Monument record MWX3325 - Shapwick Road, Hamworthy: Roman settlement

Roman military occupation and later domestic activity and saltern on land south of Shapwick Road, Hamworthy

Three trenches excavated. Trench 9: Five phases of activity. Phase one (43-65AD) represented by large, parallel ditches with slightly concave bases and aligned NNW-SSE. Believed to be part of the same structure ascribed to a Roman military establishment. Phase two (mid to late 1st century AD) represented by a rectilinear system of small ditches, aligned NNW-SSE, and by hearths or kilns and clay lined pits believed to be part of a saltern. Phase three (late 1st to early 2nd century AD) represented by domestic occupation with the establishment of small rectilinear enclosures on a slightly skewed alignment to earlier ditch system. Phase four (2nd to 3rd century AD) represented by a pair of linear boundaries and other ditches aligned WNW/ENR, significant change of use at the site. Phase five (late 3rd to 4th century AD) is distinguished by an almost complete lack of evidence apart from a small linear ditch. Trench 10: Four Roman ditches and two pits. High levels of modern disturbance and a number of bottle kilns. Trench 11: Linear features and small pits or postholes, not able to ascribe features to phases identified in trench 9 (1)

Record last edited

Apr 3 2021 3:04PM