Monument record MLI70149 - Roman Cemetery, Monks Road/Lindum Road, Lincoln

Summary

Roman cemetery at Monks Road and Lindum Road, Lincoln. A part of this site, in the grounds of Sessions House, is scheduled.

Type and Period (9)

Protected Status/Designation

Full Description

Part of Lindum Road/Monks Road is the site of a Roman cemetery. Part of this site, that lying in the western half of the Sessions House grounds, is scheduled. {1}{2}{3}{4}{5} The first known evidence for the cemetery was a piece of inscribed stone (RIB 271), thought to be part of a funerary monument, which was found in Lindum Road at SK 978 715 in 1785. Further carved stones have been found in the same area: a tombstone fragment (RIB 256) was found at SK 98035 71623 under 17 Lindum Road, and a tombstone (RIB 263) was found at c.SK 9804 7162 under 16 or 18 Lindum Road. An undated stone coffin and a large quantity of human remains were dug up at SK 9781 7124 in 1845. These may be of Roman date, but see also PRN 70101. A quantity of Roman pottery, including a cremation urn 'bearing an inscription', was found during excavation of foundations for two villas somewhere on Lindum Terrace in 1859. Two inhumation burials were found behind St Hugh's School, at SK 9791 7135, in February 1961. Second and third century pottery was found in a trench close by. {6} The inhumations appeared to have been cut into the layers containing the second to third century pottery. {7} During works at the Technical College in 1977 a skeleton was found in a foundation trench. Roman potsherds were present in the grave fill. {8} Trial trenching in 1993 recorded a human bone which may come from the cemetery (PRN 70149a - SK 9788 7151). {9} A subsequent watching brief in 1994 on the same site recorded at least two burials adjacent to the Lindum Road retaining wall. Rectilinear features with similar fills were thought to indicate the positions of further burials. Disarticulated human bone was recovered from levels producing Roman pottery. A large limestone coffin was also recorded. {10}{11} During a watching brief at Sessions House, the truncated remains of a burial were recorded in the lift pit/stairwell area (PRN 70149b - SK 9785 7145). Fourth century pottery recovered from the fill suggests that the burial was part of the Roman cemetery. {12}{13} An archaeological watching brief was undertaken at Lincoln College, Cathedral Street (PRN 70149c - SK 9796 7147). The watching brief recorded a 2nd century burial which is probably associated with other inhumations recorded north of Monks Road and Cathedral Street. The absence of any human remains adjacent to Monks Road suggests that the cemetery in which these inhumations were placed does not extend as far south as the Roman road, which is thought to follow the present line of Monks Road. The cemetery may have been restricted to a single terrace, defined by encompassing walls. {14}{15} A watching brief at Lincoln College Exercise Park, was undertaken by Allen Archaeological Associates in July to September 2011 (PRN 70149d - SK 9800 7156). Residual Roman ceramic building material and a glass fragment was found along with a grave cut. {16}{17} Signficant Roman burial activity was revealed during an excavation and subsequent watching brief in 2011, prior to development at the Dean's Building, Lincoln College (PRN 70149e - SK 9802 7148). At least 25 inhumation burials were discovered to the north of a second century Roman road running east to west across the site, with more burials suggested by a spread of disarticulated remains. Iron nails found suggest that at least some of the burials were in coffins. The cemetery appears to have been abandoned at the same time as the road, which likely occurred after the construction of the Lower City defences. {18}{19}

Sources/Archives (19)

  •  Scheduling Record: HBMC. 1972. AM 7. -.
  •  Scheduling Record: HBMC. 1988. AM 107. SAM 269.
  •  Scheduling Record: HBMC. 1972. AM 107. SAM 269.
  •  Article in Serial: RICHMOND I A. 1947. ARCHAEOLOGICAL JOURNAL. vol.103, 1946, p.51.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: CLEARY, S.E.. 1987. EXTRA-MURAL AREAS OF ROMANO-BRITISH TOWNS. BAR 169, pp.109 & 112, figs.42 & 43.
  •  Index: Lincolnshire County Council. Sites and Monuments Record Card Index. SK 97 SE: G, Z, BC; SK 97 NW: F, H, P; SK 97 NE: AZ.
  •  Article in Serial: PETCH, D.F.. 1962. 'Archaeological Notes for 1961' in Lincolnshire Architectural and Archaeological Society Reports and Papers. vol.9, part 2, p.101.
  •  Article in Serial: A.J. White (ed.). 1978. 'Archaeology in Lincolnshire and South Humberside, 1977' in Lincolnshire History and Archaeology. vol.13, pp.75-6.
  •  Report: City of Lincoln Archaeology Unit. Sept 1993. North Lincolnshire College (proposed student accomodation). TC93.
  •  Report: City of Lincoln Archaeology Unit. Jan 1995. North Lincolnshire College (new student accomodation blocks), Lincoln. TCA94.
  •  Archive: City of Lincoln Archaeology Unit. Jan 1995. North Lincolnshire College (new student accomodation blocks), Lincoln. LCNCC 4.94.
  •  Report: City of Lincoln Archaeology Unit. April 1999. Sessions House, Monks Road, Lincoln. SESA97.
  •  Archive: City of Lincoln Archaeology Unit. April 1999. Sessions House, Monks Road, Lincoln. LCNCC 139.97.
  •  Report: Lindsey Archaeological Services. Jan 2006. Archaeological Watching Brief at Lincoln College, Cathedral Street. LCSZ03.
  •  Archive: Lindsey Archaeological Services. Jan 2006. Archaeological Watching Brief at Lincoln College, Cathedral Street. LCNCC 2003.288.
  •  Report: Allen Archaeology Ltd. 2011. Archaeological watching brief at Lincoln College Exercise Park, Lincoln. LICE11.
  •  Archive: Allen Archaeology Ltd. 2011. Archaeological watching brief at Lincoln College Exercise Park, Lincoln. LCNCC 2011.515.
  •  Report: Allen Archaeology Ltd. 2012. Lincoln College, Lincoln. AAL site code: LICO 11.
  •  Archive: Allen Archaeology Ltd. 2012. Lincoln College, Lincoln. LCNCC 2012.118.

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Location

Grid reference Centred SK 9792 7144 (266m by 430m) Approximate
Civil Parish ABBEY, LINCOLN, LINCOLNSHIRE

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Record last edited

Mar 21 2021 8:35PM

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