Site of Roman Building 100m W of Railway Bridge

1 The most substantial building yet found at Tripontium was discovered in 1962 and dug intermittently between then and 1982. The site, which was by a stream, had been levelled before building operations started. Building was a stone and timber structure of rectangular plan, with a mortar floor. The walls were plastered and painted. A coin of Domitian and Antonine Samian could indicate construction at the end of the 1st century. Building 2 dated originally from the early 2nd century. A later phase had stone walls, op-sig floors and painted plaster on the walls. This dated from the second half of the 2nd century. Building 3 was an addition and enlargement to building 2 and converted it into a ‘courtyard-type house’. The walls were of stone with fine wall plaster. Many 4th century coins were found around the building and the destruction layers. One room had a black occupation layer which contained a coin of Valentinian and some late pits contained 4th century pottery. Two coins of the period AD 395-408 could indicate use into the 5th century. Finds included tiles, some with graffiti. Tegulae and flue tiles were found. Metal finds included tweezers, bracelets and a spoon. The excavation report suggests that the building was a mansio and that its courtyard plan is similar to examples at Chelmsford, Silchester and Godmanchester.
3 The building is much smaller and less regular than the other mansiones quoted from British small towns and the identification of this building is uncertain.
4 An independent study aiming to put discussion of the Tripontium mansio, and the other buildings excavated by Rugby Archaeological Society, in Area 3, in a wider context. The study itself is largely inconclusive, although it does highlight the significance of the buildings at Tripontium and the importance of placing the possible mansio at Tripontium in a discussion of the other settlement features found at the site. Includes a series of phase plans for the site more generally.