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Lunt Roman Fort, Coventry
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| Looking for: | Castles/Stately Homes, Learning/Historical, Museums/Art Galleries | | Address: | Bagington
Coventry
West Midlands | | Postcode: | CV8 3AJ | | Nearest City: | Coventry | | Age Group: | All Ages | | Kids Activity: | Outdoors | | Telephone: | +44 (0)2476 303 567 |
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Description
Lunt Roman fort is in Baginton, near Coventry and is partial reconstruction of the fort that was established there in AD60 following the Boudiccan rebellion. In 1960 initial excavations uncovered the remains of the defensive ditches of the Roman fort which led to extensive excavations between 1965 and 1973. The goal was to completely uncover the site as well as reconstruct the defences and internal buildings. The investigations have shown that the fort survived three major changes of face over the course of its first twenty years, and was then abandoned for 180 years before construction of a new gateway and defensive ditches. Visitors entering the fort do so by the reconstructed Eastern Gateway which is built entirely of timber and is based on depictions from Trajan's column. The most interesting feature in the fort is a unique large circular construction identified as the gyrus, which was the cavalry training ring.
The outlines of other important buildings can be seen including the principia, or headquarters building, and six barrack blocks. Each block would have been occupied by a century, a unit of 80 soldiers commanded by a centurion whose quarters were at the north end of each block. Three horrea, or granaries, have also been found at Lunt. One of these has been reconstructed in timber and now serves as the site's Interpretative Centre and Museum of the Roman Army.
Exhibits in the Museum
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| Museum of Roman Military Life with archaeological finds
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| A model of the Roman fort as it appeared in 64AD
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| Occasional re-enactments of military manoeuvres
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