More information : [Name centred: SU 8655 6494] The Town Roman Remains found [TI] (1)
A Romano-British settlement at Wickham Bushes straddling the road due south from Caesar's Camp about 1/2 mile from the camp. There are a large number of finds including coins from Agrippa to Valentinian II, Samian and other wares, objects of glass, bronze and iron fibulae etc. Finds in possession of T.C. Lethbridge, Reading Museum etc. (2)
The area is in a slight hollow, but level and sheltered. It is Forestry Commission property but has been left unploughed. There are no surface indications of the settlement. (3)
An investigation to determine the extent and use of this site was undertaken in 1971, centred on SU 865649. The site seems to be split into two quite distinct areas. [See plan]. The East part, on Crown Land, seems to be E. of the N-S. Roman track. No remains were found to the W. between the track and the modern boundary fence,except for
bricks and tiles at the boundary fence itself. The W. part of the site, on Forestry Commission land, extends from
the boundary fence westwards 70 yards and from the S. base line 55 yds N. One building seems to have extended into what is now Crown land at the 55 yds. point across the boundary fence. Apart from this one example, the modern boundary fence seems to have been the E. boundary of this section. Finds from the Eastern site included large amounts of brick, roofing and other tile, pottery, metal and floor layers. From the Western site brick and tile and prolific pottery, mainly crude grey ware, metal objects and 2 coins of the 2nd. & 3rd. centuries. The investigation was successful in establishing the position of the settlement, and the extent of it is also fairly certain, although further work should determine this exactly. It is certainly not as big as estimated by Roberts and Leese (2). The reason for, and use of the site has not been determined and would require a detailed excavation, but the assumption that it was a purely residential and domestic site could be correct. (4)
Site is scheduled (Berks 145). Additional area suggested by Berks Unit as a result of field work. (see plan). (5)
The bank and ditch of a rectangular feature can be traced at the east site. It measures between 80.0 and 90.0m north to south by 70.0m, and "would seem to suggest the possibility of a fort". It is suggested that the settlement "may originally have been a vicus which spread east over the walls of the fort, some time after abandonment". (6)
Welsh disputes the conclusions made by Donovan (authority 4) and states that the site covers a much wider area, especially to the south west.
SU 866649. Small scale excavations revealed a timber building whose earliest levels contained pottery c. AD 50-80 and a final floor with mid or late Antonine pottery. The building was dismantled in the early 3rd century but pottery and coins continued into the fourth century. (7)
SU 865648. Small scale excavations revealed a gully containing mid first century pottery, coins and a line of post holes. A series of robber trenches contained 3rd-4th century pottery. The excavator suggests this may be a religious site. The bank noted in 1979 was shown to be of post-Roman date. (8)
SU 865649. Wickham Bushes, Romano-British Site. Scheduled 145. (9)
Additional bibliography. (10-14)
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