LOCATION, FUNCTION AND STATUS: A ROMANO-BRITISH 'RELIGIOUS COMPLEX' AT THE NOAH'S ARK INN, FRILFORD (OXFORDSHIRE)

An archaeological survey of the Noah's Ark Inn was undertaken with the intention of providing insight into the location, function and status of the known Romano-British temple site. The survey resulted in the discovery of an amphitheatre and associated buildings in close proximity to the temple. It is now clear that the Noah's Ark Inn site is an example of an extensive 'religious complex' of a type well known in Gaul, but not very well represented in Britian. The purpose of this paper is to review the evidence for the Noah's Ark Inn religious complex and to consider the site in relation to other Gallo-Roman and Romano-British religious complexes.