Probable site of Roman villa at Dawes Heath (EHER 9568)

The probable site of a Roman villa indicated by cropmarks of a rectangular ditched enclosure and surface finds of tesserae, pottery, roof and flue tiles, as well as glass thought to be from windows, jars and other vessels. There were also bronze/copper alloy finds. The pottery included coarse wares of the 1st century AD, plain and decorated terra sigillata (also known as Samian Ware, probably from Gaul) the decorated material dating to about 125-150 AD. Later coarse wares at the site date to the 4th century.

Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import: Roman villa clearly defined in air photographs taken in the summer of 1976. Roman pottery and tesserae have been found in the same field, and pottery, tegulae and flue tiles found on the surface of adjoining field. The site is scheduled. <1> - <3> Romano-British building also Iron Age and Medieval occupation. 'In one field can be seen a circular feature which seems to enclose a rectangular feature. In the field in which an electricity pylon stands can be seen a double ditch and other cropmarks. Although these are not unknown (photographs are deposited in the Southend Museum) these photographs do show these features more clearly than any known previous photographs.' <4> Finds include coarse Romano-British sherds, tegulae and broken flue tiles from the surface of the ploughed fields found in 1969, and in private possession. <5> The site is a Romano-British farmstead or villa, visible on air photographs as a rectangular double-ditched enclosure. The area is ploughed and as a result considerable quantities of tiles including flue tiles and plain tesserae and pottery suggesting 1st to 2nd century occupation have been found. Site Assessment = Haycrop - no cultivation for four years. <6> The aerial photographs are not very clear. <7> Nothing visible on OS air photo's. <8> Site of a Roman villa or farmstead visible as a cropmark of a rectangular ditched enclosure. Surface finds of pottery, tessera, roof and flue tiles. <9> Romano-British burial urn found to the north of the A127, Romano-British millstone found to the south of the scheduled area, and Romano-British sherds to the west of the scheduled area. A map in this source indicates cropmark features around the scheduled area. <10> Find of Roman tile in disturbed earth at foot of the electricity pylon (TL81968888) by G. Mitchell (Rochford Hundred Field Archaeology Group). <11> Finds from field waling the site include pottery as well as glass thought to be from windows, jars and other vessels. There were also bronze/ copper alloy finds, including a small bronze seated "mother goddess" figure, a trainer handle, a bead or toggle and a round-headed nail. The pottery included coarse wares of the 1st century AD, plain and decorated terra sigillata, probably from Gaul) the decorated material dating to about 125-150 AD. Later coarse wares at the site date to the 4th century. <12> See also: <13> - <15>