Information for record number MWA7290:
Roman building with a hypocaust south of the former chemical works, Alcester

Summary The remains of a Roman building with a hypocaust was found during archaeological work in Stratford Road, Alcester. The building is thought to be within an area of settlement on the edge of the early Roman town.
What Is It?  
Type: Settlement, Building, Hypocaust
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: )
Scheduled Monument (Grade: )
Sites & Monuments Record
Description

  
Source Number  

1
2 Stone walled building with an opus signinum floor and a hypocaust. A sequence of deposits from the 2nd century onwards was also present. Secondary source; see below for primary.
3 Sequence of archaeology found during trenches dug in advance of a chemical works. Late 1st to early 2nd century ditch. Overlain by robbed out walls and floor layers including one of mortar. A forth century coin was identified within floor layers associated with a Stone and timber building which had a hypocaust. Tesserae were found which may have come from the hypocaust floor. Much of the building was later robbed out, but possibly still during the 4th century.
 
Sources
Source No: 2
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Stratford Rd, Redevelopment Brief
Author/originator: WM
Date: 1989
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 3
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Roman Alcester: Southern Extramural Area 1964-1966 Excavations (Part 1)
Author/originator: Mahany, C. (ed.)
Date: 1994
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: 1
   
Source No: 1
Source Type: Evaluation Report
Title: Stratford Road, Alcester: Evaluation Report
Author/originator: Warwickshire Museum
Date: 1989
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Images:  
There are no images associated with this record.  
back to top

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
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.
more -> 		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 LAYER * An archaeological unit of soil in a horizontal plane which may seal features or be cut through by other features. 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 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 ROAD * A way between different places, used by horses, travellers on foot and vehicles. back
monument HYPOCAUST * A Roman under-floor heating system in which hot air heated by a stoked furnace, flowed through channels, created by either raising the floor on pillars of brick and tile or cutting channels into the concrete floor and tiling over them. 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 CHEMICAL WORKS * An industrial complex involved in the production of chemicals. back
monument WALL * An enclosing structure composed of bricks, stones or similar materials, laid in courses. Use specific type where known. back
monument TOWN * An assemblage of public and private buildings, larger than a village and having more complete and independent local government. back

* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)

English Heritage National Monuments Record