BERKSHIRE

(1) Caversham, 177 Upper Woodcote Road (SU 69675 76225): excavation revealed Roman occupation, including both early (first- to second-century) and late Roman (fourth-century) elements. Remains consisted of a NNW–SSE ditch surrounded by several refuse pits, an isolated post-hole and a couple of short gullies. The quantity of finds suggests significant settlement during this period in the vicinity. Besides pottery, two Roman coins were found, as well as animal bones and ceramic building material.Footnote ¹²²

EAST SUSSEX

(1) Icklesham, land at Main Road (TQ 8645 1623): excavation investigated ditches, gullies, pits and a cremation burial inside a square-ditched enclosure. The earliest remains date to the Late Iron Age/early Roman period, with the next phase following into the early second century, after which activity on the site seems to have come to an end. A small assemblage of iron slag was recovered from within several features, but no furnaces were identified to suggest any smelting took place on site. It is not known if the excavated deposits were self-contained or part of a larger settled area. A single burial deposit of an urned cremation dated to the mid- to late first century a.d., perhaps that of a child set within a square enclosure or square barrow, is an unusual discovery.Footnote ¹²³

(2) Ringmer, Bridge Farm, Wellingham Footnote ¹²⁴ (TQ430145): ongoing assessment of two ogival-carved timbersFootnote ¹²⁵ found beneath the remains of a third- to fourth-century post-base confirmed their rarity amongst the corpus of Roman timbers from Britain, with only one other isolated example of an ogee-moulded beam-end found (in a well at Marston Park, Bedfordshire). The two Bridge Farm examples appear to be the truncated ends of timbers possibly cut across deep halving joints. The extant timbers measure: 470 mm long by 190 mm wide by 120 mm deep; 270 mm long by 155 mm wide by 105 mm deep. The larger of the two has a distinctive 25 mm-deep diagonal slot running across one face, which is thought to have been the housing for a horizontal board/soffit. This would suggest that the timber forms the end of a rafter in a roof structure pitched at c. 40 degrees, with the ogival moulding forming a double drip-point and the truncated halving joint being the housing for a purlin (longitudinal beam) close to the eaves (fig. 21). Whilst none of the timbers recovered has sufficient rings to support dendrochronological dating, they do show marks of preparation consistent with Roman period methods.Footnote ¹²⁶

FIG. 21.

Ringmer, Bridge Farm: how the timber would have sat in the roof structure when pitched at 40 degrees.

KENT

(1) Aylesford, land east of Hermitage Lane (TQ 73136 56639): an evaluation revealed features dating to the Romano-British period, concentrated in the eastern part of the site. A probable robber cut correlated with the southern side of a square geotechnical anomaly. The profile of the cut, along with the high quantity and size of the ragstone fragments recovered from its fill, suggested that this was a robbed-out wall of an enclosure. To the north of the robbed-out wall was a probable trackway or field boundary, aligned with the northern side of the probable enclosure. This feature consisted of either double ditches or re-cuts along either side and also correlated with an anomaly recorded in the geotechnical report.Footnote ¹²⁷

(2) Chatham, Rochester Airport, Maidstone Road (TQ 74560 63860): excavation found a robbed-out Roman wall which appeared to be enclosing a square area that continued beyond the eastern bounds of the area exposed. It is probable that some of the pits and post-holes recorded were also of Roman date, but this is still to be confirmed as the post-excavation analyses and assessment report are pending.Footnote ¹²⁸

(3) Richborough (Rutupiae) (TR 324 602): excavation was carried out to confirm the dimensions, morphology and survival of the archaeology of the Claudian timber gate previously identified and excavated by J.P. Bushe-Fox.Footnote ¹²⁹ The gate was based upon four posts, 300 mm square, set in post-pits measuring 1.86 by 1.10+ m in plan and 1.01 m deep. The distances between the centres of the post-pits were 3.1 m east–west and 3.8 m north–south, giving the dimensions of the gate. Bushe-Fox had emptied three of the four post-pits, but the south-western feature remained sealed by an unexcavated Antonine pit. Bushe-Fox back-filled the pits edging them with flints and marked the post positions with slender timbers, the base of one of which survived (fig. 22). This was doubtless done during the excavation to demonstrate the structure to visitors.Footnote ¹³⁰

FIG. 22.

Richborough: excavation area from the east, showing three post-pits edged with flints by Bushe-Fox.

(4) Wootton, Lydden Hill race circuit (TR 2400 4700): evaluation revealed Roman ditches, gullies and pits. One cremation burial was also found. A fair amount of pottery was recovered, suggesting the proximity of a settlement, possibly related to the Roman road connecting Canterbury to Dover, although the road itself was not evident in the geophysical survey or the trenches.Footnote ¹³¹

SURREY

(1) Near Guildford: a hoard was found by Archaeology South-East during an archaeological evaluation. It consists of 14 radiates: Gallienus (sole reign) 2; Divus Claudius II 1; Victorinus 1; uncertain emperor 5; irregular 5 (prototypes of the Tetrici). Deposited c. a.d. 275‒85 or later.Footnote ¹³²

(2) Tongham, Manor Farm (SU 88498 48539): excavation revealed Romano-British archaeology in two distinct phases (second century and later third to fourth century). In total 11 linear features were identified; eight date to the second century, of which four may be remnants of a trackway whilst others are identified as possible boundary or drainage ditches. The remaining three features date to the later third/fourth century and are thought to be boundary ditches. Fourteen pits were also identified, with all but five dated to the late third/fourth century. There is no clear indication of their purpose, although it is possible that they represent rubbish pits. Although the Roman pottery recovered from the site is likely to be domestic waste, there is no direct evidence of occupation on the site. However, the presence of this material along with a small piece of quernstone and fragments of Roman tile indicates that settlement was located nearby. The nature of the settlement is impossible to define from the finds assemblage recovered; whilst the pottery is largely low-status-type material, including utilitarian cooking jars, the presence of small quantities of Roman era brick and tile would seem to suggest that there may have been a tiled masonry building (or buildings) of the period somewhere nearby.Footnote ¹³³

WEST SUSSEX

(1) Petworth: a hoard of two solidi, seven miliarenses, 53 siliquae and two gold finger-rings. Solidi: a.d. 378‒88, 1 (Milan); a.d. 388‒95, 1 (Trier). Miliarenses: a.d. 367‒75, 4 (Trier 3; Siscia 1); a.d. 378‒88, 1 (Trier); a.d. 367‒95, 2 (uncertain mint). Siliquae: a.d. 361‒63, 1 (eastern mint); a.d. 364‒67, 1 (Rome); a.d. 367‒75, 8 (Trier); a.d. 375‒79, 6 (Trier 4; Aquileia 2); a.d. 378‒88, 7 (Trier 6; uncertain mint 1); a.d. 388‒95, 5 (Trier 2; Lyon 2; uncertain mint 1); a.d. 395‒402, 14 (Milan); 11 fragments of uncertain date. Deposited c. a.d. 395‒402 or later. The hoard was found with two gold rings, one with a glass or gemstone intaglio and one with an empty bezel, plus a fragment of a bezel frame.Footnote ¹³⁴