Roman finds and possible villa at Free Roberts (EHER 14956)

A series of metal detecting and fieldwalking events from 1993-1997 collected a large number of Roman finds, and identified the possible site of a villa.

Monument description derived from merging EHER 14956, 14959, and 14960. 1993. Metal detecting. The opportunity was taken to record the finds from the metal detecting weekend arranged by the church fund-raising committee. Although about 50 of the metal detectorists reported a total of some 150 finds it was estimated that only about 25% of the objects were recorded. The fields searched included those named in the Tithe Award of 1839-41 as Shillingstone, Home Field, Horse Croft, Long Croft and Middle Shot. Roman finds included pottery and coins from 3rd to 4th century and some fragments of Roman brooches. The concentration of pottery and some tile would indicate the presence of a villa in the vicinity, maybe located around TL 640361. <1> <2> 1994. Metal detecting. A second metal detecting was organised in 1994 and the field where the majority of Roman finds were found was detected again. More coins and pottery were found although their exact location was not recorded in <3>. 14 roman coins were recovered. Many were very corroded and difficult to identify but they include coins of the periods of Allectus (293-6) and Constantine I and II (306-340), and a number of 3rd century barbarous radiates. Also found were pottery and tile. <4> 1996. Geophysical survey. The Shillingstone field was subject to a resistivity survey which identified a linear anomaly stretching about 70m north to south. <5> 1996. Fieldwalking. Fieldwalking of the area recovered a fairly large amount of material (tiles, pottery etc.) much of the Roman, 95% of it from the 'plot' area. Also from the field: 100 or so roman coins and two combed hypocaust tiles. <6> 1997. Fieldwalking. Further fieldwalking (15th Aug - 9th September 1997) revealed an area to the west of the excavation produced a high concentration of brick and tile (Roman), including a Samian sherd datable to about 150-175 AD. No obvious building foundations. Occupational scatter included brick. <7>