StavertonEXCAVATIONS AT NEW TERRACE, STAVERTON, WILTSHIRE
October - November 2007
There appeared to be at least two phases to the identified field system, one Early Roman (AD43-AD200) and one Late Roman (AD200-AD410) in date. The remains of two circular timber-built structures were identified close to the northern end of the site. The location of these structures fitted into the Early Roman field system. The style of the structures suggests an Iron Age or Early Roman date. Four adult burials were also found which appeared to have been positioned along side the ditches of the Late Roman system.
Rubble from a high status Romano-British building, such as a villa, was found in a number of the field ditches. This rubble included fragments of column and decorated stone taken from around windows and doorways. This stone may have been quarried from the nearby Mendip quarries as well as from quarries at Ham Hill and Portland in Dorset. The building from which the rubble came was not found by the excavations and its location can at the moment only be speculated upon. The stone had been put to use across the site, possibly as bridging points across the field system ditches, and sometimes to create areas of hard standing. It seemed likely from our excavations that this re use of former building stone had occurred towards the end of the Roman period.
The field system appears to have been finally abandoned at the end of the Roman era (AD 410 onwards). A single sherd of Early Saxon pottery (AD410 650) was recovered from the site but no settlement evidence was found. The first signs of re settlement were the establishment of a 'ridge and furrow' field system at some time during the medieval period (1066-1539 AD) or possibly Post medieval era (1540 1800 AD). This field system remained in tact until bulldozed flat in the early 1970s.
Excavating a Late Roman burial
