The Roman vicus Bravonium was established at present-day Leintwardine about AD 70; a fort was built there about AD 160, and abandoned about AD 196.[2]
The fort at Buckton is just above the floodplain of the River Teme. The remains, entirely buried, were observed and photographed from the air by W A Baker in 1959, during a drought. There was excavation between then and 1961, from which a chronology was established.[1][3]
Originally there were turf ramparts and timber gate towers, constructed about AD 80. The fort replaced an earlier fort nearby at Jay Lane. It is thought that this site had a better water supply; traces of a bath house were found to the east of the fort.[1][3]
The fort was rebuilt in stone about AD 120, with a similar size, about 2.3 hectares (5.7 acres). It housed a cavalry unit. There were gates of width 22.3 metres (73 ft), inside stone gate towers; it was the largest gatehouse of an auxiliary fort known in Britain. The fort was later dismantled, perhaps to build the fort at Bravonium, and was abandoned in AD 130.[1][3]
There is an adjacent fort to the north-west, entirely buried but visible on aerial photographs, of area about 1.5 hectares (3.7 acres). It is presumably associated with the larger fort, and may have been an earlier temporary fort.[4]
