DONCASTER (Danum)		Quality of Remains
		Ease of Access
		Atmosphere & Setting

History:

Named for the river (which in turn was named for the Celtic deity Danu, Doncaster was settled at first as an auxiliary fort between the tribal lands of the settled Coritani and the rebellious Brigantes. As the border and troubles moved north however, and the Brigantes fell more into line with Romanised Britain, the need for military presence in the area waned and the civilian settlement that had begun life as the fort's vicus grew and prospered as a site of trade between the two tribes. The town eventually reached the stage of achieving major public buildings, though a military presence appears to have remained to some extent until the end of Roman rule.

Occupation:

No evidence has yet been found of the earlier occupying units of Danum. The only notes we have come from the Notitia Dignitatum and place the last unit here in the late 4th and 5th century as the Equitum Crispianorum. Whether this mixed auxiliary unit takes its name from a commander (as the Picentiana at Malton) or from the town of Crispiana in Hungary is as yet unknown.

Remains and Visit:

Of Roman Doncaster hardly anything remains. The east wall of the fort has been laid bare for a short distance in the churchyard of the Minster. According to sources, a further section of this wall was once visible behind the Old Castle pub, though no sign can currently be seen of it and it may have been buried or destroyed during the recent construction of a new hotel.

Images:

East wall