Excavation of Roman Buildings, Bleachfield Street

1 Excavations of the N part of the site previously excavated in 1969 (PRN 500) in 1972-3. The earliest features were sleeper-beam trenches forming a right angle. The whole area was then covered by a layer of cobbling upon part of which was constructed a timber building on small sleeper beams. Only one corner of this building lay within the area excavated. This building was destroyed by fire. The area N and W of the building was resurfaced with cobbling on a number of occasions in the C2. On the W of the site the cobbling was disturbed and a number of post pits occurred, possibly forming a building. Two successive drains post-dated the building and were sealed by cobbling. Throughout the C3 large quantities of soil and cattle bone built up and this deposit was sealed by a layer of cobbling upon which were a number of coins of Carausius, sealed by a layer of sandstone. In the SW corner of the trench was the robbed wall trench of a substantial building. Part of a mortar floor was uncovered. One important find was the finger from a life-sized bronze statue.
2 Described as site no 44 in list.