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Archaeology Warwickshire |
Alcester, Flood Alleviation Scheme 2002 |
| Excavations were carried out between May and August 2002 at Newport Drive/Willow Close on the southern edge of the Roman town. The work was directed by Peter Thompson on behalf of the Environment Agency ahead of flood alleviation works, involving the construction of a new flood bank and wall. The excavated remains produced good evidence for the range of activities to be expected on the edge of a town: industry, rubbish disposal and the burial of the dead. | |
 Romano-British wooden comb preserved in waterlogged pit. | |
| An east-west road with an associated drainage ditch was revealed at the northern end of the site. This was part of the road system of the southern part of the Roman town which is visible on air photographs. Further Roman ditches, probably property boundaries and drainage ditches, were also revealed. A stone-lined kiln or oven likely to be Roman was excavated in the centre of the site, but its exact function was not clear. Further deposits of burnt clay and fragments of kiln furniture suggests the likelihood of at least one other kiln in the vicinity. In addition a stone-lined well was excavated at the southern end of the site (see photo below). This contained a wooden comb (see drawing above) and fragments of leather sandal. A large pit also contained waterlogged deposits and a fragment of wooden writing tablet (see drawing below) and several leather sandals with hobnails were recovered. The pit may have been used as a well with a timber lining or for industrial purposes. | |
 Alcester Flood Defences 2002, Romano-British Well. |
| Two burials, one adult (see below) and one adolescent, were excavated in the upper fills of an east-west ditch. These appear to have been buried in coffins and also included evidence of hobnailed shoes or sandals. The site contained a large quantity of Roman pottery and industrial debris including metalworking slag and cattle horn cores, probably reflecting dumping of waste on the edge of the town. |
 Alcester Flood Defences 2002, Romano-British burial. |
 Fragment of wooden Romano-British writing tablet. |
Archaeology Warwickshire, Warwickshire Historic and Natural Environment The Butts, Warwick, CV34 4SS Tel: 01926 412280/412278 Fax: 01926 412974 E-mail: fieldarchaeology@warwickshire.gov.uk |
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