EDO5908 - Nether Compton; geophysical survey 2009-2011

The geophysical survey was instigated by a local resident twenty years after the recovery of a hoard of Roman coins in a field. Two fields were surveyed to the east of the village either side of Kitton Lane, the eastern field being the location of the hoard. The survey showed a possible cross dyke in the western field at the western end of the hill. To the east of this a large regular sided complex, said to be of Roman date, with no obvious sign of footings, footings trenches or masonry. In the north west part of this complax lines radiating over a semi circle were thought to be a large corn drier, indicating agricultural activity rather than a 'villa'. The east field contained field boundaries possibly of medieval date. Two parallel lines heading down north to south may have been a roadway prior to the current Kitton Lane. The lines crossed a large rectilinear enclosure with rounded edges, the traditoinal shape of a Roman military camp. Only half of this enclosure was within the scope of the survey. A further small enclosure lay to the south partly obscured by Kitton Lane which may also have obscured any links between it and the other Roman features. A set of large pits possibly post holes were revealed to the east of the small enclosure and the coin hoard was found in this area. There was no firm dating evidence for the features and the coin hoard was linked to the 4th century AD. Roman military enclosures were generally associated with the 1st century AD and there was clearer evidence of Roman activity at nearby Charlock Hill and Bradford Abbas. The survey could not shed further light on the link between the hoard and the Roman features.