Information for record number MWA1499:
Roman Settlement 800m N of Salford Priors

Summary A settlement that is visible as a series of cropmarks on aerial photographs. It dates to the Roman period. During an excavation enclosures and trackways were discovered and several gullies dating to the Iron Age. It is situated 900m north of Salford Priors.
What Is It?  
Type: Settlement, Trackway, Enclosure, Linear Feature, Gully
Period: Late Iron Age - Romano-British (100 BC - 409 AD)
Where Is It?  
Parish: Salford Priors
District: Stratford on Avon, Warwickshire
Grid Reference: SP 07 52
(Data represented on this map shows the current selected record as a single point, this is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent an accurate or complete representation of archaeological sites or features)
Level of Protection National - Old SMR PrefRef (Grade: )
Scheduled Monument (Grade: )
Sites & Monuments Record
Description

  
Source Number  

1 Enclosures and linear features show on air photographs. Morphologically this site is probably a settlement of Roman date.
2 The site was fieldwalked in October 1986 and a very sparse scatter of Roman sherds observed. In addition finds were made by metal detector on the unscheduled S part of the site including two Roman coins and seven sherds of Severn Valley Ware. The crop mark complex would seem to be Roman, although the quantity of material from the site is very small.
7 Field survey showed no trace of ridge and furrow which survives faintly on APs.
8 Trenching (nos 28 to 35) to east of Scheduled Area because of work due to start on A435 Norton Lenchwick Bypass (WA 4908 & HWCM 2759) revealed building rubble, roof and tile. This supports the idea that this site was a Roman villa with paddocks, also confirming results of geophysical survey. The waterlogged features have produced remains of seeds, pollen and beetles, which together with the charred plant material have considerable potential for archaeobotanical investigation.
9 geophysical survey produced promising anomalies; results suggest that features associated with cropmark complex extend beyond SAM.
10 A section of the northern part of the cropmark was examined. A group of seven shallow banana-shaped gullies were discovered at the east end of the site. These may represent the truncation of foundation Trenches or the eaves-drip gullies of Iron Age round houses, but could equally have been the quarry ditches of banks constructed to screen fires or hearths from the wind. Large quantities of burnt pebbles and charcoal were found in the fills of these features. A deep ring ditch, possibly of ceremonial function. The Iron Age site had an uncertain relationship with a field system represented by small gullies which had survived to a greater depth on the western side of the area.
11 Archaeological excavation (phase 4, 3rd interim report) suggests the main focus of domestic activity lay to the south of this phase (within phase 2 area). The features which were identified were shallow. There was a single example of a partial hut or wind break found in phase 2.
12 Description of excavations at Marsh Farm, Norton Lenchwick Bypass site C (SP 07 52).
13 A watching brief was undertaken for the Highways Agency between January and June 1994, on the route of the new bypass. Few significant deposits were revealed, with the exception of some more late Neolithic - Bronze Age and Saxon pits adjacent to site E and the remains of a Romano British bath house in site 2nd century.
14 Plan.
15 A second year of excavations was undertaken at Marsh Farm quarry, The site is dominated by linear ditched trackways, or drove roads, which align on the west side of the villa complex. A dense cluster of late Iron Age - early Roman occupation features were located on the eastern side of the site, forming a settlement preceding the villa complex.
16 Plan. <17) Observation of Trench for electricity cable on the W side of the new A46. No archaeological features were detected & no finds recovered.
18
19Crop mark evidence of Enclosures, ring ditches and trackways apparent on aerial photographs were mapped as part of the English Heritage National Mapping Project.
20 Undated Ancient Monuments record form.
21 Correspondence with the Ragley Estate about the site.
22 Letter from EH referring to damage to the site.
 
Sources
Source No: 1
Source Type: Aerial Photograph
Title: SP2661 and SP2662
Author/originator: Various
Date: Various
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: SP2661AB-AC SP2662A-
   
Source No: 18
Source Type: Aerial Photograph
Title: SP0752 Frame 15
Author/originator: Warwickshire County Council
Date: 1962
Page Number: Frame 15
Volume/Sheet: SP0752
   
Source No: 19
Source Type: Aerial Photograph
Title: SP0752 Frame 29
Author/originator: J Pickering
Date: 1 Jul 1984
Page Number: Frame 29
Volume/Sheet: SP0752
   
