The outline of a Roman Temple has been exposed in our wheat field- it's marked out and fascinating
I walked over the farm behind our house at the weekend and found a new sign had been erected marking the area of one of Britain's largest Roman Temples, which is now in the middle of a wheat field, called Touncil Field, I believe.
The dry spring has exposed the outline of the temple built around 60AD, which was excavated between 1897 and 1907 and again between 1976 and 1978. The farmer has kindly ploughed the outline of the temple and erected additional signs allowing people to walk around the temple, just as long as they keep to the paths and don't trample all over his crop. My husband and I duly obeyed his instructions and soon on this flat landscape that gives way to the sea in Chichester Harbour I found myself standing in the doorway of the temple. It's at times like this I wish I could travel back and see what it had been like then, and then return to the present day. How different the area must have looked with hedgerows and trees but no houses unless the Romans had a settlement there and I guess they did.
Being a crime writer my mind also turned to crime (fiction that is) and I thought, what if someone discovered a body lying in the wheat in the centre of the ancient temple? I know, you can't take me anywhere. I rather liked the idea. Not sure if I'll save it for the next Inspector Horton or use it for the basis of a thriller, but for now I'll tuck it away.
The dry spring has exposed the outline of the temple built around 60AD, which was excavated between 1897 and 1907 and again between 1976 and 1978. The farmer has kindly ploughed the outline of the temple and erected additional signs allowing people to walk around the temple, just as long as they keep to the paths and don't trample all over his crop. My husband and I duly obeyed his instructions and soon on this flat landscape that gives way to the sea in Chichester Harbour I found myself standing in the doorway of the temple. It's at times like this I wish I could travel back and see what it had been like then, and then return to the present day. How different the area must have looked with hedgerows and trees but no houses unless the Romans had a settlement there and I guess they did.
Being a crime writer my mind also turned to crime (fiction that is) and I thought, what if someone discovered a body lying in the wheat in the centre of the ancient temple? I know, you can't take me anywhere. I rather liked the idea. Not sure if I'll save it for the next Inspector Horton or use it for the basis of a thriller, but for now I'll tuck it away.
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