Site of Roman Temple on Grimstock Hill

Description of this historic site

The site of a Roman temple lying 200m east of Lichfield Road, Coleshill. The temple was found during an archaeological excavation.

Notes about this historic site

1 Discovered March 1978. Observations made during building work indicated a settlement, dating to the 2nd century AD, which extended along a gravel terrace at the edge of the floodplain of the River Cole. At the N end is a stone walled enclosure with a number of internal structures.
2 Excavation was continued by BUFAU in 1979. The whole interior of a roughly rectangular enclosure, 65m N-S by 45m E-W was cleared. Possible entrance in E wall and buttresses on NE and SE corner. The centre of the enclosure was occupied by a Romano-Celtic temple. This consisted of a double square building with two later annexes. This was preceded by a rectangular building with an apse and also by an earlier wooden temple, and all three shrines overlay the Late Iron Age settlement (PRN 5130). A number of small ‘votive cups’ were found. The pottery is mainly 2nd century, but the coin series continues to the 370s. The stone temple had a coin of Domitian (cAD 85) in its construction trench and the building appears to have been robbed in the 17th century (see PRN 3682). A number of other buildings are also under excavation in the temenos.
3 Further excavation. Traces of an earlier building than the wooden temple could indicate that it had a precursor. At the time of the construction of the wooden temple a huge cobbled area was created. The second phase was probably 2nd century or early 3rd century. Various other structures were excavated. Use of the temple appears to have continued into the 4th century. Many brooches, tweezers and toilet items have been found.
4 Further interim report.
5 Report on excavations and brief interpretative account. Details four phases of the temple; a wooden construction followed by two stone structures, with later additions. Details and plans of the shrines, the precinct wall and the bath building.
6 The full report on excavations carried out between July 1978 and 1980.This confirms the phasing given in 5. This includes details of the pre-temple phase the temenos ditch, ancillary buildings within the temenos, and the bath house. Includes detailed plans and finds reports.
7 Brief interim report on excavations 1978-1980. Provides a summary of the phasing of the site, together with a series of phase plans.

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