Monument record 1080/0/99 - Westbury Homes Development

A watching brief and excavation on Westbury Homes development revealed a complex series of intercutting ditches aligned N-S. Phase 1 (cuts 34 and 37) , 2 V-shaped ditches at least 30m long and 1.80m deep. Fills rich in organic material and 3 Roman leather shoes and other leather work were recovered. Pottery indicates late 1st -2nd century date (1). The samples taken from this ditch contained a wide range of plant taxa and the fruits and seeds were well preserved, suggesting that the deposit had remained waterlogged throughout its history. The majority of the plant remains indicate a disturbed wasteground- type of habitat Chickweed seeds were numerous and indicative of an area disturbed by frequent human and possibly livestock activity There was no clear evidence of arable activity although several of the plants would grow as crop weeds. The only introduced species was the single coriander seed. No leaves or twigs were recovered and the few fragments of hazelnut shell present may have been deposited as domestic waste. There were also aquatic and semi aquatic plants growing in the ditch which indicate the presence of still to slow-flowing water (2). Phase 2 (cuts 40,42 and 71) 3 inter-cutting ditches/gullies which post date Phase 1 ditches. Produced 1 sherd Dressel 20 amphora - 2nd -4th century date. Phase 3 (cut 44) U-shaped shallow cut -no direct stratographic link to Phase 2. Two phase 1 ditches (34 and 37) possibly returned to the west and may have formed a possible enclosure. Within this possible enclosure was a strip of laid cobbles and pebbles- possible the foundation of a timber structure and a clay floor area. Pottery indicates a 2nd century date. Both these features lay up against site boundary and hedgeline in an area which was to be landscaped and therefore not disturbed. Scale of ditches 34 and 37 suggests military origin- may have delimited the Roman settlement on the east side of King Street at this time(1).

<1> Earthworks Archaeological Services, 1997, Archaeological Investigations at Kinderton Manor, Middlewich, Cheshire. (Client Report). SCH4176.

<2> Carruthers WJ, 1999, Middlewich E221 Waterlogged plant remains from Roman ditch 37 (Unpublished Document). SCH3795.