Saxon Shore Forts

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The Saxon Shore Forts is the collective name given to a series of fortifications built along the south-east coast of what is now England, during the latter years of the Roman occupation of Britain. The forts are:

Portus Adurni - Portchester Castle
Anderitum – Pevensey
Portus Lemanis – Lympne
Dubris – Dover
Rutupiae – Richborough
Regulbium – Reculver
Othona – Bradwell-on-Sea
Garrianonum – Burgh Castle
Branodunum – Brancaster

Our knowledge of this system of fortresses comes from the Notitia Dignitatum, which names the commander as the Comes Litoris Saxonici per Britanniam (Count of the Saxon Shore in Britain), and gives the respective complement of military personnel at each site. They were probably built in the late third century, at a time when Carausius was in rebellion against Rome. Carausius had, however, been originally appointed to defeat piracy in the narrow seas, and their construction was in line with general imperial policy.

Further north on the coast, the precautions took the form of central depots at Lincoln and Malton with roads radiating to coastal signal stations. When an alert was relayed to the base, troops could be dispatched along the road. The Lincoln out-station at Salinae could receive signals from Branodunum.

In 1888, Alfred Church wrote a historical novel entitled The Count of the Saxon Shore.

It is possible to walk the Saxon Shore Way, passing many of the forts.