The West Berkshire Historic Environment Record (HER) is the primary index of the physical remains of past human activity in the unitary authority of West Berkshire Council. Limited elements of the West Berkshire HER are available online via the Heritage Gateway, therefore it is not suitable for use in desk-based studies associated with development, planning and land-use changes, and does not meet the requirements of paragraph 194 of the National Planning Policy Framework (2021: 56). Please read the important guidance on the use of the West Berkshire HER data. For these purposes and all other commercial enquiries, please contact the Archaeology team and complete our online HER enquiry form.

Summary

Small Romano-British building excavated by St Bartholomew's School 1949-1951

Other Statuses and Cross-References

• Berkshire SMR No. (pre 2000): 01914.01.000
  
• National Monuments Record No.: SU 36 NE 1
  SU 3941 6715

Monument Type(s):

• MOSAIC (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• BATH HOUSE (Roman - 301 AD to 400 AD)

Full Description

FOUNDATIONS OF 4TH CENTURY BATH HOUSE. RECTANGULAR WITH SMALL EXTENSION TO SOUTH. BADLY DAMAGED BY PLOUGHING AND ROBBING. PRAEFURIUM AT E END. POSS APSE ROOM IN NW CORNER. HYPOCAUST HEATING. POSS ASSOCIATED WITH OTHER BUILDINGS NOT FOUND. PROBABLY NOT DESTROYED UNTIL 5TH CENTURY. LOCATED BY TILES.
Several tesserae were located (indicating fragments of a coloured mosaic) and the walls were evidently decorated with painted plaster work, but evidence does not survive in any great detail.

In 2019, a report on the excavation of this building said to have been written by DB Connah was provided to West Berkshire Museum by his son <4>. The excavation was undertaken in 1950-51 in an area of the densest surface scatter of Roman tiles and the building was found to be 5.25 m long by 4.04 m wide, with a small rectangular extension at its southern end, 2.13 m long by 1.52 m wide. It had suffered from plough damage as well as deliberate robbing of the stone, leaving mainly the footings made of large flints, but a great number of tesserae, showing that it had one been decorated with a mosaic floor. The southern extension had mortared footings and its lowest courses were constructed of sarsen stones. The whole building, except for the southern extension, had a hypocaust cut into the natural chalk which was still covered in a layer of wood ash. Most of the pilae had been robbed out, but traces of mortar showed their position.

The building was dated by the contents of the rubbish pits, namely a fibula brooch and pottery, to the last quarter of the 4th century <4>.

On 10 June 2021, a magnetometry survey was carried out on the site <7>. A group of positive and negative anomalies close to the recorded location of the bath house were recorded, although it was not clear whether they were in situ remains, areas of backfilled material from the 1950s excavation or a combination of both. The anomalies were of similar dimensions to those reported by DB Connah <4>, however.

Sources and further reading

Related Monuments

Associated Excavations and Fieldwork

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.