Venta Icenorum - trees on the north wall

Image: © Evelyn Simak Taken: 14 Feb 2017

Before the arrival of the Romans in the area, Norfolk and Suffolk were the home of the Iceni, who in AD 61 rebelled against Roman rule, led by their Queen Boudicca. The revolt was suppressed and the town of Venta Icenorum was established in order to bring stability to the area. 'Venta Icenorum' means 'Market Place of the Iceni'. The outline of the streets, which are arranged in a rectangular pattern, can be seen in dry weather as brown lines in the grass, where sheep now graze a large pasture which once used to be the town centre. A massive flint and stone wall of up to 7 metres high and 4 metres thick, and an outer ditch were constructed in the late AD 200s to defend the town which by then had decreased in size to about 14 hectares. The ditch was 24 metres wide and about 5 metres deep. The site is owned and managed by the Norfolk Archaeological Trust and can best be seen from elevated positions of the A140 (Ipswich Road) or from the main London to Norwich railway line. There are two signposted walks, one leading around the Roman defences, the other following the course of the River Tas. Just to the east of the site there is a Early Saxon cemetery, and on raised ground to the north both an Iron Age burial site and Saxon cemetery have been excavated. The Arminghall Henge is located to the north-east.

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