Monument record MLI80822 - Romano-British settlement site on land south of Tennyson Drive, Bourne
Summary
A localised Romano-British domestic and industrial focus.
Type and Period (12)
- PIT (Roman - 100 AD to 299 AD)
- DITCH (Roman - 100 AD to 299 AD)
- GULLY (Roman - 100 AD to 299 AD)
- POST HOLE (Roman - 100 AD to 299 AD)
- WALL ? (Roman - 100 AD to 299 AD)
- SETTLEMENT (Roman - 100 AD to 299 AD)
- BEAM SLOT (Roman - 200 AD to 275 AD)
- POST HOLE (Roman - 200 AD to 275 AD)
- RUBBISH PIT (Roman - 200 AD to 275 AD)
- DITCHED ENCLOSURE (Roman - 200 AD to 275 AD)
- ROAD (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
- RECTILINEAR ENCLOSURE (Roman - 200 AD to 275 AD)
Protected Status/Designation
- None recorded
Full Description
A focus of pits and ditches, and a possible stone cill wall, broadly dated to the second and third centuries were discovered on an area of raised ground during trial trenching in 2000. They indicate domestic and industrial activity. A concentration of pits, postholes, gullies and ditches contained Roman dating evidence (mainly third century). A small rectangular cut was interpreted as a possible drip gully for a small building. An undated charcoal rich gully produced evidence of a low-fired disposable ceramic, believed initially to be a briquetage type material. Possible structural remains had been robbed in antiquity and more recently truncated by ploughing. The site is considered to be a localised focus of activity outside the Roman town of Bourne. Many of the features are undated but close to others from which Roman pottery was recovered. {1}{2}{3}
A watching brief centred at TF 1030 1904 identified four pits containing significant amounts of pottery dating to the mid to late 2nd to the mid 3rd centuries AD. The bulk of the pottery is equally divided between Nene Valley grey wares and shell-tempered products of the Bourne kilns. A few 4th century sherds were also found. The focus of archaeological remains at the western end of the site suggests that Romano-British occupation probably lies to the west of the investigated area. In all, this site is likely to be peripheral to the main Romano-British settlement which lies to the west and north-west. {4}{5}
An archaeological excavation was conducted between October 2002 and February 2003 in advance of the construction of a new housing estate. The excavation revealed evidence for a small low-status roadside settlement either side of Roman King Street, though much of the site had been disturbed by modern agricultural activity. The settlement appears to have been short-lived, with at least two, possibly three, post-built structures evident only in the early 3rd century. One of the revealed buildings included an annexe or ancillary structure that may have been a stall or booth fronting the road to the west, and a pit backfill containing large quantities of slag and well-preserved hammerscale suggests the presence of a nearby smithy. Other domestic waste pits were encountered to the rear of the buildings. During the post-excavation analysis of the fired clay found on the site, the assemblage from the previous programme of trial trenching in 2000 was re-evaluated. It was concluded not to incluide briquetage or furniture from saltern ovens, but was instead primarily structural in form. {6}{7}
Sources/Archives (7)
- <1> SLI6042 Report: John Samuels Archaeological Consultants. June 2000. Report on evaluation at southwest Bourne. JSAC Site Code: SWB99.
- <2> SLI6043 Report: John Samuels Archaeological Consultants. June 2000. Appendix to report on evaluation at southwest Bourne. JSAC Site Code: SWB99.
- <3> SLI6044 Archive: John Samuels Archaeological Consultants. June 2000. Archive of evaluation at southwest Bourne. LCNCC: 1999.149.
- <4> SLI11059 Report: Archaeological Project Services. Aug 2006. Archaeological Watching Brief at South Road, Bourne. APS Site Code: BSR05.
- <5> SLI11060 Archive: Archaeological Project Services. Aug 2006. Archaeological Watching Brief at South Road, Bourne. LCNCC: 2005.161.
- <6> SLI18804 Report: Northamptonshire Archaeology. 2007. A Roman Roadside Settlement at Elsea Park, Bourne. -.
- <7> SLI18805 Archive: Northamptonshire Archaeology. 1999. A Roman Roadside Settlement at Elsea Park, Bourne. LCNCC: 1999.149.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred TF 1003 1893 (430m by 309m) Estimated from sources |
|---|---|
| Civil Parish | BOURNE, SOUTH KESTEVEN, LINCOLNSHIRE |
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (4)
- Event - Intervention: Archaeological Watching Brief at South Road, Bourne (ELI7271)
- Event - Intervention: Evaluation on land south and west of Bourne (ELI1307)
- Event - Intervention: Excavation on land south of Bourne (ELI14528)
- Event - Survey: Geophysical survey on land south and west of Bourne (ELI1308)
Please contact the HER for details.
External Links (0)
Record last edited
Mar 6 2025 10:13AM
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