Bannaventa

Bannaventa was a small defended Roman settlement in Britain, upon the Watling Street Roman road (now known as the A5). It is located near the present day village of Norton in Northamptonshire, roughly two miles (3 km) east of the town of Daventry.

The settlement was enclosed by a defensive ditch and wall, and probably served as a Mutatio (relay station) where horses could be changed for travellers upon the Roman road. The site was discovered and excavated in the 1970s. The enclosed area covered some 13.5 acres (55,000 m²) and probably contained wooden buildings.

It is possible that Bannaventa was the birthplace of Saint Patrick the patron saint of Ireland. In his confessio he said that he had been born in a settlement in England called banavem taburniae which could possibly be an alternative name for Bannaventa. In around 405 AD when he was aged 16 he was kidnapped by "pirates" who were raiding the imperial highways, and taken to Ireland as a slave. This view is backed by the fact that the Watling Street ran indirectly to north Wales and thus offered easy passage to Ireland.

It may also have been the place of death of the great Welsh saint, Cadoc, around 580. He was murdered by invading Anglo-Saxons at the cathedralof Beneventum.

External links

• Roman-Britain.org - info about Bannaventa