GARIANNONUM
(Burgh Castle) Suffolk, England.
The Roman fort is situated on high ground
overlooking the river Waveney. It was probably built in
the middle of the 3d c. against the threat of pirates.
The
Notitia Dignitatum refers to its mid 4th c. garrison
as Equites Stablesiani Garrianonenses. Occupation continued well into the Saxon period, as shown by the
continuous use of a burial ground outside the fort. A
monastery was probably established within the Roman
fort by St. Fursa soon after A.D. 630.
The fort is quadrangular, covering 2 ha. On all but
the W side the wall is very well preserved: it is built of
flint rubble faced with flint, with triple tile courses every
1.5-1.8 m. Particular interest attaches to the external
bastions: they were added during construction, after
the wall had reached a height of 2.1 m. Thus the lower
part of the bastions are butted against the wall while
the upper courses are bonded into it. It also appears
that internal corner towers were begun but never finished. The evidence therefore strongly suggests a change
in the style of defensive architecture while the fort was
being built. The main entrance lay in the middle of the
E wall; partial excavation suggests the existence of internal gate towers.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
A. J. Morris, “The Saxon Shore Fort at
Burgh Castle,”
Proc. Suffolk Institute of Archaeology
24 (1947) 100-20.
B. W. CUNLIFFE