Saxon Settlement Within the Walls

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After the Roman withdrawal, Saxon settlers occupied the old fort. Archaeological excavations have revealed evidence of timber buildings, workshops and a hall within the Roman walls. The name Portchester derives from the Old English 'Portceaster', meaning the Roman fort by the port. The site was important enough to be recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. By the late Saxon period, a small community was established here, making use of the standing Roman defences as ready-made fortification.