Fresh study of major historic site

English Heritage and the German Archeological Institute will be working together for ten days in September to carry out the examination of the Roman city of Wroxeter.

The site, which was the fourth largest in the Roman province of Britannia, will be studied using the latest state-of-the-art equipment.

An extensive survey took place in the 1990s, revealing a detailed plan of the buried city, but the technology has moved on considerably over the last thirty years, and the German Archaeological Institute's equipment promises to reveal much finer detail.

It is also very fast, making it possible to scan a vast area in a short space of time, while connecting to satellite GPS to provide an instant digital map.

English Heritage said the main part of the proposed survey will use two 16-Channel magnetometers (Förster-Typ) built by Sensorik & Systemtechnologie GmbH.

A statement from the organisation said: "The data the survey will provide will be more complex than previous surveys have provided and will take some time to interpret.

"It will provide a palimpsest of outlines from different periods.

"We may see more detail of the Roman fortress that underlies the city, and perhaps more of the Iron Age settlements that preceded the Roman occupation.

"The forum, the main basilica, temples, the elite town houses with their courtyards, the dwellings of the less important townspeople, industrial areas and much more will be revealed within the defences of the city.

"And we hope, too, to understand the surrounding two km much better – the distribution of farms and industrial areas – perhaps even a Roman amphitheatre. We hope to share some of the key findings in the spring of 2023 to coincide with launch of our new exhibition and interpretation of the site."

The survey, led by Professor Fritz Lüth, will cover not just the city but also the surrounding land within a two kilometre radius.

Most of the area of the Roman city is owned by English Heritage, but the wider area is owned by the National Trust, with whom English Heritage work closely in partnership, and by the Raby Estate.