| Summary : Two surface scatters of Late Iron Age and Roman tile, pottery and burnt flint which have been interpreted as possible Romano-British settlements sites. Other features identified in the vicinity have included a large circular depression, surrounded by a bank, and suggested originally to be a Roman "circus", though its true identification is uncertain. Excavation of it recovered Late Iron Age and Roman pottery. In 1849 a burial ground containing Iron Age and Roman urned cremations was excavated, though the Curwens later suggested that these represented secondary interments in a pre-existing barrow. A feature described as a bivallate road and/or a double lynchet track was also noted. All these features now appear to have been ploughed out. However, a field system exists in the area, with lynchets surviving up to 3 metres in height. Fieldwalking in 1978 recovered a quantity of Iron Age pottery, while a trial excavation recovered a sherd described as Late Bronze Age or Early Iron Age. |
More information : (Area TQ 368109) Buckland Bank, IA/RB complex,
comprising two areas of settlement, circus, 'cemetery', bi-vallate
road and field system (See plan B).
Village 'A': Site examined by the Curwens and although sherds
of RB and late La Tene pottery were found no definite signs of
habitation were revealed. The unevenness of the ground, however,
and profusion of sherds in surface soil make it extremely probable
that this was actually a village site. Racehorse training
precludes proper examination (1). Shown on Holleyman's small
scale map (2).
Village 'B': There is further evidence of occupation on Balmer
Huff. Although ploughed level a large amount of pottery,
calcined flints and Roman tile is distributed over a wide area.
This site is also shown on Holleyman's map (2).
Circus (TQ 36961110) A regular saucer-like depression ringed by
a low and broad vallum, 87 x72 feet in diameter (3). Excavated
1924-5 by Allcroft who found numerous fragments of RB pottery
in the centre of the hollow, mostly too small to date, except
for part of a probable 2nd C flanged-rim bowl. Many fragments of
native ware suggested a La Tene I date, but they do not prove it
(4). Circuses are commonly associated with British villages and
no doubt represent a purely Celtic type of moot before it was
modified by Roman influences (6).
(TQ 36511099) Romano-British Burial Ground (5)
Discovered by Wm Figg in 1849, it was of circular form and 45 yards
in diameter. Five large cinerary urns were found, mostly in the
Southern half of the circle, EIA and Roman in date, together
with New Forest and Castor ware. The Curwens are of the opinion
that this 'cemetery' was in fact a large 'platform' barrow of
which the S half was crowded with secondary burials. The fact
that the finds range from 1st C BC to the 3rd C AD lends support
to the suggestion that they were all secondary interments within a
primary flat topped barrow, in which case it is more than likely
that the primary interment has never been disturbed (7). Finds
in Barbican House Museum (8).
A bivallate road runs up the backbone of Buckland Bank. The
southern part is the broadest, 33 ft from crest to crest, and the
banks less massive than those to the N. Some 400 yards S of the
'circus' a branch road strikes westward, practically obliterated
in part, but becomes more clearly defined towards Buckland Hole
as a 'double lynchet' road (7). (1-8)
Village 'A', centred at TQ 37061105.
Perambulation revealed heavy scatter of Roman tile, RB pottery,
including Samian, pot boilers etc. Area now ploughed over but a
number of vague depressions and general unevenness of the
ground suggest a settlement site.
Village 'B', centred at TQ 36661064 produced odd sherds of RB
pottery, and a scatter of calcined flint.
The Circus has been partially mutilated by ploughing. Its precise
nature and purpose remains obscure and the 'circus' theory is
still open to question. The results of the excavations have been
far from satisfactory, being for the most part purely negative
except to prove that the pit was probably contemporary with the
IA/RB bi-vallate road. (See plan 'A').
The site of the RB cemetery is still visible at TQ 3651 1097.
The bivallate road is now completely ploughed over but still
visible in the shape of two vague banks from TQ 36671138-37001106
and further down as a double lynchet road from c TQ 37201080-36951059. (9)
Field system clearly visible on A/Ps. (10)
No traces of the habitation sites, bivallate road or the 'circus'
are visible, all having been ploughed out. The associated field
system remains, with lynchets and field banks up to a height of
3.0m. The cemetery site is visible as an area of darker soil,
though now levelled by ploughing. Urns from the cemetery are listed
in Lewes Museum Accessons Register (Acc nos 37-40a and 45-49) but
are not on display. (11)
(TQ 3650 1099) Roman Burial Ground (R)
(TQ 3694 1097) Field System (NR). (12)
Field walking (centred TQ 37101105) in 1978 produced significant quantities of Early Iron Age pottery, including numerous sherds from a single Late Bronze Age or Early Iron Age vessel retreived through trial excavation of a 10'x10' area. (13) |