Monument record 1768/1/0 - Grafton Estate (Bovium?)

<1> Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies, 1970-Present, Britannia, Vol.12 p.333 AC & E Waddlelove in FO Grew 1981 (Journal/Periodical). SCH445.

Trial trenching revealed a rubble wall faced with dressed sandstone, part of a substantial building located by field walking. The suggested course of the road from Whitchurch to Chester (Margary 6a West) was supported by the discovery of an adjacent road surface at least 4m wide and paved with sandstone. Suggests that this settlement may be the settlement of ‘Bovium’, which is mentioned in the Antonine Itinerary.

<2> Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies, 1970-Present, Britannia, Vol.14 p.299 AC & E Waddelove in SS Frere 1983 (Journal/Periodical). SCH445.

In 1980 trial section uncovered substantial foundations of a building (Building I). The settlement may have covered at least 4ha, estimated from debris revealed during the renewal of field drains.

<3> Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies, 1970-Present, Britannia, Vol.15 p.255-257 Waddelove AC & E 1984, p.341 Hassall MWC & Tomlin RSO (Journal/Periodical). SCH445.

Roman Settlement located between Grafton and Tilston, along Watling Street (Whitchurch to Chester road Margary 6a West see 1700/1/4). Small scale excavations undertaken between 1980 and 1983 revealed remains of the road and a roadside settlement. The main focus of occupation lay on the southern side of the road, with ribbon development along road to the west. Two further buildings (Buildings II & III) were located. Building II, located next to the Carden Brook and associated with a stone drain, has been interpreted as a bath house. Located alongside the road was a large ditch 4.2m wide and 0.9m deep. It has been suggested that this represents a defensive ditch and berm of an early fort which had a stone-footed rampart and an intervallum road. At some time rampart was slighted and Watling Street built over the slighted remains. In the late third century a V shaped clay lined channel constructed within the ditch to serve, possibly, as aqueduct. Towards the end of the fourth century this area was levelled and timber buildings were erected alongside Watling Street. Finds include a sandstone altar dedicated to Genius Loci and a second century Polden Hill type fibula. Pottery largely dates from the second and third centuries, though some first and fourth century pottery was also found.

<4> Harris, B.E. (ed), 1987, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I, p.236 Petch D F 1987 (Book). SCH3556.

Fieldwork and excavation, Watling Street. Building located and excavated 1981.

<5> Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies, 1970-Present, Britannia, Vol.19 p.445 AC & E Waddelove in SS Frere 1988 (Journal/Periodical). SCH445.

Continued excavation. The previously reported ditch 4.2m wide and 0.9m deep was the last in a sucession of at least four. . To the immediate west of Building III lay a furnace of at least two phases and traces of subsequent timber buildings. All features, including Building III, sealed by a pebble layer.

<6> Higham N J, 2001, Grafton New Hall: Landscape History and Archaeology - and - Preliminary Report on Supplementary Archaeological Investigations (Client Report). SCH4474.

Limited trial trenching in 2001 may have established the western extent of the settlement.

<7> Scott, E, 1993, Leicester Archaeology monographs No.1: A Gazetteer of Roman villas in Britain, p.46 (Monograph). SCH7118.

Listed as the site of a possible villa.

<8> Earthworks Archaeological Services, 2020, Land to the North of Grafton Old Hall, Grafton, Near Tilston, Malpas, Cheshire: An Archaeological Assessment (Client Report). SCH8877.

Desk based assessment for a proposed develoment at land at Old Hall Farm

<9> Earthworks Archaeological Services, 2020, Land to the North of Grafton Old Hall, Grafton, Near Tilston, Malpas, Cheshire: Addendum to Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment (Client Report). SCH8878.

Re-assessment of records relating to Roman debris observed during drainage trenches excavated within the site during 1982 has allowed the extent of the postulated Roman settlement to be reduced with roman building debris generally confined to the north-east corner of the proposed development.

<10> L-P Archaeology, 2021, Archaeological Evaluation Report: Old Hall Farm, Stretton, Malpas, R4512 (Client Report). SCH9044.

Five archaeological trial trenches were dug in 2020 on land to the south of Stretton Hall Lane, within the area of the previously excavated Roman settlement. Although Trenches 1 and 2 did not encounter any in situ Roman archaeology, Trenches 3 and 4 were more productive, with cut features and the remnants of an occupation deposit identified at the north-eastern end of each trench. Trench 5 was more productive still with some indication of surviving vertical stratigraphy in the form of layers and a number of cut features. Roman finds (dating to the 1st to 3rd centuries) included pottery, tile, fired clay fragments, a potential square-shafted nail and sheet lead fragments. The Roman archaeology is relatively close to the modern surface with a current buffer of turf, topsoil and plough soil of no more than 0.35m in depth.

<11> AJP Archaeology, 2021, Geophysical and Aerial Survey at field North of Tilston, R4691 (Client Report). SCH9436.

Magnetometry Surveys carried out in 2020 and 2021 at a field North of Tilston, where there is evidence for a Roman Road and possible bath house.

<12> AJP Archaeology, 2022, Interim report Season 2. Roman Tilston, Tilston, Cheshire. (Client Report). SCH9438.

Limited targeted trial trenching in 2021 and 2022.

<13> AJP Archaeology, 2023, Roman Tilston Interim Report Season 3 (Client Report). SCH9693.

Five new trial trenches opened up in September 2023 to locate and investiage furter potentiual features/ anomalies identified during the 20/21 geophysical survey of the the site.