Roman defences, Alcester.

1 1976: A trench, 38m long, was cut and some points on the N section recorded. From the E end a dark mixed layer extended 2.75m W. W of this was a group of stones c0.8m wide. Between 6 and 8.5m W a layer of clean red gravel sealing a clay deposit which overlay a mixed dark stony layer. The only major feature further W was a very pronounced gravel deposit between 17m and 21.5m W. It was considerably thicker in the middle than at the ends. Beyond this were organic deposits. 1977-78: A number of gully holes for drainage were observed. These indicated the edge of a marshy area which was open during the Roman period. The gravel feature in the trench and in gully holes 7 and 8 may represent the gravel bank behind the rampart. No trace of a town wall was found (as on the NW of the town) and it is probable that the C4 defences ran on a different line. The absence of a town ditch is probably due to the presence of the marsh.
2 Included in Alcester sites list as Site No 57.
3 Description of above work in WMA.
4 An archaeological evaluation on land next to No.2, Bulls Head Yard, Alcester, recovered evidence for the robbed-out late Roman town wall which was thought to have run through the area.
5 The large linear feature found in foundation trenches [during an archaeological obsevation adjacent to 2 Bulls Head Yard] was undoubtedly the same feature that was found in the 1997 evaluation. This was interpreted as representing the robbed-out remains of the Roman town wall, which is thought to have run through the area.