Roman settlement at Lanswood Park (EHER 80555)

The beginning of a sustained period of activity belongs to the 1st century AD, when a Late Iron Age/early Roman enclosure was laid out, initially containing two unurned cremation burials. The later first and early second century saw a massive increase in activity with enclosures, droveways, a timber well and finds comprising of a large volume of pottery. It may be concluded that the excavated site was a farmyard belonging to an adjacent and substantial Roman-period structure with a tiled roof and a hypocaust.

Evaluation and excavation 2020-2021 The excavated site was a farmyard belonging to an adjacent and substantial Roman-period structure with a tiled roof and a hypocaust, most likely to be of 1st century date and associated with the early enclosure and cremation burials mentioned above. The pottery found on the excavated site was presumably used by the inhabitants of this building and then dumped as waste in the adjacent farmyard. Significantly, the fact that brick, roof tile and flue-tile fragments from the building found their way into the farmyard ditches must imply that the building was demolished or at least remodelled during the lifetime of the farm. Late Iron Age to Early Roman The earliest Late Iron Age/Roman period features were burial-related showing some continuity with the landscapes' previous ceremonial use. Two cremation burials were the only features within a suggested Late Iron Age or early Roman enclosure defined by two ditches which were the western and northern ditches on an enclosure lying partially off site. A possible third burial is indicate by the deposit of three near complete vessels in a ditch at the northern edge of the site. Later Roman (2nd century AD) features A change in the sites' use occurred in the 2nd century AD from ceremonial to agricultural. In the 2nd century a major enclosure and an associated field approached by trackways was laid out. This appears to have been an agricultural field system. A mixed economy is indicated by the quern fragments, implying cereal processing, and the enclosures and trackways, indicating movement of stock across a farmed landscape. Some detail of internal arrangements can be established. A wooden well was recovered which was presumably to provide water for animals rather than humans. Although there are no arrangements of post holes or other features which can be interpreted as buildings, one of the well timbers had a nail hole, showing it was reused. This must mean there was at least one nailed wooden structure on site, perhaps a fence or part of an animal pen. The recovery of a small quantity of slag shows that some metal working took place. Although none were found, a quantity of baked clay may indicate the presence of fired clay structures such as ovens and hearths, which have not survived. If the excavated site was part of a farmed estate, with evidence for both arable (querns) and pasture (droveways and field boundaries), then the large amount of pottery must be associated with a Roman-period site which must lie immediately east of the excavated area. This site may be construed as the source of all the pottery, which can be described as domestic waste tipped into convenient holes and ditches. Despite there being no Roman coins from this site, there are two factors indicating a level of wealth. There was a group of imported table wares (Samian ware and colour-coats) and amphoras, plus a small fragment from what was probably a larger group of Roman glass. These show at least a middle class Roman veneer. But most importantly, the 53kg of Roman brick and tile. This included flue-tile from a hypocaust, and roof tile. Unquestionably, this is evidence for at least a single structure with a hypocaust and a tiled roof, or perhaps several structures grouped in a villa-type establishment. It may be concluded that the excavated site was a farmyard belonging to an adjacent and substantial Roman structure. <1>