Iron Age to Roman settlement east of Monkshole Wood (EHER 19881)

A late Iron Age and Romano-British rural settlement.

1998. Excavation. Area 13 of the Three Valleys Water Pipeline Northern Link revealed a rural settlement dating from the late Iron Age through to the 4th century AD. The site consisted of enclosures and field strips divided by ditches, some small pits, structural remains (postholes and small gullies), a probable roundhouse eaves drip gulley and hearths. It was concluded to be a farming settlement in the Catuvellauni territory. This territory was also administered as a 'civitas' during the period of the Roman occupation of Britain, the capital of which was Verulamium The focus of the settlement is not readily apparent and probably changed throughout the usage of the site. The site layout changed markedly several times during its life with field boundaries/enclosures superimposed on earlier systems, particularly during the 1st century. Several ditches that had partially silted were backfilled with dumps of general domestic refuse. Evidence for a kiln or oven was found in the form of fired clay fragments. These were all quite small but may be kiln furniture or pieces of fired clay lining. These were recovered from features dated to all periods of site activity indicating that kilns/ovens were used on site in more than one period. The settlement appears to have been abandoned some time during the 4th century. Possibility related to cropmarks to the west (EHER 17276). <1> See also: <2>