusaccepted that the additionof an infi board would not oreserveor enhancethe characterof the ConservationArea. However. boardshave been installed in otherConservation Areas in the Borough,and it is acceptedthat the benefits outweigh the disadvantages.

It may be arguedthat an informationboard could attract vandals. However, it is to constructedand installed using anti-vandal fittings and will beeasily cleanable wi appropriatesubstance, should it be a targetfor graffiti. It is notablethat Society'sother information boards have been in situ for overten yearsand have suffered anydamage. The locationofthis board,inside the churchyard, has been chosen to placeit outsidethe publicdomain, whilst makingit visibleto passers-by.

It is consideredthat, on balance,there will be no changein theambience of the Area though the installationof the board, and that the developmentwill not SavedLocal Plan Policies ENVI5 or 16,Draft CoreStrategy Policy NW6, orNPP t2).

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NUNEATONSlGltlS LlD, KelseyClor AttleboroughFields Industrial Esta ,Waruvickshire, CVI I 5F Iel: 0247634 1922 I Fax:024 7664I 3( [email protected] www.nuneatonsions.co. r VATReg No; 35538'| ?51 Cornpanyt{o, 07207121 R€gificre{ Enqland & lvnles

Detail of fixing

Signfixchannels feature'Lip Lok'. designed with maximumresistance to being'sprung'orforced open by vandalsor thieves.Where additional security is required.vandal proof nuts can be suppliedto deny the thief

Vandalproof nuts shear off undertorque to leavea dome-headedtamper proof fixing

Sampleof type of layout

etchlevRoman Fort Metchley Roman Fort Yd .d o'ti.€ 6 6. ol s{frnshn oldd ,.hr..Lsd rts, rh.

e€ G DTAftCONTENT FOR THE MANCETTER ROMAN TRAIT BOARDS ATHERSTONECIVIC SOCIEW "LEADER" PROJECT

Eachboard will carrythe followinglogos:-

1. TheTrail logo.

2. AtherstoneCivic Society logo

3. Theblock of fundingorganisations' logos

ir!r--lffi I rrEr,^.-^. r rr -.---I :r:gEYEtcPir.EilT nu\lRAMlvlE --J . -....- -=:'--

4. A QRCode logo

5. Friendsof AtherstoneHeritage logo

6. Title"Mancetter Roman Sites"

InsideMancetter Roman Fortress

Boardwith 'legs',in comerof Mancetterchurchyard, facing out onto TheGreen. Thisis the introductoryboard, and larger than the others. It shoulddisplay a mapof the wholeTrail, as clear and as large as possible in the space. Textr Youare standing inside the Roman fortress which stood here from about AD 49 until some time in the lastquarter of the firstcentury. The east gate of thefort wasmore or lesswhere Mill Lane,on yourright, meets the mainroad. [See Board 2] A numberof Romanfinds have given us a glimpseof dailylife within the fort:- ) Fragmentsof leafarmour of copperalloy ( loricasegmentata ) show that legionarieswere here, asdid remnants of helmets,brooches to fastentheir clothing, pieces of harness,and the bonesof a 15.2hands high horse. ) Twoamphorae, for oliveoil or wine,tell ussomething about the dietof thesesoldiers, while cookingpots, blackened with use,retained traces of theircontents. ) Thenthere's the end of a barrackblock some may have been night-pots. D Closeby, an undergroundinstallation perhaps heated water. F oil lampshave been found, decorated with picturesof Diana,goddess of hunting,and Bacchus,god of wine.There were remains of doorfurniture, keys, an inkwell,and glassware in a varietyof designsand colours. ) Samianpottery, from Gaul, included a bowldecorated with scenesof a bearhunt. ) Threetiny 'eye'beads, each no biggerthan a pea,are examples of legionary broughtfrom other parts of theEmoire. ) Andsome soldier hid a littlebagof coins- no doubt planningto collectthem ; but he neverdid. lllustrations,to be supplied,with captions,also supplied:- Themap of theTrail, to besupplied, but mayneed design improvement. To include a "Y Are Here"arrow. Amphorae(photo or photos) "Eye"beads (photo), fragment of armour,glassware

