Roman Settlement 800m N of Salford Priors

1 Enclosures and linear features show on air photographs. Morphologically this site is probably a settlement of Roman date.
2 The site was fieldwalked in October 1986 and a very sparse scatter of Roman sherds observed. In addition finds were made by metal detector on the unscheduled S part of the site including two Roman coins and seven sherds of Severn Valley Ware. The crop mark complex would seem to be Roman, although the quantity of material from the site is very small.
7 Field survey showed no trace of ridge and furrow which survives faintly on APs.
8 Trenching (nos 28 to 35) to east of Scheduled Area because of work due to start on A435 Norton Lenchwick Bypass (WA 4908 & HWCM 2759) revealed building rubble, roof and tile. This supports the idea that this site was a Roman villa with paddocks, also confirming results of geophysical survey. The waterlogged features have produced remains of seeds, pollen and beetles, which together with the charred plant material have considerable potential for archaeobotanical investigation.
9 Geophysical survey produced promising anomalies; results suggest that features associated with cropmark complex extend beyond SAM.
10 A section of the northern part of the cropmark was examined. A group of seven shallow banana-shaped gullies were discovered at the east end of the site. These may represent the truncation of foundation trenches or the eaves-drip gullies of Iron Age round houses, but could equally have been the quarry ditches of banks constructed to screen fires or hearths from the wind. Large quantities of burnt pebbles and charcoal were found in the fills of these features. A deep ring ditch, possibly of ceremonial function. The Iron Age site had an uncertain relationship with a field system represented by small gullies which had survived to a greater depth on the western side of the area.
11 Archaeological excavation (phase 4, 3rd interim report) suggests the main focus of domestic activity lay to the south of this phase (within phase 2 area). The features which were identified were shallow. There was a single example of a partial hut or wind break found in phase 2.
12 Description of Excavations at Marsh Farm, Norton Lenchwick Bypass Site C (SP 07 52).
13 A watching brief was undertaken for the Highways Agency between January and June 1994, on the route of the new bypass. Few significant deposits were revealed, with the exception of some more late Neolithic – Bronze Age and Saxon pits adjacent to Site E and the remains of a Romano British bath house in Site 2nd century.
14 Plan.
15 A second year of excavations was undertaken at Marsh Farm Quarry, The site is dominated by linear ditched trackways, or drove roads, which align on the west side of the villa complex. A dense cluster of late Iron Age – early Roman occupation features were located on the eastern side of the site, forming a settlement preceding the villa complex.
16 Plan.
<17) Observation of trench for electricity cable on the W side of the new A46. No archaeological features were detected & no finds recovered. 1819Crop mark evidence of enclosures, ring ditches and trackways apparent on aerial photographs were mapped as part of the English Heritage National Mapping Project.
20 Undated Ancient Monuments record form.
21 Correspondence with the Ragley Estate about the site.
22 Letter from EH referring to damage to the site.