ABSTRACT

The short distance from North Tawton means that this fort was either a later adjustment, or there may have been a special need for a small force at this point at the head of the Torridge Valley, which leads to the only large estuary on the north coast of Devon, where Barnstaple and Bideford are now situated. At a point another 4 1/2 miles along the route, a signal station, similar to those on the north Devon coast, has been identified by C.J. Balkwill and R.J.Silvester, among a number of earthworks on Sourton Down.5 About 5 1/2 miles to the north-west is a fortlet, probably a signal station at Broadbury.6 The Route crosses the Tamar at Launceston, where the medieval castle and town are on the south side of the River Kensey. Since little has been found in this town,7 the Roman fort could have been sited on the east side, where it could have been protected from the north by the River Carey. As Professor Rivet has noted, it may be significant that Ptolemy gave the place-name Tamara (No 218), derived from the name of the river in approximately this position, and he has furthermore shown that one of the sources of Ptolemy may have been a Neronian army list.8 From here to the next known site at Nanstallon is about 24 miles, and one might reasonably expect a fort at the mid-point position, but this would place it at the top of Bodmin Moor at the headwaters of the Fowey. It might fit another name-Voliba from Ptolemy, which he places to the west of Tamara-but the meaning of the name is obscure.9