| Castleshaw Roman fort | |
|---|---|
 A ditch of Castleshaw Roman fort | |
  Location within Greater Manchester | |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Roman fort |
| Town or city | Castleshaw Saddleworth Greater Manchester |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 53°34′59″N 2°00′11″W / 53.583°N 2.003°W |
| Completed | 79 |
Castleshaw Roman fort was a castellum in the Roman province of Britannia. Although there is no evidence to substantiate the claim, it has been suggested that Castleshaw Roman fort is the site of Rigodunum, a Brigantian settlement. The remains of the fort are located on Castle Hill on the eastern side of Castleshaw Valley at the foot of Standedge but overlooking the valley.[1] The hill is on the edge of Castleshaw in Greater Manchester. The fort was constructed in c. AD 79, but fell out of use at some time during the 90s. It was replaced by a smaller fortlet, built in c. 105, around which a civilian settlement grew. It may have served as a logistical and administrative centre, although it was abandoned in the 120s.
The site has been the subject of antiquarian and archaeological investigation since the 18th century, but the civilian settlement lay undiscovered until the 1990s. The fort, fortlet, and civilian settlement are all protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument,[2] recognising its importance as a "nationally important" archaeological site or historic building, and protecting it against unauthorised change.[3]
- ^ Redhead (1999), pp. 74–81.
- ^ Historic England. "Castle Shaw (45891)". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 29 December 2007.
- ^ "The Schedule of Monuments". PastScape. Archived from the original on 23 February 2009. Retrieved 30 December 2007.