Monument record MLI116296 - Roman Settlement Activity, Tothby Lane, Alford
Summary
A large concentration of Roman enclosure ditches and associated pits, including evidence for cereal and meat processing indicative of ancillary settlement activity, on land off Tothby Lane, Alford.
Type and Period (5)
- DITCH (Roman - 200 AD to 299 AD)
- RECTILINEAR ENCLOSURE (Roman - 200 AD to 299 AD)
- PIT (Roman - 200 AD to 299 AD)
- SETTLEMENT (Roman - 200 AD to 299 AD)
- CORN DRYING OVEN (Late Iron Age to Roman - 100 BC to 409 AD)
Protected Status/Designation
- None recorded
Full Description
Evidence of probable former settlement activity was identified in this area in November 2014, during magnetometry survey conducted to inform proposed residential development. The activity was recorded as a large concentration of rectilinear enclosures and associated ditch and pit-like magnetic anomalies, concentrated in the southern and western parts of the site. {1}
Subsequent trial trenching in this area, conducted in March 2015, confirmed the presence of many enclosure ditch and pit features in this area, all of which corresponded well with the previous identified geophysical anomalies. A quantity of Roman pottery was recovered from several of the features, almost all of which dated to the 3rd century AD. A small assemblage of animal bone, mostly representing the remains of cattle, was also recovered from two of the ditch features. Several of the bone fragments showed evidence of cut marks associated with disarticulation and the jointing of meat, and would suggest the assemblage represents domestic refuse. Analysis of an environmental sample taken from one of the ditches indicates that spelt wheat was the main crop grown near the site, which would be consistent with the usual Roman agricultural practice of this area. {2}{3}
Following the results of the trial trenching and the changing of the scale of the proposed residential development a scheme of open excavations was undertaken in June and July 2021. Results were of the same nature as the trial trenching, with enclosures and pit features recorded. While the majority of the finds recorded were of comperable nature (butchered bone, etc.) the pottery related to a wide date range of Late Iron Age or Early Roman to Late Roman, and the presence of features associated with the processing of cereals. The greater quantity of archaeology encountered was considered sufficient to further characterise the site as being an ancilliary area to a primary settlement nearby, where agricultural activities and the processing or animal products and cereals was undertaken. {4}{5}
Sources/Archives (5)
- <1> SLI15517 Report: Pre-Construct Geophysics. 2014. Land off Tothby Lane, Alford. -.
- <2> SLI15518 Report: Pre-Construct Archaeological Services Ltd. 2015. Land off Tothby Lane, Alford. PCAS site code: ATLE 15.
- <3> SLI15519 Archive: Pre-Construct Archaeological Services Ltd. 2015. Land off Tothby Lane, Alford. LCNCC 2015.117.
- <4> SLI18362 Report: PCAS Archaeology Ltd. 2022. Strip, Map, and Record at Land off Tothby Lane, Alford. PCAS site code: ATLX21.
- <5> SLI18363 Archive: PCAS Archaeology Ltd. 2022. Strip, Map, and Record at Land off Tothby Lane, Alford. LCNCC 2021.83.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred TF 4461 7617 (177m by 134m) Estimated from sources |
|---|---|
| Civil Parish | ALFORD, EAST LINDSEY, LINCOLNSHIRE |
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (3)
External Links (0)
Record last edited
Sep 9 2024 11:32AM
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