Monument record MLI13336 - Romano-British Settlement and Probable Saltmaking, Station Road, Sutterton

Summary

Romano-British settlement and probable industrial activity, on land off Station Road, Sutterton.

Type and Period (11)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Full Description

Fieldwalking over a proposed development area identified a scatter of Roman pottery dating to the late second and third century AD. It coincided an area of the field which produced magnetic anomalies possibly representing associated ditches and other archaeological features. {1}{2}{3} Evaluation trenches revealed four ditches and a pit with a large and varied pottery assemblage dating from the late first century to the fourth century AD. The pottery as a whole represents a wide range of wares and functional uses, varying from common, low status domestic forms (cooking pots) to high status vessels (colour-coated). The finely made vessels (table wares), mortaria, amphorae and imported Samian suggests that a settlement of some status was located nearby. The pottery reveals a closely dated sequence from the later first century to the mid / late third century, possibly continuing into the fourth century with no apparent hiatus in the supply of the pottery. A polished bone spatula was also found. There was evidence for industrial activity nearby, possibly a Roman saltworking site. {4}{5} During a watching brief on the site significant quantities of Roman pottery were found dating almost exclusively to the middle of the third century AD. The pottery was found in ditches and it is suggested that the features seen during the watching brief belong exclusively to activity between AD250 to 300. The pottery included amphorae from south Gaul, Samian from central Gaul and a range of fine wares from the Nene valley, mainly colour-coated forms. The pottery was generally large and fresh sherds with little abrasion, which would tend to confirm the nearby existence of a settlement. A large storage jar in a fabric similar to briquetage contained a possible salt residue and this may indicate salt production and storage on the site. Animal bone consisted mainly of cattle with sheep / goat, horse, pig and chicken. Sometime after the third century AD the site appears to have been abandoned and a shallow marine environment sealed the Roman features with clays and silts. {6}{7} Archaeological excavation was undertaken on an area located in the south-western corner of the proposed development area. Three areas were excavated. In the first (Area 1), the work identified an extensive pattern of four interconnecting palaeochannels, with many cutting through a landscape of 'islands'. Although there was no definite evidence for Roman features in this area, three of the palaeochannels produced Roman pottery. The evidence would indicate some of the channels were active before, during and immediately after the Roman occupation. The second area (located towards the west of the site) provided a number of well-define zones of activity including a large north-east to south-west aligned palaeochannel, pits, ditches and a single kiln or hearth. It was immediately apparent that all the archaeological features were concentrated on the higher (and therefore better drained; relatively high) land. The third area produced no evidence for human activity. The presence of seed grain in samples taken from pits and creeks is indicative of agricultural activities being carried out either on or (more likely) in close proximity to the excavated area. An unusually large quantity of carbonised grain in the creek fill in the north-western part of Area 1 is indicative of there having been storage facilities. No clear evidence for structures were detected on site. The artefactual evidence suggests Roman activity is limited to the later second and third century AD. {8}{9} Geophysical survey in the field to the immediate south of the previously investigated area identified a number of discrete archaeological features including ditches and pits, and the large north-east to south-west aligned palaeochannel identified in earlier work. {10} Trial trenching in this southern field revealed a sequence of Romano-British features and deposits which were centred upon an established drainage system dating from the mid 2nd to 4th century AD. Archaeological and environmental evidence suggests that domestic and industrial activity occurred, representing the southward continuation of a known Roman settlement. The presence of a significant volume of burnt deposits in 2nd to 3rd century features is suggestive of salt production, although the presence of carbonised and charred grain (including sprouted/germinated seeds) could suggest malting/brewing activity. Irrespective of the economic basis of the site, finds of Roman tile (tegula) and possibly hypocaust tile alongside a significant fineware pottery assemblage suggests a settlement possessing a level of wealth that allowed them in part to emulate contemporary urban culture. The exact location of this settlement centre was not determined. A possible trackway was also recorded. A fired clay ball was also recovered. {11}{12}

Sources/Archives (12)

  •  Report: Lindsey Archaeological Services. 1995. Land off Spalding Road, Sutterton: Archaeological Evaluation (Fieldwalking Survey). SSR95.
  •  Archive: Lindsey Archaeological Services. 1995. Land off Spalding Road, Sutterton: Archaeological Evaluation (Fieldwalking Survey). LCNCC 156.95.
  •  Report: Geophysical Surveys of Bradford. 1995. Report on Geophysical Survey: Sutterton. -.
  •  Report: Archaeological Project Services. Jan 1996. Archaeological Evaluation on Land South of the Cemetery, Station Road, Sutterton. SSR95.
  •  Archive: Archaeological Project Services. Jan 1996. Archaeological Evaluation and Watching Brief on Land South of the Cemetery, Station Road, Sutterton. LCNCC 156.95.
  •  Report: Archaeological Project Services. Nov 1996. Archaeological Watching Brief on Land South of the Cemetery, Station Road, Sutterton. SSR96.
  •  Archive: Archaeological Project Services. Nov 1996. Archaeological Watching Brief on Land South of the Cemetery, Station Road, Sutterton. LCNCC 156.95.
  •  Report: Professional Independent Services for Archaeology. Feb 1997. Archaeological Excavation on land at South of the Cemetery, Station Road, Sutterton. SRS97.
  •  Archive: Professional Independent Services for Archaeology. Feb 1997. Archaeological Excavation on land at South of the Cemetery, Station Road, Sutterton. LCNCC 188.97.
  •  Report: Stratascan. 2007. Sutterton Enterprise Park, Sutterton. Stratascan site code: J2400.
  •  Report: Allen Archaeological Associates. 2008. Land Adjacent to Sutterton Enterprise Park, Station Road, Sutterton. AAA site code: SUTT08.
  •  Archive: Allen Archaeological Associates. 2008. Land Adjacent to Sutterton Enterprise Park, Station Road, Sutterton. LCNCC 2008.2.

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Grid reference Centred TF 2847 3510 (318m by 372m) Estimated from Sources
Civil Parish SUTTERTON, BOSTON, LINCOLNSHIRE

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Record last edited

Dec 18 2025 2:35PM

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