Monument record MLI20016 - ROMANO-BRITISH SETTLEMENT SOUTH OF SHELL BRIDGE

Summary

ROMANO-BRITISH SETTLEMENT SOUTH OF SHELL BRIDGE

Type and Period (6)

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Full Description

PRN 20016 A domestic site (area A) at Somerset House, excavated from 1935 onwards by J Mossop, has yielded abundant pottery of about AD100-300. Aerial photographs reveal droves, fields and smaller enclosures probably of hut sites, suggesting, in addition to A, at least three other areas of probable domestic occupation. {7} A hut site, etc is reported during excavation 'in the NW corner of the field', but it is not clear which of the two sites is intended. Baked clay fragments and vessel sherds, suggesting a saltern site, have been turned up by rabbits south-west of the main drove. {1}{2}{3}{4}{5}{6}{7} This area is covered by a vast complex of drainage ditches enclosing small fields and crofts, the sharpness of the profile suggests the cuttings to be probably late medieval in period and the whole a small agricultural system. No finds were made during a perambulation. Mr Mossop has been excavating in area for 30 years, but reports no finds other than Roman (he retains).{1} Roman salterns TF342 161{9} TF340 160 c - considerable agricultural activity, enclosures revealed by St Joseph aerial photograph. Owing to the ploughing threat, a small excavation was undertaken by Boston Archaeological Group, who also surveyed the earthworks. There was a possible hut in the north-west part of the field producing pottery and querns, and a hearth and a pit. A section of an adjacent droveway showed it to be 45 foot across with ditches on either side There were three features lined with brick and blue grey clay, possible claypits, the largest was 40 feet by 4 foot 1 inch. Saltern type handbricks were found. J Mossop also excavated a small area of the field. A blue glass bead with an inlaid white glass wavy line was found on the surface at first ploughing by E Rogers. There was an excavation for the Ministry of Works by E Greenfield on a further saltern site in the centre of the same field.{12} TF343 159 - an excavation of a small area was conducted by Kesteven College of Education. Possible stake holes were located, but the area investigated was too small to arrive at any definite conclusions. Excavation at TF343 158 of a low mound near South Holland Main Drain led to the discovery of a Romano-British wattle and daub hut standing on a clay platform with a U-shaped drainage channel nearby. Pottery recovered was third to fourth century in date: OS:24. Trial trenching was carried out in 1983, centred on TF339 159. Two droveways were sampled, one in the north-eastern and one in the south-eastern corner of the field. The north-eastern droveway was sited on a roddon, with part of the western drove ditch surviving. The south-eastern droveway and two enclosures were investigated: the earliest feature was the enclosure south of the droveway, which contained late second to early third century domestic pottery while a Carbon 14 date from the upper fill gave a date of 397-562 cal. AD. This enclosure does not appear to have been respected by the droveway, which cut the enclosure ditch, although this could have been a recut of the droveway ditch (both droveway ditches showed recut evidence). A Carbon 14 date from the upper fill of the southern droveway ditch gave a date of 459-648 cal. AD. The northern enclosure appears to have been contemporary with the northern drove ditch, with a primary fill dated AD138-161. The enclosure was sited on a roddon and samples from the interior were devoid of domestic finds. It is suggested that the main settlement focus is to the south of the evaluation, but as no evidence of occupation was recovered, the function of the site is uncertain, although cattle-rearing with tidal oyster, wildfowl and salt exploitation is possible.{13}{14}

Sources/Archives (15)

  •  Index: OS CARD INDEX. HOLBEACH. TF 31 NW:17,1965, D.A..
  •  Article in Serial: 1936. JOURNAL OF ROMAN STUDIES. Vol 26 pp.248-9.
  •  Article in Serial: Hallam, S.J.. 1960. Romano-British Salt Industry in South Lincolnshire. pp.59-60.
  •  Article in Serial: WHITWELL, J.B.. 1963. Lincolnshire Architectural and Archaeological Society Reports and Papers. Vol 10 Part 1 NS p.5.
  •  Aerial Photograph: 1946-98. RCHME. 1587/2-4 ;2323 - 11-15,1980, .
  •  Aerial Photograph: ALLEN, G.W.G.. ASHMOLEAN MUSEUM. ASHMOLEAN MUSEUM.
  •  Aerial Photograph: J.K.S. St Joseph. 1945-79. Cambridge University Collection. HB0018-22:FN43-47:NZ21-26:LG81-4:Y12-17:AAQ12.
  •  Index: SMR FILE HOLBEACH. HOLBEACH. TF 31 NW:C:X,1979, WHITE, A.J..
  •  Unpublished Document: PARISH FILE. HOLBEACH. -.
  •  Article in Serial: J.B. Whitwell and Catherine M. Wilson. 1969. LINCOLNSHIRE HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY. Vol 4 p.101.
  •  Article in Monograph: HALLAM, S.J.. 1970. ‘Settlement around the Wash’ in The Fenland in Roman Times. GAZ 3416 Map 7 Sheet G.
  •  Artefact: City and County Museum Collection. ACC NO 145.77.
  •  Article in Serial: Silvester, R. J.. 1984. Fenland Research. Vol. 1 pp.36-37.
  •  Article in Monograph: Bell, A. C., Gurney, D. and Healey, H.. 1999. Lincolnshire salterns: excavations at Helpringham, Holbeach St Johns and Bicker Haven. pp.70-81.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: Eleanor Scott. 1993. A Gazetteer of Roman Villas in Britain. p.123, LI87.

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Grid reference Centred TF 3402 1591 (940m by 503m)
Civil Parish HOLBEACH, SOUTH HOLLAND, LINCOLNSHIRE

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Record last edited

Mar 21 2021 8:35PM

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