Monument record WIX 022 - Wixoe Roman Town

2011: Between the 31st January and the 6th May 2011, OA East conducted an excavation at the site of Wixoe Roman town (WIX 003), on the eastern side of the River Stour in advance of construction of a pipeline. The excavation revealed features dating from the Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age to the end of the Roman period. The excavation comprised a 10m-wide linear easement that extended for c.185m just within the eastern limits of the former town and a c.20m-wide linear easement extending for c.390m within the north-eastern part.

Ten prehistoric features were found across the excavation areas and these consisted of a Beaker pit, several Late Bronze Age to possibly Middle Iron Age pits and a ditch. These features represent probable sporadic occupation/use in these periods. The excavation revealed no definite Late Iron Age features or artefacts and it is probable that the town was established (at least within this excavated area) in the mid or late 1st century AD and its disuse seems to have been in the very early 5th century. The reasons for its establishment lies in that stratigraphic location of Wixoe being at the junction of a major river, the Stour, and on the route of at least two major Roman Roads, one running from Leicester, through Cambridge to Wixoe and then to Colchester and a second probable road from Great Chesterford to Wixoe and then Long Melford. Relatively few features or artefacts date to the 1st century suggesting the town took some time to be established. There is substantially more evidence for occupation from the early/mid 2nd with an increase into the 3rd century, with this level of activity being maintained or even expanded near the River Stour into the early 5th but declining in the north-eastern part in the Late Roman period.

The excavation results indicate that the town was divided into areas of different use (domestic, industrial, pits etc.) from the Early Roman period and most of these areas continued in-use to the end of the site. The range of features uncovered included three roads (probably the road to Long Melford, one heading towards Icklingham and a minor internal one), parts of two cobbled courtyards, at least seven post hole and/or beam slot domestic buildings (several surviving with good plans), a 4th century town boundary ditch, several industrial ovens and hearths (some with structures around them) with evidence for copper, iron and lead working. Part of a pipeclay figurine of a ram was possibly deliberately placed within one of these former industrial features. There were also two human burials with grave goods in addition to a few animal burials. The most common feature for all phases were pits and these were concentrated within various parts of the excavation areas. Some of these may have been pits for quarrying, others for storage and a few acting as latrine pits although this activity may have been a secondary usage while the feature was being backfilled. The backfill of some of the pits produced significant quantities of domestic and other refuse with a few displaying evidence of primary deposition. Within a few pits there were probable placed deposits including complete inverted vessels on some of the pits' bases. The excavation has recovered a large quantity of artefacts including over 500kg of pottery and 200kg of animal bone. There have been a number of very interesting individual finds including a dog carved on the end of a bone pin for which no parallel has yet been found (S1).

Excavation across three areas comprising a 10m-wide linear easement that extended for c.185m just within the eastern limits of the former town and a c.20m-wide linear easement extending for c.390m within the north-eastern part on the site of Wixoe Roman Town. This was in advance of a pipeline revealed a site phasing from the Late Neolithic/ Early Bronze Age through to the end of the Roman period. The site phasing was split into 5 Periods – Period 1: Before Roman Town, Period 2.1 Foundations and Early Development ( mid/;late 1st to early/mid 2nd centuries AD split into two sub phases, Period 2.2-Middle Roman Town and expansion (mid 2nd to early/mid 3rd centuries AD), Period 2.3: The later Roman Town (Mid 3rd to mid/late 4th centuries AD) and Period 2.4: The Town’s Final years (Late 4th to early 5th centuries AD).

Period 1 consisted of ten prehistoric features scattered across excavation Areas 1 which were small and shallow. The earlier features were a Late Neolithic to Bronze Age pit, containing several sherds of a decorated beaker and 30 worked flint pieces include a possible neolithic core. Two adjoining Early Iron Age pits were located on the eastern side of area 1, with a fragments of a possible ring gully and contemporary pits within area 2. No definite Late Iron Age pottery was recovered, indicating there was possibly no settlement in the immediate area before the Roman Town.

