Information for record number MWA456:
Site of Roman Cemetery at Grunt Hill, Alcester.

Summary The site of a Roman cemetery, part of which was excavated. The site lies to the west of Roman Way, Alcester.
What Is It?  
Type: Cemetery
Period: Romano-British (43 AD - 409 AD)
Where Is It?  
Parish: Alcester
District: Stratford on Avon, Warwickshire
Grid Reference: SP 08 57
(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: )
Sites & Monuments Record
Description

  
Source Number  

1 Sixteen human bodies, all pointing E with feet to W, stone slabs down the sides and one slab over the head.
2 One had a rounded jar and another nails. Coin of Constans on teeth of one.
3 Cemetery. At least sixteen inhumations, some in rough stone cists. Excavated in 1923 and 1925 by B W Davis.
5 An archaeological appraisal of the area of this Cemetery was carried out by S Cracknell in 1990.
6 On Seaby's map, (above
2) the site is marked as 'Saxon graves', and one set of the photographs
4 has annotations dating the inhumations to the Anglo Saxon period. The location is given as 'Folly Field', (which is spelled as 'Folley Field' on Seaby's map), and is the SE corner of Field 274 which corresponds with the location of this record.
7 Further information related to
2. Refers to a cremation, and finds of part of a Roman seal box, pieces of Samian and black pottery.
8Mentioned by Davis at meeting of society in 1927.
 
Sources
Source No: 7
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Alcester Notes
Author/originator: W A Seaby
Date: 1954
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 1
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title:
Author/originator: Davies B W
Date:
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: Diary
   
Source No: 3
Source Type: Descriptive Text
Title: Index of Alcester sites compiled c.1983 and typescript of a state of knowledge document for Alcester
Author/originator: Booth P M
Date: 1983
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: Roman Alcester
   
Source No: 5
Source Type: Evaluation Report
Title: Cold Comfort Lane Archaeological Brief
Author/originator: Cracknell S
Date: 1990
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 2
Source Type: Map
Title: Roman Warwickshire
Author/originator: Seaby W A
Date:
Page Number: No 10
Volume/Sheet: Map and Notes
   
Source No: 4
Source Type: Photograph
Title: Roman cemetery at Alcester
Author/originator:
Date:
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 8
Source Type: Serial
Title: TBAS vol 52
Author/originator:
Date: 1927
Page Number: 303-4
Volume/Sheet: 52
   
Source No: 6
Source Type: Verbal communication
Title: Comments on SMR entries
Author/originator: Hester Hawkes
Date: 2002 onwards
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Images:  
There are no images associated with this record.  
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Glossary

 
Word or Phrase
Description  
source TBAS Transactions of the Birmingham and Warwickshire Archaeological Society is a journal produced by the society annually. It contains articles about archaeological field work that has taken place in Birmingham and Warwickshire in previous years. Copies of the journal are kept by the Warwickshire Sites and Monuments Record. back
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.
more -> 		back
monument CREMATION * A funeral rite in which the human body is burnt, usually on a pyre, leaving fragmentary charred or completely combusted remains. Often found buried, occasionally in a container associated with grave goods. back
monument SITE * Unclassifiable site with minimal information. Specify site type wherever possible. back
monument INHUMATION * An interment of unburnt, articulated human remains. Use specific type where known. back
monument STONE * Use only where stone is natural or where there is no indication of function. back
monument GRAVE * A place of burial. Use more specific type where known. back
monument FIELD * An area of land, often enclosed, used for cultivation or the grazing of livestock. back
monument CEMETERY * An area of ground, set apart for the burial of the dead. back
monument FOLLY * A structure, often found in 18th century landscape gardens, that demonstrates eccentricity or excess rather than practical purpose. They can take many forms - ruins, sham castles, towers, hermits' cells or grottoes. back
monument CIST * Generally rectangular structure normally used for burial purposes, and formed from stone slabs set on edge, and covered by one or more horizontal slabs or capstones. Cists may be built on the surface or sunk into the ground. back

* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)

English Heritage National Monuments Record