Source No: 17
Source Type: Archaeological Report
Title: Archaeological Salvage Recording at Salford Priors, Warwickshire
Author/originator: Jones R
Date: 1996
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 21
Source Type: Correspondence
Title: Marsh Farm, Salford Priors
Author/originator: Hertford, Marquess of
Date: 1986/7
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 22
Source Type: Correspondence
Title: SAM 162
Author/originator: EH
Date: 1998
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 11
Source Type: Excavation Report
Title: Salford Priors, 3rd Interim, Phase 4
Author/originator: Palmer S C
Date: 1994
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 9
Source Type: Evaluation Report
Title: A435 Norton Lenchwick Bypass Phase 2/II
Author/originator: GSB
Date: 1993
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 8
Source Type: Evaluation Report
Title: A435 Bypass Phase 2/III
Author/originator: Palmer S C
Date: 1993
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 10
Source Type: Evaluation Report
Title: A435 Assessment
Author/originator: Warwickshire Museum
Date: 1992
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 16
Source Type: Plan
Title: Marsh Farm, Salford Priors
Author/originator: Palmer S
Date: 1994
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 7
Source Type: Record Card/Form
Title: Salford Priors
Author/originator: Hingley R C
Date: 1986
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: Field Survey Form
   
Source No: 20
Source Type: Record Card/Form
Title: Roman Settlement 800m north of Salford Priors
Author/originator: HBMCE
Date:
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 6
Source Type: Serial
Title: WMA vol 29 1986
Author/originator: Hingley R C
Date: 1986
Page Number: 56
Volume/Sheet: 29
   
Source No: 3
Source Type: Serial
Title: Archaeological Journal 1964
Author/originator: Webster G and Hobley B
Date: 1964
Page Number: 22
Volume/Sheet: 121
   
Source No: 12
Source Type: Serial
Title: WMA vol 36 (1993)
Author/originator: White, R (ed)
Date: 1994
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: 36
   
Source No: 13
Source Type: Serial
Title: WMA vol 37 (1994)
Author/originator: White, R (ed)
Date: 1995
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: 37
   
Source No: 14
Source Type: Serial
Title: WMA vol 37 (1994)
Author/originator: White, R (ed)
Date: 1995
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: 37
   
Source No: 15
Source Type: Serial
Title: WMA vol 37 (1994)
Author/originator: White, R (ed)
Date: 1995
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: 37
   
Source No: 4
Source Type: Scheduling record
Title: Enclosures north of Salford Priors
Author/originator: DoE
Date: 1974
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 5
Source Type: Scheduling record
Title: SAM list
Author/originator: DoE
Date: 1985
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 2
Source Type: Verbal communication
Title: R.C. Hingley personal comments
Author/originator: R C Hingley
Date:
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Images:  
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Glossary

 
Word or Phrase
Description  
none Scheduled Monument Scheduled Ancient Monuments (SAMs) are those archaeological sites which are legally recognised as being of national importance. They can range in date from prehistoric times to the Cold War period. They can take many different forms, including disused buildings or sites surviving as earthworks or cropmarks.

SAMs are protected by law from unlicensed disturbance and metal detecting. Written consent from the Secretary of State must be obtained before any sort of work can begin, including archaeological work such as geophysical survey or archaeological excavation. There are nearly 200 SAMs in Warwickshire.
 		back
source SAM List Scheduled Ancient Monument List. A list or schedule of archaelogical and historic monuments that are considered to be of national importance. The list contains a detailed description of each Scheduled Ancient Monument (SAM) and a map showing their location and extent. By being placed on the schedule, SAMs are protected by law from any unauthorised distrubance. The list has been compiled and is maintained by English Heritage. It is updated periodically. back
source WMA West Midlands Archaeology. This publication contains a short description for each of the sites where archaeological work has taken place in the previous year. It covers Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands and Worcestershire. Some of these descriptions include photographs, plans and drawings of the sites and/or the finds that have been discovered. The publication is produced by the Council For British Archaeology (CBA) West Midlands and is published annually. Copies are held at the Warwickshire Sites and Monuments Record. back
technique Field Survey The term ‘field survey’ is used to describe all work that does not disturb archaeological deposits below the ground through an excavation. Field survey techniques involve recording measurements that help archaeologists draw plans or diagrams of archaeological features. There are a variety of different field survey techniques, including geophysical survey, building recording survey, field walking survey, landscape survey and earthwork survey. back
technique Geophysical Survey The measuring and recording of electrical resistivity or magnetism in order to determine the existence and outline of buried features such as walls and ditches. Geophysical techniques include resistivity survey, magnetometer survey and ground penetrating radar. View Image back
technique Cropmark Cropmarks appear as light and dark marks in growing and ripening crops. These marks relate to differences in the soil below. For example, parched lines of grass may indicate stone walls. Crops that grow over stone features often ripen more quickly and are shorter than the surrounding crop. This is because there is less moisture in the soil where the wall lies.

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technique excavation Archaeologists excavate sites so that they can find information and recover archaeological materials before they are destroyed by erosion, construction or changes in land-use.