Period 2.1 The analysis of the finds suggested that Wixoe Roman town particularly the least the settlement on the east side of the river was properly established in the later part of the 1st century AD in the Flavian Period (AD 69-96). The evidence represented the foundation and early development of the town and was assigned two distinct phases of activity. Early Roman features were scattered across the first Areas, close to the River Stour in the South-east sector and were designated for various activities. In the central area there was a relatively dense group of features were located within a long-lived industrial zone, with the geophysical survey results showing this activity included quarrying and waster disposal. This continues to the north and south of the excavation area. Two possible structures were constructed which appear to not have a domestic function, with tow pits in the area producing notable finds assemblages dating to the early to mid 2nd century. Early Roman features were also located dispersed across the more peripheral part of the early settlement. Theses consisted of several enclosures, to the north of which were a number of domestic buildings and associated features. These were position along a north-east to south-west aligned road which may have headed toward the small Town of Icklingham. One of the pits associated with this early phase also contained an adult dog burial, poorly preserved but articulated.

Period 2.2 represents the expansion of the town during the mid to late 2nd century and possibly continuing into the early 3rd centuries A, with features including pits, pit groups, ditches, routeways, metal furnace and a kiln/oven. Towards the end of was a period of possible decline indicated by pottery assemblages. The features excavated revealed evidence for investment in the settlement infrastructure by better difference roads and town planning within the north eastern sector through the creation of regular plots laid out on either side of road 3 within which where individual timber buildings where constructed. Most of the structures and boundary ditches were not laid at right angles to the road but orientated on their long axis east to west, aligned with Road 1 to the south. An exception is a building positioned adjacent to the drainage ditch of road 3 with the road axis parallel to the road. Evidence was found for some existing buildings being reconstructed or repairs, with other more insubstantial structures from earlier phases being abandoned during this period. A single burial of 25-35 year old female was revealed placed within a pit at the northern limits of the Middle town at some point during this period. The increase in buildings and activity is mirrored within the quantity of artefacts recovered from associated features and backfill of sand/gravel quarries and other pits. Most of these were located within a industrial or pitting zone across much of area 1. Within the pits across the excavated area were large amounts of domestic and other waste included a few possibly placed deposits. The excavated evidence indicated a notable rise in the settlement’s population during this period.

Period 2.3 contained features dated to the Mid-3rd to mid/late 4th centuries AD with the evidence revealing the town experiencing a period of slow decline. A number of buildings adjacent to road 3 were abandoned by this period indicating a reduced occupation within the northeast part of the town covered by excavation area 2. Several large waterholes were excavated within this area suggesting the peripheral parts of the towner were given over to agricultural use. A large boundary ditch was constructed which encircled the eastern part of the town inn this side of the river, with some of the roads being maintained within this period. Activity was also focused within the area of pitting and industrial activity to the south of Road 2 with two new buildings being constructed to the west of this, near to the river Stour and a cobbled surface. A further two buildings with stone and mortar foundations, may have been established during this period, however they lay out of the excavation area and were indicated through geophysical survey and previous/or evaluation. Within the southern part of the town ditch adult human bones were recovered within two of the ditch fills. These may indicate the presence of disturbed burials in the vicinity of the ditch. A further inhumation was identified 20m to the north of the ditch in the southern part of area 2. This was apparently isolated and placed within a shallow cut aligned north-west to south-east at right angles to road 1. A barbarous radiate minim was found placed within the moth, dating to AD 270-90 with no further grave goods. Within the industrial area further industrial featuring of possible kilns or furnaces were identified indicating a probable continuity of activity in this area from earlier phases.

Period 2.4 consisted of features dating to the Late 4th to early 5th centuries AD indicating the towns final years. Within the excavated areas the final phases were represented by two extensive layers or middens of dark earth. These were mostly deposits or accumulated within specific parts of Area 1 with the most extensive being to the northeast of building 7. These layers may indicate wider changes within the character of the Late Roman occupation and activity within the town. The evidence indicated a possible a slow and sporadic decline of the town due in the 3rd and 4th centuries culminating in abandonment at some point in the late 4th to early 5th century of this part of the town. The location of these features indicate that the main settlement had contract to the south-east by this period (S2).