HER 651 DESCRIPTION:- Extra-mural building associated with cemetery (SMR 2123) excavated in 1973 (SMR 4975) and in 1976 (SMR 11001) {Source Work 476.}. 1973 - A Roman rectangular stone building 11.5m x 8m built during the second half of the third century, was found during the excavation of the site in Cirencester by pan west of Querns Lane during the summers of 1973 and 1974. The heavy stone floor of the interior of the building was covered with 2000 hobnails. In the north corner was a furnace. Finds from the site date in use to between 280 and 330, after which it must have been deliberately pulled down, for over the whole area was a cobbled surface which extended to the Fosse Way. The latest phase of the site is represented by late fourth century to fifth century Roman burials (Glos SMR 2123). {Source Work 862.}. A fragment of a Roman funerary inscription stone has been re-used in the foundations of the extra-mural building - recorded under the Cirencester Urban Assessment Project. {Source Work 8695.}. 1976 - An excavation was carried out on the west side of the Fosse Way between the south gate of the Roman town and the ampitheatre, in continuation of a partial excavation in 1973-4. Early features included a possible quarrying pit for the ampitheatre (SMR 30318). Sections were obtained across massive deposits of silt which accumulated subsequently, but before the mid-third century. Parts of the building constructed over the deposits were also re-examined. Among the latest features were over 50 burials, part of the late Roman Bathgate inhumation cemetery excavated. (See Glos SMR no 2123) {Source Work 1032.}. 1979 - In February 1979 work began on building an extension to the printing works and offices of Christian Brann Ltd, in Phoenix Way. Construction methods required the digging of 2m deep square holes for column bases,with linking ground beam trenches of 1m depth. Mechanical excavation of 150 square metres of the 945 sqare metre site was observed. The ground was very disturbed being a mixture of the dark black humic layer observed in the Bath Gate Cemetery (Glos SMR 2123) excavations, and make-up and dumped material from the old railway yard. 5 inhumations were recognised and 2 were recovered in part. The orientation and posture of the skeletons could not be specified due to the nature of the excavation. Superficial analysis of the bones of burial 777 and 778 would suggest them to be of an adult and an adolescent respectively. Animal bone was noted in the soil, but no other finds were found to provide a date. Their proximity to burials previously excavated (Glos SMR 2123) would suggest them to be Roman in date, providing evidence for an extension of the burial area further to the north of the Fosse Way {Source Work 475.}. Part of the Bath Gate Cemetery (Glos SMR 2123). AREA MANAGEMENT :- Site owned &/or managed by Gloucestershire County Council {Source Work 486.}. "(SP 02080149) A Roman rectangular stone building 11.5m by 8m, built during the second half of the third century, was found during rescue excavation of the site of the Cirencester by pass west of Querns Lane during the summers of 1973 and 74. The heavy stone floor of the interior of the building was covered with 2000 hob nails. In the north corner was a furnace. Finds from the site date its use to between 280 AD and 330 AD, after which it must have been deliberately pulled down, for over the whole area was a cobbled surface which extended to the Fosse Way. The latest phase of the site is represented by late 4th-5th century Roman burials. (See SP 00 SW 40). (1)" {Source Work 4249.} |