Scheduled Ancient Monument: ROMAN BUILDING SW OF LAKE FARM (SF211)

Roman Building SW of Lake Farm - probable villa. 1843: vestiges of Roman buildings were found circa 250 yards east of the Eastlow Hill barrows (RGH 001, 002) in 1843, and a Roman floor was revealed by the plough - constructed of pounded tiles and mortar with a white calcareous stucco surface (according to Victoria County History referring to (R2)). The account by J S Henslow in October 1843 states that "Many fragments of pottery and tile occur scattered over some fields a few hundred yards to the S of these barrows and upon digging about a spade's depth in one of them, a considerable area appeared to have been floored with brick and mortar" (description of excavations of smaller barrows, RGH 009, S2). Relocated through fieldwalking by Myrtle Taylor and Mavis Baker 1975-1982 (Fields I, II & III, see Parish file). Surface finds include C3 and C4 coinage, early C1 AD bronze bow brooch, various bronze and lead objects (including bracelet fragment), iron scissors, glass bead, two lead figurines (not definitely identified). Pottery includes, samian, Nene Valley, mortarium (stamped), ? Oxford ware, shell gritted, grey wares, ? black burnished, colour coated, (? rhenish), amphora (stamped), oxidized, cream fabric, orange fabric. Some IA sherds. Building material includes painted plaster, hypocaust tile (burnt), tegulae, imbrices, tesserae (dense scatter), OP sig, flint rubble. Other finds, Andernach lava quern, oyster shell, animal and human bone. 1975: box and roof tile, pottery, human and animal bone found in a rubbish pit under Water Cottage (TL 9000 6130), given by Capt D Armstrong to BSEMH (R1). 1986: NW field meadow, thinly scattered with mature oak and grazed by cattle, SW & SE fields were under wheat or barley, which had grown so high as to obscure the surface. Weathered fragments of brick/tile visible around field edges (S1). Scheduled. Also a few Post Medieval finds (SAU store).