Outside Mancetter Roman fortress

Thisis in the ScoutHall car park. Scoutsprefer a boardfixed to the brickwall on ca. park and Mill Lane,but will acceptone on 'legs'if we preferthat, erectedinto behindwall, facing onto carpark Text:- Youare standingjust outsidethe river-sideedge of the fort, which probablylooked someth likethe illustrationabove. Fourpits found nearby have proved interesting, seemingly neither wells nor latrines. One he the bonesof fourterrier{ike dogs - allheadless. And just above one of the pitsfive rare loom- weightswere found, placed in a neatrow. Elsewhere in the vicinitywere buried the bladeand jawboneof a pony,carefully placed inside a ringof pebbles. lllustrations,to besupplied, with captions,also suppliedr Planof the fort. Map:copy of themap on Board 1, but of necessitysmaller. The"YouAreHere" adjustedaccordingly. Artist'simpression of a viewof the fort,from Friendsof AtherstoneHeritage archive Onefurther illustration e.g. the woodenbowl found in Mill Lane,near river, photo disc

Mancetter-HartshillRoman Potteries

'legs'. On the river bankacross the footbridgeat iunction of two footpaths. On angle to look acrosstowards Crab Tree Farm. Text:- Youare looking across a landscapeonce filled with Romanindustry. From the middleof the centuryuntil the mid-fourth-century,pottery kilns stretched from to the , and on towardsWeddington, reeking with coal-firedsmoke. Sixty-fivehave been recorded; would havebeen many more. Theirgoods went out to marketsacross the Midlands and the They madeMORTARIA - Roman'food processors'. Thesekitchen mixing bowls had tiny bitsof hard stoneembedded in the innersurface, the grindfood. Also,not far fromhere, there are signs of a smallsettlement that pre-datesthe potteries. ismay havebeen a Romanmarching camp. Or it mayhave been a'vicus', a civiliansettlement ng,ano supportedby, the legionaryfortress. Closeto the potterykilns, a Romanvilla has been discovered. Built in sandstonearound the century AD,it maywell have been the homeof the proprietorof the potterybusiness. lllustrations,to besupplied, with captions, also suppliedr Map: copyof the mapon Board1, butof necessitysmaller. The "You Are Here" adjustedaccordingly. Map,or photoshowing indications ofthe featurerevealed by cropmarks photographed aerially(1976). lllustrations: a mortarium, a kiln excavation, drawing of Romankiln, on disc

Title to he suaqestedbv WorksArchoeoloav

On recentlyexcavated she in Manor Road. Exactlocation to be negotiatedby Archaeology.Probably to be installedon 'legs'. Textand illustrations to besupplied by WarwickshireArchaeology. lllustrationsto includecopy of the mapon Board1, but of necessitysmaller. The "You Are Here"arrow adjusted accordingly.

Boudica'slast battle-site

On the canaltowpath closeto site of old wharf. On 'legs'. Text:- Mancetterhas a strongclaim to bethe siteof QueenBoudica's last battle, in AD59or 60. There,it is said,an amazing80,000 British died, and 400 Romans. herself died there, or shortlyafterwards. TheRomans placed themselves in a narrowvalley, an open plain before them, thick woodland to their rear.Across the plain,the Britishsupply wagons made a widesemicircle. Lookaround; see how the landscapefits this story. Cuttingthrough the plain, could usefully have brought the Romanarmy from its engagementin Wales. Perhapsit alsoguided Boudica from her previous battle at St.Albans. Mentionalso that the nameManduessedum isderived from the Celticwords for 'smallhorse/war chariot' lllustrations,to be supplied,with captions,also supplied:- Map: copyof the map on The Green,but of necessitysmaller. The "YouAre Here"arrow adjustedaccordingly. 'YOU Diagram/mapbased on a simplifiedWebster's Figure 5, or Baddeley'sMap 17,with a AREHERE" arrow. Caption: "WASlT HERE?Suggested site of bottlebetween Boudica ond the Romonsin AD59or 60 (Webster79781' lllustrations:a Britishwar chariot e.g.the Wetwangchariot. A Romancavalry soldier.