Romano-British Temple/Villa

West Coker, Somerset

NGRef: ST5213
OSMap: LR194
Type: Substantial Roman Buildings
Roads
N (6½) to LINDINIS (Ilchester, Somerset)
SSE (19) to DVRNOVARIA (Dorchester, DOrset)

There is a single inscription listed in Vol.I of the R.I.B. for West Coker, a dedicatory ansate plate to the god Mars Rigisamos, a conflation of the Roman god of war and one of his Celtic equivalents (vide RIB 187 infra), which was in former times affixed to the wall of a temple or upon an altar or pedestal dedicated to the god.

Bronze Ansate Plate from West Coker
DEO MARTI RIGISAMO IVENTIVS SABINVS VSLM
"To the god Martius Rigisamus, Juventius Sabinus willingly and deservedly fulfils his vow."
(RIB 187; bronze ansate plate)

Aside from the Substantial Roman buildings at West Coker there are several villa estates in the area, at Lufton (ST5117), North Coker (ST5413) and Westland (ST5415). In addition to the above-mentioned sites which lie in Somerset, there are a couple of villas at Halstock (ST5307) and Thornford (ST5913) and other substantial Roman buildings at Rampisham (ST5503) and Lenthay (ST6215), all in Dorset.

See: Historical Map and Guide - Roman Britain by the Ordnance Survey (3rd, 4th & 5th eds., 1956, 1994 & 2001);
The Roman Inscriptions of Britain by R.G. Collingwood and R.P. Wright (Oxford 1965).
The English translation, including any inherent mistakes, is my own.

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