Water Newton: Roman Traces and St Remigius

Water Newton brings together Roman history, distinctive buildings and the River Nene. Its traces range from the extensive Roman town of Durobrivae to a smaller fort; St Remigius Church and Water Newton Mill add medieval architectural history and historic details to the picture. When planning your holiday rental, you can decide whether you would like to focus mainly on archaeological sites, architecture or a path by the water.

Roman Traces at Durobrivae

The area enclosed by a wall at Durobrivae covers approximately 23 hectares. Its extensive industrial suburbs and cemeteries extend over a further 100 hectares. Cropmarks reveal the street pattern and stone buildings. The town wall also survives as a low earthwork; its outline forms an irregular polygon. Durobrivae lies close to the River Nene. The different area measurements give an impression of the distinct parts of the Roman town and its surroundings.

The Water Newton Roman Fort site covers 2 hectares. It stands on slightly elevated ground between Durobrivae to the southeast and the point where Ermine Street crosses the River Nene to the north. Its outline is the typical playing-card shape. Three defensive ditches lie on its east, south and west sides. Sufficient finds indicate that the fort was occupied at some point between AD 60 and 65. Taken together, the town and fort show two different scales of Roman presence at Water Newton.

Church and Mill: Details from Several Centuries

St Remigius stands among trees on the banks of the River Nene. The church is already mentioned in the Domesday Book survey of 1086. The chancel and nave were rebuilt in the 13th century, and the aisles were added in the 14th century. The church also contains a Roman coffin. Different layers of history therefore meet in one building: the medieval development of the church and an older object from the Roman past of the area.

Water Newton Mill also preserves tangible traces of the past. A dated plaque bears the inscription “1791 J Compton”. Largely intact parts of the mill’s internal machinery include two waterwheels, one of which is 14 feet in diameter, two pairs of millstones, sack hoists and grain bins. The combination of the plaque and machinery makes the mill interesting as a historic building in a different way from the church or Roman sites: here, the focus is on technical equipment and a dated architectural detail.

Treasure Find and Paths along the River Nene

The Water Newton Treasure was discovered in 1975 at the site of the walled Roman town of Durobrivae near Water Newton. The hoard consists of nine silver vessels and 19 plaques and is widely regarded as the earliest known group of Christian silver objects. The British Museum acquired the treasure. Its contents and findspot connect a specific archaeological discovery with the broader Roman history of Water Newton.

A walking route description from September 2021 outlines a circular walk that passes Water Newton Lock and the Nene Valley Railway and partly follows the Hereward Way. It mentions good views across the water towards St Remigius. A short walk along the same path leads to the front of the converted mill and its attractive façades. The route description notes that routes are not checked again regularly, so check the route before setting out.

Water Newton Lock 35 is on the River Nene. Along with the circular walk described, this connection to the water offers a different perspective from the archaeological sites and historic buildings. When looking for a holiday rental, you can choose according to which of these themes you would like to shape your stay: Roman history, buildings from different periods or a walk with river views.

Discover more destinations: Linton, Elton, Girton, Fen Drayton, Papworth Everard, Hardwick, St Neots, Sawtry.

For the regional travel overview: Cambridgeshire.