Monument record MDO3875 - Romano-British Settlement, Morel Leas, Common Mead Lane, Gillingham

Roman occupation debris had been noted from Common Mead Lane, Gillingham in 1869 and 1951, but the development of the site for housing in 1975 necessitated rapid excavation and fieldwork by the Shaftesbury and District Archaeological Group (SDAG). An area of some 6 hectares was examined, from which unstratified artefacts verified a Durotrigian phase of the first century BC/AD with thereafter apparent continuity from around AD75 to the fourth century. Evidence for stone buildings spread over the entire 6 ha site was recovered as well as a large variety of domestic pottery and other material, and burials. The site has subsequently been built over for the Maple Way housing estate.

A Roman occupation layer was found in 1869 during drainage operations in a field called Morel Leas about 1.2 mile west of Gillingham Church. There were no actual walls or foundations, apart from a few pieces of pitching, and only one fragment of Roman brick, but many stones, some fire-burnt, were discovered on the site. Finds included Romano-British coarse pottery and numerous pieces of Samian, one with the potters stamp 'ADVOCASIO'. Of three small coins, only one of Constantine was legible. <1> <2> No pottery was found at OS siting during digging of a trench in 1951, but in a field south of this point, ST 79952620, three shallow depressions were observed about 12 ft - 15 ft wide and 2 ft deep, containing Iron Age and Romano-British pottery. This is now in the Senior Modern School, Gillingham. <4> The area is now under pasture, and no traces of antiquity could be found. The farmer had not heard of the name "Morel Leas" and knew of no finds of archaeoloical significance being made here. The pottery was seen at Gillingham School, and consisted of a dozen Iron Age/Romano British sherds, as described by Farrar. <5> ST 79952620 Roman occupation debris found 1869 and 1951. Iron Age and Roman pottery, 2nd century Samian. <7> (ST 801263) Further excavation and observation on the Iron Age/Romano British site at Common Mead Lane was conducted by Shaftesbury & Distric Arch. Group. In 1976. The remains of several buildings constructed of pitched stones were found together with a stone-lined feature interpreted as a pond. Evidence of lead smelting, quern stones, animal bones, Kimmeridge shale and brooches were amongst the material recovered. Pottery consisted of New Forest black burnished and grey wares; the Samian ware (teste B.R. Hartley) included several late 1st century sherds, but the majority was 2nd century. The coins so far identified ranged between the 2nd and 4th centuries. A Romano British inhumation together with a possible knife was found at ST 80062620 during excavations. Nails surrounding the burial may indicate a coffin. <9> ST 7995 2640. Excavations centred on this area of the site only located archaeological material at ST 7982 2635. This was a circular layer of Oolitic limestone 2m in diameter. No evidence of its function or chronology was recovered. The negatives results suggest that the northern limit of the settlement corresponds with the northern field boundary of field no. 1086 and that the settlement was undefended. <11>

Record last edited

Nov 13 2023 10:05AM