| Summary : The site of a Roman settlement at Chesterton, comprising the remains of a small fortified settlement, possibly military in origin, together with the buried remains of a larger extramural settlement further to the south and east. Partial excavation took place at the fortified settlement during 1921-3 indicating two occupation dates from the second or early third century and the fourth century. The settlement was defended by two ditches and earthen defences in the 3rd century, which was later replaced by one broad ditch and a stone wall in the first half of the 4th century. The larger settlement to the south and east was identifed through geophysical survey (in 1992-1993), excavations (1961 and 1966-1967) and as cropmarks on aerial photographs (1992-1993 and 2010), which showed the remains of buildings, roads, wells and drainage systems. Pottery and other artefacts also date the settlement to between the 2nd to late 4th centuries AD. Evidence of pre Roman and Saxon occupation has also been found. This is a scheduled monument. |
More information : (SP 341597) Roman Station (GS). (1)
Roman Camp (GS) Roman Coins, Pottery, Tessellated Pavement etc. found
AD.1921-23 (TI). (2)
At Chesterton "on low ground, close to a stream is an imperfectly
rectangular earthwork, with a substantial ditch and traversed by the
Fosse, (Foss Way). The interior area contains about 8 acres. The
proportions of the ditch; on the north about 140ft wide, and its
bottom is 13ft below the level of the interior area; on the south
the width is about 110ft and the depth 9ft. The site has been
ploughed, thus the width of the ditch would be increased, though
its depth lessened... Dugdale and others state that Roman coins
have been found within its area, and I am told that pottery and
numerous coins, principally of the 3rd and 4th centuries have been
discovered in the fields around it. Burials and burial urns are
also said to have been met with near the 'camp' and foundations a
little to the east of it. (? RO Building: SP 35 NE 1). (3)
Partial excavation of Chesterton Camp during 1921-3 proved the camp
to be Roman and of two occupation dates. The lower level was
possibly laid down in the second or early 3rd century and the upper
presumably in the late 4th century. At all levels fragments of
building material were found.Many miscellaneous objects were found,
the majority being in the upper layer. The most interesting was a
piece of inscribed lead.. SIITHAVS/DALMATICUM... (4)
The fragment of lead is part of a defixio or curse and is in
Warwick Museum. (5)
Excavations on either side of the Fosse Way exposed robbed foundations of the north gate and two periods of town defences. The rampart had
at least two ditches replaced after L 3rd C by one broad ditch. (6)
The site is completely under the plough and the enclosed area has
a fairly liberal covering of building debris and broken pottery.
See annotated 1/2500 survey. (7)
Scheduled as 'Chesterton Roman camp'. (8)
Pre-Roman occupation (Iron Age?) comprising of pits and a crouched
burial. Roman settlement dates from the Antonine period, consisting
initially of Timber buildings, later rebuilt in stone. Earthern defences 3rd century. Refortified with a stone wall in the first
half of the C4th.Saxon occupation of indeterminate character.(9-11)
Extent of Romano-British settlement shown. (12)
SP 34355959. The site of a Roman rural settlement at Chesterton, surviving as the remains of a small fortified settlement together with the buried remains of a much larger
settlement to the south and east. The second settlement has been identified through geophysical survey, excavation and as cropmarks and includes the remains of buildings, roads, wells and drainage systems. Pottery and other artefacts indicate that the site was occupied from at least the 2nd century AD until the late 4th century. The fortified settlement suggests a military origin for the site and it is likely that the extramural settlement gradually grew up around it. Scheduled. (13)
The Roman settlement and fortification referred to above (Sources 1-13) is visible as earthworks and cropmarks and has been mapped as part of the SE Warwickshire and Cotswolds HLS NMP project. A large ditch forming an irregular rectangle and measuring roughly 255m by 198m defines the Roman 'camp' centred at SP 3412 5973. The Roman Fosse Way (Monument Number 1164971) passes through the camp. Internally the parchmark of probable roads are visible and can be seen extending to the east outwith the 'camp' ditches towards the second settlement. Cropmarks of linear ditches, which form roads and drainage systems of the second settlement (which extends from SP 3452 5989 to SP3437 5939), as noted in (Source 13), are also visible. The settlement possibly continues further to the south, with linear cropmarks visible to the northeast of Windmill Hill Farm (SP 3429 5929) and northeast of the reservoir (SP34107 59560). The 'camp' is covered in medieval ridge and furrow (Monument Number 1532124) in the 1940s (Source 14) which has subsequently been plough levelled by the 1970s (Source 19). The 'camp' and extramural settlement are both currently under plough. (14-20)
Numerous investigations, mainly excavations and fieldwalking have produced material from across the area covered by this monument record and these are described in Warwickshire HER records. (21) |