A Roman Hotel? Letocetum / Wall Roman Site

On the outskirts of Lichfield lies the small village of Wall. At its centre is the Roman town of Letocetum, situated just off Watling Street, the Roman road that follows the route of the modern A5. Letocetum was a small settlement, focused around the Mansio, the Roman equivalent of a way station or hotel, where travellers on the road could safely rest for the night. However the town also had a sizable bath complex and signs of thriving industrial activity. Much of the town remains buried either under nearby farmers fields or the houses that make up the modern village, though the Mansio and baths are visible and able to be visited throughout the year.

Also in the village is a small museum housing artefacts found during excavations at the site.

Roman beads and jewllery
Roman jewellery and beads
African warrior figurine.
A figurine depicting an African warrior
Roman knives and tools
Dice and gaming tokens
Roman duck brooch
A beautiful enamel brooch in the shape of a duck
A ring with seal
Face jars, possibly from burial urns
High status Samian ware serving bowls, cup and plate.
Handle of a wine amphora and jug,
Brooches and other pieces of jewellery
Glass fragments and evidence of metalworkers

Outside the museum is the remains of the Roman settlement itself, with the excavated remains of the mansio and baths to explore.

Occupying most of the site is the remains of the Mansio. Individual rooms and passageways are clearly visible, arranged around a central courtyard. This courtyard may have been covered over and acted as a meeting place for both guests and the people of Letocetum. There is also the possibility that horses could have been stabled on site.

The baths complex is across the “street” from the mansio and while small, features all the luxuries expected of Roman civilisation, with exercise yard, changing rooms and both hot and cold baths, heated by wood fired furnace.

Further information about Letocetum is available on the English Heritage website: Wall Roman Site | English Heritage (english-heritage.org.uk) . There is also the Friends of Leotcetum Society who conduct talks and open days at the site, further information on their website: Wall Roman Site | Cheese Press (wallromansitefriendsofletocetum.co.uk).

Thomas Babington and Edith Fitzherbert, All Saints Church, Ashover.

Over the bank holiday weekend I paid a visit to All Saints Church in Ashover, Derbyshire to look at the effigies of Thomas Babington and Edith Fitzherbert.

The Babingtons and Fitzherberts were both Derbyshire gentry families, the Babingtons serving as the High Sheriffs of the county and the Fitzherberts as knights and MPs. As befitting their status, Thomas and Elizabeth have memorial effigies in alabaster, with detailed carving depicting both of them in their finery at prayer and surrounded by miniatures of their children.

Along with other effigies in this style and status, such as those of Edith’s parents in Norbury, most of the children are each show with individual clothing and accessories, though some duplicates are thought to representative of children who died.

One set of miniatures portrays two of their sons, John as a knight, his armour covered by a tabard and a black cloak of the Knights of Rhodes, and Thomas as a priest in robes and a holding a book.

Returning to Thomas and Edith themselves, unusually both effigies are painted, though clearly modern coatings over the original. Though this would have been common when new (many effigies still have traces of paint in the recesses), these effigies serve as a reminder of how bright, even garish, the medieval world would have been.

The details of the couples dress accessories are particularly interesting. In addition to the long gowns of the period, both are wearing jewellery and decorative pieces. Thomas has a chain collar, rings, a decorated purse/pouch and the remains of a sword or dagger.

Edith meanwhile has rings and a decorated hanging chain belt or girdle, possibly ending in a scented pomander, the height of fashion for the time.

Additionally, Thomas and Edith possibly appear twice on their own memorial, as two miniatures kneeling before images of saints (Catherine holding her wheel and a bishop, possibly Thomas Becket) seem to be wearing almost identical clothing.

Other wonderful details include the lion Thomas is resting his feet upon and the tiny dog biting at the bottom of Edith’s gown, a recurring theme apparently in this kind of effigy.