VOLUNTEERS have begun surveying fields discover the extent of a civilian settlement next to a Roman fort.

The work by Friends of Logovicium is being conducted in fields surrounding Lanchester’s Roman fort in north-west Durham, following heritage lottery funding.

The three-day survey of the area surrounding Longovicium involves the use of hand-held magnetometers which detect and record anomalies in the Earth’s magnetic field - allowing the outlines of buildings and walls to be mapped without the need for excavation.

Friends chairman Rodney Hawkins said geophysical mapping carried out last year had indicated five houses and shops at the eastern gate of the fort. But there was nothing to show where the settlement ended.

Mr Hawkins said: "We are looking at two hectares south of the fort and one hectare to the north to see if we can find the limits of the vicus or civilian settlement.

"We will then have a good idea as to how big the civilian settlement was that was serving this fort."

He added: "We do not really know what sort of buildings will be there.

"There could have been a brothel and would have been a temple - probably not a large one at Lanchester though. There might have been a bathhouse."

Mr Hawkins said a survey carried out last year had also found traces of Dere Street, which ran from York to Corbridge - parallel to the course indicated on ordinance survey map.

Expertise for the survey is being provided by Durham University’s Archaeological Services, who will analyse the data and produce a report for the friends.

(please do not delete this par) The friends won a £6,500 from the Heritage Lottery Fund and a further £500 grant from Durham County Council.