Monument record 177/2/1 - Roman Cremation Area at Kingsley Fields, Nantwich

<1> Arrowsmith, P & Power D., 2012, Roman Nantwich: A Salt-Making Settlement, BAR British Series 557 (Monograph). SCH7339.

Archaeological investigations at Kingsley Fields, Nantwich between 2001 and 2002 uncovered the remains of a Roman settlement with industrial activity and a small cremation cemetery alongside a Roman road. The remains are the first clear evidence of Roman activity in Nantwich associated with the salt-making industry and provide evidence of a road linking the settlement with the main road to the northwest.

The investigations comprised the evaluation of 33 trial trenches and two test pits along with geophysical survey, metal detecting and fieldwalking surveys over a substantial area to the north of Welsh Row in 2001 followed by the more detailed excavation of several area that exhibited strong archaeological potential for Roman remains.

A small number of cremation burials were encountered in the main area of excavation and to the southwest of the road running through the site (CHER 7425/1/1). The evidence comprised three cremation burials, a number of pits and postholes of uncertain function and a linear feature that may have represented the eastern boundary of the cremation site. Finds associated with the burials suggest a mid second to third century date for the site.

The evidence consisted of linear feature [3379] marking the southern boundary of a zone that appeared to extend up to the southern road ditch [4094]. Within this area, a second linear feature [4131] crossed the cremation zone on a northwest to southeast alignment parallel with the road ditch. This feature appeared to separate the main area of cremation burials to the west and the pits and postholes to the east. A single un-urned cremation burial [4245] was encountered east of this linear feature containing the cremated remains of a 20-30 year old male as well as pyre debris. Finds associated with this burial included local pottery of a 2nd century date and a blue bead. Two cremation burials were encountered to the west of the linear feature consisting of an urned burial [4003] of a 20-25 year old female on a black-burnished ware vessel of a mid 2nd century date. The final cremation was again un-urned and contained the remains of a c.45 year old female together with pyre goods of a possible 3rd century date. A pit also encountered in this area contained a partly worked sandstone block and pottery of a mid to late 3rd century date.

<2> Nevell, M & Fielding, A., 2005, Brine in Britannia: Recent archaeological work on the Roman salt industry in Cheshire (Monograph). SCH7341.