Monument record MLI50137 - Possible Roman Villa, Claxby
Summary
A Roman tessellated pavement and large quantities of Roman pottery, coins and box tile. Thought to indicate the site of a former Roman building, possibly a villa or higher status farmstead.
Type and Period (3)
- FARMSTEAD (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
- ARTEFACT SCATTER (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
- VILLA (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
Protected Status/Designation
- None recorded
Full Description
A Roman tessellated pavement was found in this location at some point prior to 1828, along with large quantities of Roman pottery, coins and box tile fragments. The remains are thought to indicate the site of a former Roman building, possibly a villa or higher status farmstead. The pavement was discovered at a depth of 5ft, and measured about 5ft square, being comprised of blue and white tesserae 'disposed in oblong figures of about 4" by 2"'. The site is immediately adjacent to the church, and Romano-British potsherds incuding greywares have often been found in the field to the west. Finds from the site were said to have been taken to Lincoln Museum, although no trace of any can be found in the Museum's records, and the current whereabouts are unknown. The site has been listed by Scott in her gazetteer of Roman villas. {1}{2}{3}{4}{5}{6}{7}{8}{9}
A section of the tessellated pavement was found in this location during a programme of archaeological monitoring and recording in April 2024, along with a section of rubble walling. Roman pottery, painted wall plaster, mosaic fragments, and ceramic building material were recovered from the backfill of the trench. Evidence was also found of the early 19th century excavation on this site in the form of a backfilled cut. {10}
Sources/Archives (10)
- <1> SLI825 Bibliographic Reference: George Weir. 1828. An Historical and Descriptive Account of Lincolnshire. vol.1, p.248.
- <2> SLI883 Bibliographic Reference: Thomas Allen. 1834. The History of the County of Lincoln, From the Earliest Period to the Present Time. vol.2, p.208.
- <3> SLI14604 Bibliographic Reference: Samuel Lewis (ed.). 1848. A Topographical Dictionary of England. vol.1, p.606.
- <4> SLI2881 Index: Lincolnshire County Council. Sites and Monuments Record Card Index. TF 19 SW: AA.
- <5> SLI2344 Index: Ordnance Survey. Ordnance Survey Card Index. TF 19 SW: 1.
- <6> SLI776 Article in Serial: J.B. Whitwell (ed.). 1966. 'Archaeological Notes, 1964 and 1965' in Lincolnshire History and Archaeology. vol.1, pp.46-7.
- <7> SLI926 Bibliographic Reference: J.B. Whitwell. 1982. The Coritani: Some Aspects of the Iron Age Tribe and the Roman Civitas. vol.99, p.210.
- <8> SLI8698 Bibliographic Reference: Eleanor Scott. 1993. A Gazetteer of Roman Villas in Britain. p.119.
- <9> SLI10932 Bibliographic Reference: D.S. Neal and S.R. Cosh. 2002. Roman Mosaics of Britain. vol.1, p.138, mosaic 47.1.
- <10> SLI18372 Report: University of Kent. 2024. St Mary's Church, Claxby: Archaeological Scheme of Monitoring and Recording on the Cutting of a Trench for a New Water Pipe. -.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred TF 1111 9459 (21m by 21m) |
|---|---|
| Civil Parish | CLAXBY, WEST LINDSEY, LINCOLNSHIRE |
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (1)
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External Links (0)
Record last edited
Sep 11 2024 12:46PM
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