Roman urned cremation burial at Lynchets (formerly the Greyhound Inn), Great Chesterford (EHER 4928)

In 1850 an urned cremation burial was found behind the Greyhound Inn, 18 inches down.

In 1850 a cremation burial was found behind the Greyhound Inn, 18" down. The urn, black ware, contained ashes, had a Samian dish (stamped) as a lid. A little black cylindrical cup seems to have been in the urn. <1> <2> <3> In 1850 Braybrooke was informed that a Roman urn, covered by a lid formed by an inverted samian dish, had been discovered by a man cleaning a drain immediately behind the Greyhound Inn (subsequently Vintners and now Plextek). The urn was filled with earth and ashes, among which was discovered a small black vase. The samian is stamped N.A.S.S.I.S.F. <4> Note: The burial may belong to the south-west Roman cemetery at Great Chesterford, EHER 4948. NRHE data transfer: A Roman creamtion burial was discovered, in January 1850, by a man clearing a drain immediately behind the Greyhound Inn at Great Chesterford (TL 50334270 <5>). Examined by R. Neville who found it to be an olla of black ware, covered with an inverted patera of Samian ware and containing a cremation and a second small inverted vessil. There was also a fragment of another Samian vessel and a piece of iron. Finds in Saffron Walden Museum. <3> <5> <6> The grave may have been a pit grave. The site of the Old greyhound Inn is now entirely built over. The survival of a possible Roman barrow is therefore unlikely. <7>