Imagine a vibrant Romano-Celtic temple standing proudly in Greenwich Park. This was no ordinary building. It was a spiritual hub that served both travelers and the local community.
Let’s step back to around AD 100. This Site of Romano-Celtic Temple was already a significant landmark. Its location was strategic. It sat close to Watling Street, the main Roman road connecting London to the Kent ports. This temple would have been a welcome sight for weary travelers.
The Site of Romano-Celtic Temple was not just a single structure. It was a complex. The main temple building, or cella, stood at its heart. This was surrounded by ancillary buildings. All of this was enclosed by a stone wall. This enclosure was known as a temenos.
Fast forward to 1902. Workers stumbled upon remains during park maintenance. Angus Duncan Webster, the park superintendent, led the initial excavations. He was a passionate historian. His team uncovered a stone statue arm and a mosaic floor. They also found coins and fragments of Roman inscriptions. At first, they thought it might be a Roman villa.
Years later, in the late 1970s, Harvey Sheldon and his team returned to the site. They aimed to determine the building’s purpose. Based on the finds, they concluded it was religious. The inscriptions hinted at a temple. The building’s layout matched that of Romano-Celtic temples. It stood on a low platform. Its entrance faced east.
In 1999, Time Team, in collaboration with the Museum of London and Birkbeck College, came to Greenwich Park. They unearthed a fragment of a marble inscription. Combined with previous finds, there were now five inscriptions. This made it a rare site in southeastern Britain. One inscription was believed to be a dedication to the spirit of the emperor.
The Time Team also found a roof tile with a procurator’s stamp. This was a maker’s mark. The procurators managed imperial property in Roman London. These stamped tiles were very rare.
The 1999 digs supported the theory that this was a Roman temple. They discovered a ditch surrounding the temple structure. This matched the description of an enclosed temple precinct.
More recently, during the Greenwich Park Revealed project, a new dig took place. Archaeologists investigated the area east of the temple. They found enclosures that divided the land. These excavations revealed ditches filled with Roman pottery and roof tiles.
The whole Site of Romano-Celtic Temple was covered with gravel. This created a level surface. This may have been used for trade or meetings.
The Site of Romano-Celtic Temple continued in use until about AD 400. The temple provides valuable insights into Roman London. It also adds to our knowledge of Romano-British religious sites.
Today, little remains visible above ground. However, this mound in Greenwich Park holds a rich history. It speaks of Roman religious practices. It reminds us of the people who once worshiped here. The Site of Romano-Celtic Temple is a testament to the enduring legacy of Roman Britain.