Summary
Romano-British settlement, 170m north-west of St John the Baptist’s Church
Reasons for Designation
Romano-British settlements range from large towns, such as civitas capitals and municipia, to small towns, villages, farmsteads and villas. Although the exact nature of the settlement near St John the Baptist’s Church has not yet been determined it was clearly of significance given the range of Roman finds and structures that have been recorded on the site.
Despite some disturbance in the past, the Romano-British settlement 170m north-west of St John the Baptist’s Church survives well. The importance of the site is emphasised by the proximity to the course of the London to Lewes Way, a major Roman road, providing good communication with other settlements in the vicinity. Archaeological and environmental information relating to the construction and use of the settlement are known to survive. The site has only been partially excavated and holds potential for further investigation.
History
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Details
This record was the subject of a minor enhancement on 30 July 2014. The record has been generated from an "old county number" (OCN) scheduling record. These are monuments that were not reviewed under the Monuments Protection Programme and are some of our oldest designation records.
The monument includes a Romano-British settlement surviving as crop and soil marks visible on aerial photographs and archaeological remains. It is situated south of Addington Road on gently sloping ground between Spring Park and Coney Hall recreation ground.
Orientated roughly north-south across the site is the course of the London to Lewes Way, a major Roman road running from Londinium southwards towards the Sussex coast. It is visible as crop and soil marks on aerial photographs and is included in the scheduling. The Romano-British settlement is located either side of the road. Partial excavation, largely in the form of trial trenching and salvage excavation following illegal digging, in 1962-66, 1976 and 1981 revealed the remains of the settlement. These included post-holes, pits, chalk floors and possible roadways. A timber-lined storage tank was uncovered and is thought to be associated with a possible blacksmith’s workshop on the west side of the settlement. The finds from the excavation included over 5,000 pottery sherds, 100 Roman coins and other small artefacts. A geophysical survey carried out in 2009 indicated remains of buildings and associated industrial activity. The Roman road appeared as a buried feature with two in-filled ditches either side of a central agger. Roman pottery and tile have been observed on the surface of the fields following ploughing. It has been suggested that the Romano-British settlement remains are those of Noviomagus recorded in the Antonine Itinerary II.
Further archaeological remains, such as a Romano-British farmstead and Neolithic and Bronze Age flint scatters, survive in the vicinity of this monument but are not included because they have not been formally assessed.
