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Monument Type(s):

• FIELD SYSTEM (Roman - 43 AD? to 409 AD?)
• DITCH (2nd CENTURY to 4th CENTURY - 101 AD? to 400 AD?)
• ROAD (2nd CENTURY to 4th CENTURY - 101 AD? to 400 AD?)
• WALL (2nd CENTURY to 4th CENTURY - 101 AD? to 400 AD?)

Other References/Statuses

Full description

During excavations along the East Coast Water Pipeline in 2009/10, East of Main Street, South of Seamer, a multi-phased Roman Road, associated ditches, a field system and a wall were recorded on a north-west to south-east alignment. The features had all been previously identified on a geophysical survey. The main focus of activity appeared to be in the late 2nd and 4th centuries AD. A 140m length of road and side ditches were revealed during excavation, it had been constructed on a slightly higher ridge of natural ground with a slight camber.The road appeared to have been constructed in four broad phases, the first three phases formed a sunken roadway, consisting of thin layers of gravel and small stones laid on top of natural geology, the latest surviving phase was the base of a truncated agger, which would have supported a raised roadway. The road appeared to have been widened in several segments to the east with successive metalling. The ditches to the east of the road corresponded roughly with the successive widening, with several ditches located on this side and only a single ditch on the west side. The width of the road in the earliest phase was 4.8m and in the final phase 6.4m. The pottery assemblage manily consisted of higher status imported, traded and specialist pottery, with only a small proportion of grey and coarse wares. The features sealed a truncated and possible earlier trackway and an Iron Age Square Barrow.(See MNY36287) (1)During monitoring of a water pipeline in 2013 further evidence of the roadside ditches in the northern part of the field, previously
unrecorded sections of the road surface and drainage ditches were identified in the southern part of the field. (2)

A ditch and the remains of a wall were recorded on a north-east to south-west alignment, perpendicular to the road, and on the same alignment as a field system on the other side of the road to the west. The ditch contained mid-1st to 2nd century pottery.The remains of the wall was 8m long and 1.2m wide and had quern fragments incorporated into its construction. It was uncertain if the wall remains were part of the same phase as the earliest phase of the road. (1)

Elements of a Romano-British field system were recorded to the west of the road, on the previous geophysical survey and during excavation. Pottery was recovered dating from the late 3rd to 4th century date. There was evidence for alteration and sub-division of the field system. It was thought by the excavators to have been in use after the maintenance of the road had ceased, as one ditch cut the infilled western roadside ditch.(1) Possible further evidence of this field system was recorded during the monitoring of a water pipeline in 2013. (2)




<1> Northern Archaeological Associates, 04/2012, Post-Excavation Assessment Report. East Coast Pipeline, North Yorkshire and East Riding of Yorkshire. (Report). SNY19899.




<2> Northern Archaeological Associates, 07/2014, Archaeological Monitoring Report, Pipeline Renewal Seamer to Staxton. (Report). SNY20637.

Sources and further reading

<1>	SNY19899 - Report: Northern Archaeological Associates. 04/2012. Post-Excavation Assessment Report. East Coast Pipeline, North Yorkshire and East Riding of Yorkshire.. Pettersen, A; Pole, C; Robinson, G; Teasdale, A. 2013/07/22.
<2>	SNY20637 - Report: Northern Archaeological Associates. 07/2014. Archaeological Monitoring Report, Pipeline Renewal Seamer to Staxton.. Pole, C. 2014/08/05.

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