Notes on the Reconstruction of the Roman Signal Tower at Scarborough
On Castle Hill at Scarborough lie the remains of a Roman signal station dating to the late fourth century. It formed part of a chain of coastal towers providing early warning against seaborne raiders along the east coast of Britain. As part of bringing this structure onto our set, we were forced to reconsider, carefully and from first principles, what such a tower may actually have looked like. A number of artistic reconstructions exist. Some favour tall, fully stone-built towers, comparable to those found in more southerly Roman ports; others propose semi-enclosed or heavily clad structures intended to protect against weather. While these reconstructions are thoughtful, they are necessarily speculative. Archaeologically, we are on firm ground only in a few areas: the stone base survives, its footprint is known, and post bases indicate the presence of large timber uprights. Beyond this, there is no ancient description or visual record that tells us how the tower was finished ab...
