Monument record MLI70141 - Lower west gate, city defences and settlement evidence, The Park

Summary

Lower west gate, city defences and settlement evidence, The Park

Type and Period (11)

Protected Status/Designation

Full Description

70141 Compulsory powers were invoked by the city of Lincoln to demolish the terraced houses along the west side of the park (in the south-west corner of the lower Roman town) which prompted an excavation by the City and County Museum under Mr B. Whitwell in April/May 1968. Parts of the wall and towers of a gate were revealed. The city decided to leave this area and requested the Ministry of Works to schedule the site. {1} This portion of the wall and gate is now attractively laid out in the car park of Lincoln City Council offices, and comprises a length of wall of the west line of the Roman defences to the north and south of the gateway. At the bases of the gateway are some carved stone plinths. {2} Earliest occupation on the site comprised a series of timber building slots and associated features, and an early stone building phase laid out on a grid. This is an indication of the rapidly expanding settlement at this time, dating to the late first to early second century, and may comprise domestic structures with workshops or grain stores. Two mid to late second century cremations were also recorded. A well was also revealed which had fallen out of use before the construction of the town defences. Subsequently the earliest defences were built around the lower town, which comprised the construction of the colonia wall, which had a rubble core, faced with limestone blocks, and a contemporary rampart. The top of the wall was 1.5m at the top. A berm and a ditch system were built at the same time. Several phases of stone buildings were also identified. Then in the third century or later an interval tower was added to the city wall, dumps were put on the rampart to build it up, and contemporary internal structures were built. There appears to have been a considerable time gap between the construction of the wall and the construction of two L-shaped flanking walls which were inserted into the wall and formed the earliest gateway with possible contemporary berm and road surface. It was constructed no earlier than the 330s. The towers were subsequently modified or rebuilt. An oven was revealed in the gate area which appeared to have only been in use during the construction of the gate. Inside the oven was a complete colour-coated flagon of early-mid fourth century date, with an unshattered egg, and the bones of a young chicken. It is thought that these objects may represent a votive offering associated with religious ceremonies to mark the erection of a new gate. A guard chamber was investigated in the north tower. The defences were later refurbished. The colonia wall south of the south gate tower was widened, and the colonia wall north of the north gate was rebuilt. The rampart was then modified; extensive tipping was used to heighten and extend it. Although there may have already been a trackway in the site, the earliest road surface on the site seems to have been after the construction of the gate. This would have necessitated the building of a causeway across the ditch system, coin evidence suggests a date from AD330s to fifth century. There were four principal road surfaces identified, with a small number of localised repairs. It appears to have fallen out of use by the thirteenth century. The latest Roman occupation on the site was represented by features on the rampart, and dumping of rubbish outside the gate. This rubbish contained some of the latest Roman pottery found in the city, and dated to the fifth century. The fact that this was not cleared away suggests that this was no longer an important route way into the city. The wall survived virtually unchanged until there was major robbing of the Roman defences in the post medieval period and final levelling in the eighteenth century. Around 16000 sherds of pottery were recovered. The bone assemblage suggests that butchery of cattle was taking place in this area on a large scale, with some specialised practices. The practices also suggest that carcasses were distributed to specialist butchers for further butchery, rather like modern practices. {3} During trial trenching at the former premises of William Wright on Park Street, a further scatter of Roman pottery was uncovered. {8}{9} A watching brief was undertaken at the former Wrights' building yard, 48-50 Park Street, Lincoln during groundworks. Due to the nature of the piling undertaken, only assorted pottery finds were recovered. {10}{11} During a watching brief on land to the rear of Top Nosh, 22 Newland, Lincoln, a possible Roman or medieval defensive ditch was revealed. {12}{13}

Sources/Archives (13)

  •  Scheduling Record: HBMC. 1968. AM 7. -.
  •  Scheduling Record: HBMC. 1988. AM 107. SAM 187.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: Colyer, C., Gilmour, B.J.J. and Jones, M.J.. 1999. The Defences of the Lower City. pp.2-181.
  •  Index: SMR file cards for Lincoln. LINCOLN. SK9771SW:D.
  •  Article in Serial: MARJORAM, J.. 1973. 'Archaeological notes, 1972' in Lincolnshire History and Archaeology. Vol 8, p.38.
  •  Article in Serial: J.B. Whitwell and Catherine M. Wilson. 1969. LINCOLNSHIRE HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY. Vol 4, pp.101-102.
  •  Article in Serial: Catherine M. Wilson. 1971. 'Archaeological notes, 1970' in Lincolnshire History and Archaeology. Vol 6, p.7.
  •  Report: John Samuels Archaeological Consultants. Aug 2001. Trial trenching at William Wrights Premises, Park Street, Lincoln. PSL00.
  •  Archive: John Samuels Archaeological Consultants. Aug 2001. Trial trenching at William Wrights Premises, Park Street, Lincoln. LCNCC 2000.140.
  •  Report: John Samuels Archaeological Consultants. Oct 2004. Watching brief at the former Wrights' Building Yard, 48-50 Park Street, Lincoln. PSL00.
  •  Archive: John Samuels Archaeological Consultants. Oct 2004. Watching brief at the former Wrights' Building Yard, 48-50 Park Street, Lincoln. LCNCC 2000.140.
  •  Report: Allen Archaeological Associates. 2011. Archaeological watching brief on land to the rear of Top Nosh, 33 Newland, Lincoln. LINT11.
  •  Archive: Allen Archaeological Associates. 2011. Archaeological watching brief on land to the rear of Top Nosh, 33 Newland, Lincoln. LCNCC 2011.424.

Map

Find a placename, postcode or grid reference

Map layers

Base layers

Info

Record list

Tools

Location

Grid reference Centred SK 9730 7140 (101m by 177m) Estimated from Sources
Civil Parish CARHOLME, LINCOLN, LINCOLNSHIRE

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Events/Activities (6)

Please contact the HER for details.

External Links (0)

Record last edited

Mar 21 2021 8:35PM

Feedback?

Your feedback is welcome. If you can provide any new information about this record, please contact us.