HER 5374 DESCRIPTION:- Site of a 1st to 4th century Romano-British settlement discovered in 1969 along line of M5. No buildings identified (but occupation debris and features) {Source Work 6708}. In October 1970 half of a quern stone and Romano - British pottery sherds were picked up at SO915292 - extending the known area of settlement for 200yds to the north east. {Source Work 862.} The gravel ridge on which Tredington Rise lies presents the possibility of a Roman route to the west via alternate crossings of the River Severn. There is better evidence for a trade route connecting Tredington Rise and the Malvern area,in that coarse 'gritted' native ware found at Tredington appears to have Malvernian grits in its fill and that the typical Severn Valley type of red ware suggested to have been made in the Malvern area {8} was found in quantity at Tredington rise. The pottery evidence at Tredington suggests occupation in one part or other of the site throughout the Roman period and possibly previously. There is no evidence of tesselated floors or any of the refinements of the Roman Villa.The triangular 3-holed clay loomweights found on the site are usually regarded as pre-Roman type. This is evidence pointing to pre-Roman Iron Age occupation, though, it is likely that the loom-weights continued to be made by 'backward' natives in Roman period. An intensive area at Tredington was occupied, though not necessarily all at the same time. Approx 8 acres was completely removed by the motorway construction, sherds and other artefacts being carried south by the builders for a distance of up to 3 miles leaving a considerable area of occupation either side of the cut. In Oct 1970 half a large quern-stone of a quartz conglomerate was picked with RB sherds extending the known area of the settlement 200yds to the NE The whole area was much disturbed in medieval times or later by ridge and furrow & the laying of land drains. Piles of stone has resulted from these activities, which must be regarded with caution as there are not neces. evidence of tumbled Roman walls Gravel floors were detected. Many heaps of limestone building stones,both lias and oolithic, wereuncovered but it was not poss to verify that these were walls. In severalcases there was a pile of burnt stones which could have been which could have been a hearth or an oven. The A38 follows a medieval and poss Ro line over much of its course{4} Road crosses R-B settlement. {10} The paper record referes to an article in The Transactions of the Worcestershire Archaeological Society, 1965-1967, p12. This reference could not be located and is probably incorrect. {pers comm A Morris 10/09/2003.} 2014 An archaeological evaluation, consisting of 84 trenches, was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology in January and February 2014 at Troughton Farm, Stoke Orchard. The evaluation identified archaeological remains dating to the Iron Age to post-medieval periods. The remains indicate agricultural use of the site, with evidence of Iron Age enclosures, Roman agricultural boundaries and enclosures, medieval ridge and furrow and a post-medieval field boundary. Three Iron Age enclosures were identified two of which most likely represent stock enclosures. Iron-working slag and dumped domestic pottery retrieved from these features could indicate settlement activity on site in this period. Probable agricultural boundary ditches, gullies and rectilinear enclosures dating to the Roman period were identified along with a posthole containing a possible post-pad which could indicate the presence of a timber built structure. It is probable the majority of the Roman features identified by the evaluation are associated with a Roman settlement located immediately adjacent to the site. Medieval ridge and furrow was identified across the site which is known to have lain on the agricultural hinterland of the medieval settlement at Stoke Orchard. A number of undated features were identified including ditches, gullies, pits and possible parts of enclosures. It is probable the majority of these features, relate to the Iron Age and / or Roman agricultural use of the site. The retrieval of a small quantity disarticulated human bone from one undated pit could indicate the presence of disturbed funerary features of unknown date on site. {Source Work 12562.} 2019 - This monument was previously recorded within the Historic England National Record of the Historic Environment. Additional information from that record, formerly held within the AMIE database, is quoted below: "SO 913289. The site of a 1-4th cent RB settlement covering about 20 acres was discovered in 1969 during excavations on the line of the M5 motorway. No buildings were definitely located, but gravel floors, rubbish pits, two possible boundary ditches, three hearths and a well were discovered. Finds included two Collingwood type H brooches, Samian and a 4th century bronze coin, light red pottery and coarse native ware. (1-2)" {Source Work 4249.} Source Work 17018 has a table of finds that may relate to this site: Stoke Orchard Tredington Rise M5 excavations 1971 (Bags are marked Tredington TRE 71) Finds Count Wt (g) No of bags pot (RB) 500+ 7689 5 pot (RB) 15 743 1 pot (RB) c. 100 1534 1 Pot (RB) > 100 1412 1 CBM (RB?) 3 236 1 flint 1 9 1 leather shoe Med??) 1 55 1 daub/burnt limestone? 4 113 1 Whetstone 1 1 bone/horn 10 191 1 Notes TAAC card index says ‘ SO913289 R. pottery from the 1971 excavations (M5) donated by Mr Taylor (August 10th 1973) Other items also listed on this card. No M5 site in Tredington, but grid reference is the same as Tredington Rise Stoke Orchard excavated in 1969 (TBGAS 1971) - the site was published in 1971 which may explain date problem NB: The shoe is not one of the Roman shoes found during the M5 excavation. The report state that two of these were found and both are at Tewkesbury Museum (04/12/2013) - these are the only finds form this excavation at Tewkesbury Museum. Whetstone - bag marked TEW 73, but TAAC card index identified it as from M5 site Another record in the same Source records: site Finds Count Wt (g) No of bags Stoke Orchard pot (RB/PM) 9 90 1 Notes: waterpipe SO912294 TAAC card index says ‘Tredington G.R., near where M5 cut through Tredington R. Site’ Relates to Tredington Rise Stoke Orchard M5 excavation (TBAS 1975)? |