Depending on how complicated and widespread the archaeological deposits are, excavation can be done by hand or with heavy machinery. Archaeologists may excavate a site in a number of ways; either by open area excavation, by digging a test pit or a trial trench.
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technique Aerial Photograph Aerial photographs are taken during an aerial survey, which involves looking at the ground from above. It is usually easier to see cropmarks and earthworks when they are viewed from above. Aerial photographs help archaeologists to record what they see and to identify new sites. There are two kinds of aerial photographs; oblique and vertical. back
period Neolithic About 4000 BC to 2351 BC

The word ‘Neolithic’ means ‘New Stone Age’. Archaeologists split up the Neolithic period into three phases; early, middle and late. The Neolithic period comes after the Mesolithic period and before the Bronze Age.

People in the Neolithic period hunted and gathered food as their ancestors had but they were also began to farm. They kept animals and grew crops. This meant that they were able to settle more permanently in one location instead of constantly moving from place to place to look for food.
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period Bronze Age About 2500 BC to 700 BC

The Bronze Age comes after the Neolithic period and before the Iron Age.

The day to day life of people in the Bronze Age probably changed little from how their ancestors had lived during the Neolithic period. They still lived in farmsteads, growing crops and rearing animals.

During the Bronze Age people discovered how to use bronze, an alloy of tin and copper (hence the name that has given to this era). They used it to make their tools and other objects, although they continued to use flint and a range of organic materials as well. A range of bronze axes, palstaves and spears has been found in Warwickshire.
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period Iron Age About 800 BC to 43 AD

The Iron Age comes after the Bronze Age and before the Roman period. It is a time when people developed the skills and knowledge to work and use iron, hence the name ‘Iron Age’ which is given to this period. Iron is a much tougher and more durable metal than bronze but it also requires more skill to make objects from it. People continued to use bronze during this period.
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period Roman About 43 AD to 409 AD (the 1st century AD to the 5th century AD)

The Roman period comes after the Iron Age and before the Saxon period.

The Roman period in Britain began in 43 AD when a Roman commander called Aulus Plautius invaded the south coast, near Kent. There were a series of skirmishes with the native Britons, who were defeated. In the months that followed, more Roman troops arrived and slowly moved westwards and northwards.
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monument DROVE ROAD * A road or track specifically used by drovers or herders to drive their animals to market. back
monument PADDOCK * An enclosed field for horses. back
monument HOUSE * A building for human habitation, especially a dwelling place. Use more specific type where known. back
monument SITE * Unclassifiable site with minimal information. Specify site type wherever possible. back
monument ARCHAEOLOGICAL FEATURE * Use only for features assumed to be archaeological but which cannot be identified more precisely without further investigation .Use more specific term where known back
monument SETTLEMENT * A small concentration of dwellings. back
monument BUILDING * A structure with a roof to provide shelter from the weather for occupants or contents. Use specific type where known. back
monument RIDGE AND FURROW * A series of long, raised ridges separated by ditches used to prepare the ground for arable cultivation. This was a technique, characteristic of the medieval period. back
monument FEATURE * Areas of indeterminate function. back
monument GULLY * A deep gutter, drain or sink. back
monument BATH HOUSE * A building equipped with facilities for bathing, and occasionally public baths. back
monument PIT * A hole or cavity in the ground, either natural or the result of excavation. Use more specific type where known. back
monument HEARTH * The slab or place on which a fire is made. back
monument HUT * A building of basic construction, usually smaller in size than a house and constructed from a variety of materials such as mud, turf, branches, wood, brick, concrete or metal. Use more specific type where known. back
monument VILLA * A term for a type of house, with varying definitions according to period. Roman villas were high-status and usually associated with a rural estate, whereas Georgian and later period villas were often semi-detached, town houses. back
monument LINEAR FEATURE * A length of straight, curved or angled earthwork or cropmark of uncertain date or function. back
monument FIELD SYSTEM * A group or complex of fields which appear to form a coherent whole. Use more specific type where known. back
monument ENCLOSURE * An area of land enclosed by a boundary ditch, bank, wall, palisade or other similar barrier. Use specific type where known. back
monument RING DITCH * Circular or near circular ditches, usually seen as cropmarks. Use the term where the function is unknown. Ring ditches may be the remains of ploughed out round barrows, round houses, or of modern features such as searchlight emplacements. back
monument TRENCH * An excavation used as a means of concealment, protection or both. back
monument DITCH * A long and narrow hollow or trench dug in the ground, often used to carry water though it may be dry for much of the year. back
monument MARSH * A low lying area of land that is usually waterlogged at all times and is flooded in wet weather. back
monument ROUND * A small, Iron Age/Romano-British enclosed settlement found in South West England. back
monument TRACKWAY * A pathway, not necessarily designed as such, beaten down by the feet of travellers. back
monument QUARRY * An excavation from which stone for building and other functions, is obtained by cutting, blasting, etc. back
monument FARM * A tract of land, often including a farmhouse and ancillary buildings, used for the purpose of cultivation and the rearing of livestock, etc. Use more specific type where known. back
monument DOMESTIC * This is the top term for the class. See DOMESTIC Class List for narrow terms. back

* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)

English Heritage National Monuments Record