Monument record 0036600000 - CHURCH FARM, SAUNDERTON

MACHINE DIGGING SILO AT NGR (FROM J F HEAD) CUT THROUGH DITCH (HEAD) OR RUBBISH PIT (PAVRY). EXAMINED INDEPENDENTLY BY JFH & FHP (ARCHIVE, INCLUDING SECTIONS, FILED) (B1-4).
PRE-FLAVIAN DITCH, SILTING UP OVER LONG PERIOD. FINDS SUGGEST NEARBY VILLA, MORE ELABORATE THAN CASS 00364:01 (B3,B5).
FINDS AT BCM (B6).



IA and Ro material found during the construction of a silo at SP 7960 0172 in 1952. Subsequent excavation by J F Head revealed a section of ditch cut in marl approx 6ft below the present ground level of the moated enclosure (see SP 70 SE 16). The flat bottomed ditch measured c 8ft wide by c 5ft deep and ran in an E-W direction (B1 and B3).
It was concluded that it was of pre-Flavian construction, silting up over a long period of time. The finds, nearly all of which came from the ditch silt, included: Pre-Belgic IA sherds, considerable quantities of Roman roof and flue tiles, tesserae, wall plaster, Purbeck marble fragments, pottery of 1st - 3rd century and a coin of Gallienus. An excavation report in Records of Bucks is pending. It is evident from clarification by J F Head, and excavation plans held by him, that the ditch was of probable IA construction (of unknown purpose) and that Roman material was discarded into it over a long period of time. The dumped material almost certainly would have come from the nearby Roman villa (See SP 70 SE 6). Surveyed at 1:2500 (B7).
NRHE insert 1998, Update 1999 (B9).

This record includes National Record of the Historic Environment Information provided by Historic England on 4 June 2025 licensed under the Open Government Licence.