Information for record number MWA499:
Alcester Roman Settlement: Explosion Site

Summary The remains of Roman buildings were excavated to the west of Bleachfield Street, Alcester. Roman coins were also found at this site.
What Is It?  
Type: Building, Pit, Post Hole, Findspot
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 1976: An area of 11 x 17m was excavated in advance of redevelopment. 1m of Post Medieval material sealed the site. Medieval buildings (PRN 5490) impinged on the latest of a series of Roman buildings. The evidence for this was a spread of closely-packed sandstone rubble with a NE edge probably originally retained by a timber. Only part of the building was uncovered. A variety of pits were found at the N of the building. Immediately under the limestone spread was a row of three large post holes with two slighter post holes to the S. No floor deposits survived. Traces of a further building sealed the earliest building on the site, which was only partly uncovered but was a fairly substantial stone structure. Traces of a number of floor layers survived and one produced a coin of Licinius (307-24). The building was cut by a pit which contained mid to late 4th century pottery. The latest coins were of Gratian and Valentinian II. Traces of a possible late road were found at the E of the site.
2 1977: Further excavation including a 7 x 3m extension. Further details of the above buildings were distinguished. Most of the later deposits in this area had been destroyed. pits of C1 to C2 date were discovered. A well was cut by the earliest building. The earliest building was set on a pebble surface and excavation was halted as anything deeper was safe from development threat. Traces of early features, possibly of Flavian date, were found.
 
Sources
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: 2
Source Type: Excavation Report
Title: WMANS
Author/originator: Booth P M
Date: 1977
Page Number: 59-62
Volume/Sheet: 20
   
Source No: 1
Source Type: Excavation Report
Title: WMANS
Author/originator: Booth P M
Date: 1976
Page Number: 49-52
Volume/Sheet: 19
   
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Glossary

 
Word or Phrase
Description  
source WMANS West Midlands Archaeological News Sheet, a publication that was produced each year, this later became West Midlands Archaeology. The West Midlands Arcaheological News Sheet contains reports about archaeological work that was carried out in the West Midlands region in the previous year. It includes information about sites dating from the Prehistoric to the Post Medieval periods. It was produced the Department of Extramural Studies at Birmingham University. Copies are held at the Warwickshire Sites and Monuments Record. back
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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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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period Medieval 1066 AD to 1539 AD (the 11th century AD to the 16th century AD)

The medieval period comes after the Saxon period and before the post medieval period.

The Medieval period begins in 1066 AD.
This was the year that the Normans, led by William the Conqueror (1066 – 1087), invaded England and defeated Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings in East Sussex.
The Medieval period includes the first half of the Tudor period (1485 – 1603 AD), when the Tudor family reigned in England and eventually in Scotland too.

The end of the Medieval period is marked by Henry VIII’s (1509 – 1547) order for the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the years running up to 1539 AD. The whole of this period is sometimes called the Middle Ages.
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period Post Medieval About 1540 AD to 1750 AD (the 16th century AD to the 18th century AD)

The Post Medieval period comes after the medieval period and before the Imperial period.

This period covers the second half of the reign of the Tudors (1485 – 1603), the reign of the Stuarts (1603 – 1702) and the beginning of the reign of the Hannoverians (1714 – 1836).
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monument LAYER * An archaeological unit of soil in a horizontal plane which may seal features or be cut through by other features. back
monument SITE * Unclassifiable site with minimal information. Specify site type wherever possible. 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 STONE * Use only where stone is natural or where there is no indication of function. back
monument FLOOR * A layer of stone, brick or boards, etc, on which people tread. Use broader site type where known. back
monument FEATURE * Areas of indeterminate function. back
monument FINDSPOT * The approximate location at which stray finds of artefacts were found. Index with object name. back
monument ROAD * A way between different places, used by horses, travellers on foot and vehicles. 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 WELL * A shaft or pit dug in the ground over a supply of spring-water. back
monument BLEACHFIELD * Large field or yard used to lay fabrics out ready for bleaching. back
monument STRUCTURE * A construction of unknown function, either extant or implied by archaeological evidence. If known, use more specific type. back
monument ROW * A row of buildings built during different periods, as opposed to a TERRACE. back
monument POST HOLE * A hole dug to provide a firm base for an upright post, often with stone packing. Use broader monument type where known. back

* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)

English Heritage National Monuments Record