Monument record 0203400001 - 700M ESE OF LOWER BLACKGROVE FARM

Plan Form - LINEAR
ROMAN ROAD RUNNING NORTH FROM FLEET MARSTON EXPOSED BY PIPELINE. POSSIBLE SIDE DITCHES TRACED. ROAD MAKE-UP A MIXTURE OF LARGE GRAVEL AND SOME LIMESTONE (?FROM QUAINTON HILLS). ROAD APPEARS TO OVERLIE A CUT FILLED WITH DARK SOIL, POSSIBLY EARLIER RUTTED COURSE OR EARLIER SETTLEMENT, BUT QUITE EXTENSIVE (B8).
A section excavated through the features showed deposits typical of a Roman road. The earliest layer was a mixed clay, a dumped layer laid down to create a cambered base for the road surface. This was overlain by a layer of densely packed limestone fragments, which thinned towards the edges, where the proportion of flint increased. Possible wheel-ruts and potholes were evident along the upper surface of this layer. Ditches ran parallel to the road and acted as drainage for surface run-off. A single sherd of mid-12th to late-13th century pottery was found on the road surface, possibly suggesting it was used at least until this time, unless it was intrusive, which is more likely. This road runs north-west from Akeman Street. Roman artefacts came from the surface (B9).