Lydney Park - Roman Temple

Roman Temple

The area has an early British Iron Age promontory fort–type hill fort, known as Lydney Camp, covering 4.5 acres. The Romans used the site, until the early 4th century, for the extraction of iron ore. Open-cast iron mines, or scowles, and tunnels still exist throughout the hill.

In the late 4th century, the Romans built a temple to Nodens, a Celtic divinity who is reflected by the later figures of Nuada and Nudd alias Lludd in Irish and Welsh mythology respectively. Lludd's name survives in the placename of Lydney. Several model dog images have been found there, indicating it was a healing shrine. The structure was a cross between a basilica and the usual Romano-British style temple. The walls of the sanctuary or cella were arched colonnades until a fault in the rock below caused the almost total collapse of the temple. It was rebuilt with solid walls to the cella. There was a fish-covered mosaic with an inscription that referred to 'Victorinus the Interpreter', probably an interpreter of dreams. The Roman temple was accompanied by a large courtyard pilgrims' hostel and elaborate bath suite or thermae.