Roman settlement, near Stanley Hall (EHER 9356)

Excavations in 1962 uncovered Roman tile, brick, tesserae and pottery and the remains of a timber framed building indicating a settlement site. A ditch and evidence of ironworking was found. The site dates from the 3rd to the early 5th centuries. Possibly the site of a Roman villa.

Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import: A Roman settlement extending apparently in a narrow band for some 300 yards, was excavated at Pebmarsh in 1962. A generous scatter of Roman brick, tile and red tesserae in field 3 indicate the presence of at least one building in that field (sited to TL 83603247 'A' from Smallwoods map). In field 1 were the remains of a timber building (sited to TL 83913260 'B' from map). The walls were of wattle and daub presumably supported by a timber frame and from the number of flanged tiles found in the immediate vicinity the building was tiled in the usual Roman manner. A few sherds of pottery, including the base of a Castor ware beaker (suggesting a 3rd century occupation), some animal bones and some iron objects had been trodden into the floor. A few yards to the east of the building part of a heavily abraded greyware mortarium was found. This, Mr M.R. Hull has suggested is of very late Roman date, and may afford evidence of occupation continuing down to AD 400 or later. At the extreme west end of the field several fragments of hypocaust tile were found. The recovery of an unusually large number of iron objects, together with the presence in the ditch to the north of the timber building, of a layer of ash, suggests that iron working, if only on a limited scale may have been carried on at the site. At the south-east end of field 1 traces of medieval occupation were visible on the surface. These consisted of a few coarse body-sherds, and one rim of hard heavily-gritted pottery. Listed as the possible site of a Roman villa. <1> - <2> Colchester Museum records report traces of a timber-framed building with gravel court centred on TL 83843248, and Romano-British rubbish pits, 3rd and 4th century pottery and tile at TL 83743248. This is all contained in one large field south-east of Stanley Hall. <3> <4> Tegulae - 6 pieces, two comb marked on the under surface. Found by Brigadier Vasey, May 1979. In Colchester Museum. <5> August 1976. Field visit. No trace of the suggested Roman buildings was visible on the surface which is composed of undulating boulder clay at present under stubble. A slight trace of building debris comprising tile, brick and potsherds was seen on the surface over an area about 80.0m diameter centred TL 83693252 between the two suggested sitings, but little evidence of further occupation was seen. J.P. Smallwood no longer lives in the area. <6> <7> See also: <8>