Ditched enclosures 1/4 mile (400m) N of Chapel Farm

Summary

Prehistoric and Roman remains 660m north of Netherton Chapel.

Reasons for Designation

Although they can frequently only be located through aerial photography. All homestead sites which survive substantially intact will normally be identified as nationally important. Romano-British aggregate villages are nucleated settlements formed by groups of five or more subsistence level farmsteads enclosed either individually or collectively, or with no formal boundary. Most enclosures, where they occur, are formed by curvilinear walls or banks, sometimes surrounded by ditches, and the dwellings are usually associated with pits, stock enclosures, cultivation plots and field systems, indicating a mixed farming economy. In use throughout the Roman period (c.43-450 AD), they often occupied sites of earlier agricultural settlements. In view of their rarity, all positively identified examples with surviving remains are considered to merit protection. Despite ploughing, the remains of the settlement 660m north of Netherton Chapel survive comparatively well as buried features. The settlement is of considerable significance and forms part of a wider archaeological landscape of prehistoric and Roman settlements on both sides of the River Avon. The settlements’ proximity to a long established trade and communication route known as Salters Way enhances the importance of the monument. The enclosures, linear features, pits and ring ditch will include layers and deposits containing important archaeological information relating to the use, construction and occupation of the monument in addition to providing environmental evidence.

History

See Details.

Details

This record was the subject of a minor enhancement on 20 May 2015. This 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. As such they do not yet have the full descriptions of their modernised counterparts available. Please contact us if you would like further information.

This monument includes a prehistoric and Roman settlement located on a gentle north facing slope of Bredon Hill overlooking the River Avon. The settlement remains are known from cropmarks visible on aerial photographs and survive as a double ditched square enclosure, two sub rectangular enclosures, a ring ditch, linear features and pits. The square double ditched enclosure has rounded corners and measures approximately 50m across. The two ditches denoting the enclosure are 1m apart, with the outer ditch wider than the inner. An entrance is situated on the south eastern side. A large sub rectangular enclosure is situated to the north of the square enclosure and has an internal division on the eastern side. The enclosure measures approximately 125m by 60m with an entrance on the north western side. A second sub rectangular enclosure situated to the west measures approximately 60m by 20m. A ring ditch is situated between the two sub rectangular enclosures. The ring ditch represents the site of a round house and is approximately 25m in diameter with an entrance on the southern side. Several linear features and pits are located between and around the enclosures. Romano-British pottery has been found on this site.

Further square enclosures and archaeological features survive to the west and north-west of the monument, but are not currently protected because they have not been formally assessed.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

WT 236

Legacy System:

RSM - OCN

Sources

Other
Pastscape Monument Nos:- 118086, 1476002, 118138 & 970425
Hancox, E. & Russell, O. 2009, Recent Changes to Scheduled Monuments in Worcestershire. Worcestershire Historic Environment and Archaeology Service

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