HORNCASTLE (Bannovallum?)		Quality of Remains
		Ease of Access
		Atmosphere & Setting

History & Occupation:

Horncastle is a mystery. There is little enough known of its Roman history and little excavation has ever been carried out. The name Bannovallum is usually given to Horncastle, though the geography of the itinerary suits either Horncastle or Caistor and both fit the description denoted by the name ("the place of strong defences"). In the past, Horncastle has been suggested as one of the series of Saxon Shore Forts. While the walls are certainly of that rough period and the town was on an estuary during the late Roman period, Horncastle cannot definitely be labelled a shore fort, as it may equally have been one of the burgi or late-Roman fortified towns with a port.

Remains and Visit:

There are many stretches of the late Roman walls of Horncastle remaining. Sadly, several of these are on private property and hard to gain access to. Indeed, those remains that are on public land are still surprisingly difficult to locate. One stretch was not worth recording as it formed only the very base of a modern wall and was so overgrown nothing could be seen. The best stretches open to the public are in the foyer of the public library (visible through a side window when closed) and past the church in the entrance to the public health centre.

Images:

Walls in the library	Walls at the health centre