Monument record BSE 523 - Site of a possible rural Roman villa complex and Coin Hoard at Westley Middle School

A dispersed hoard comprising a total of nineteen Roman gold and silver coins of late-4th century AD date. Nine of the coins are of the gold denomination known as the solidus (pl. solidi), the standard gold denomination for the late Roman period, all with VICTORIA AVGGG reverse types and struck for the emperors Arcadius (AD 383-408) and Honorius (AD 393-423) at the mints of Milan, Ravenna, and Rome during the period c.AD 394-408. The remaining ten coins are all of the silver denomination known as the siliqua (pl. siliquae) and date to between the reigns of Constantius II (AD 323-361) and Arcadius (AD 383-408) spanning the period c.AD 359-394. (S1)

The study are is located within an area of archaeological potential, most significantly dating to the Prehistoric and Modern Periods, although the potential for Roman activity cannot be ruled out. Most notably, Prehistoric activity is recorded within a 600m radius of the proposed development area, including the location of potential Palaeolithic tools close to the southeast corner of the Project Site. Whilst Modern activity is represented by the location of the Royal Observer Corps 1962 bunker, just 20m west of the proposed new development. Furthermore, reports of undated human remains are recorded on the Project Site (20m to the east of the proposed new development) and in association with finds recorded on land just 300m to the southeast. Whilst the location of these finds is unconfirmed, the potential for human remains to be preserved in the vicinity of the development area should not be ruled out. Whilst there is no evidence of the preservation of archaeology of national significance within the confines of the Project Site, it is considered that an evaluation of the development area should be carried out to assess the potential for buried archaeology and human remains (S2).

An archaeological evaluation was carried out on comprising Eiight trenches, totalling c.260m in length, followed by an open area excavation. Feautres identified comprised two pits, a ditch and two probable ovens, that have been dated to the Roman period, were recorded along with a further undated pit and an undated gully. The presence of these features and the quantities of pottery recovered would suggest a small scale Roman settlement, probably an isolated farmstead, was located in the immediate vicinity. An apparent late-Roman dispersed horde dating to the 4th to very early 5th century was also recovered from surface deposits. In the Southern half of the site two pits initially thought to be cremations were recorded, both in the southern half of the site. The first contained a mostly intact Beaker pot of Late Neolithic-Early Bronze Age date (c.2500-1800 BC). The second vessel in was a plain bowl of Bronze Age or possible Late Neolithic or Early Bronze Age date, and was represented by a small collection of pottery fragments and bone identified as animal from a probable ploughed damaged urn (S3).