Monument record 0991900000 - Marsh Mead Farm, Dinton

Evaluation trial trenching carried out in August 2009 by JMHS in advance of proposed development for an equestrian centre identified a Romano-British gully and 4 field boundary ditches probably associated with a nearby Romano-British farmstead site [see CAS 4989]. In Trench 3 a single straight-sided pit measuring 2m X 1.5m and 0.45m deep, possibly Middle Iron Age in date, had been disturbed by the cutting of a shallow ditch aligned N-S, at least 3.7m long, 1.5m wide and 0.26m deep with C2 pottery and animal bone in the fill. A shallow N-S gully, at least 1.6m long, 1m wide and 0.3m deep had a post-medieval pottery sherd and clay pipe fragment in the fill. In Trench 5 all features had fills which included C2 pottery. These comprised a shallow NE-SW gully at least 1.6m long, 0.3m wide and 0.15m deep, a NNW-SSE aligned ditch at least 1m long, 0.8m wide and 0.35m deep; another ditch aligned NNW-SSE at leasr 3.5m long, 1m wide and 0.3m deep; and a broad shallow NE-SW ditch at least 1.1m long, 2.2m wide and 0.28m deep. See report for detail (B1).
NGR is mid-way between Trenches 3 and 5.

Excavation identified several phases of activity. Late Iron Age to 2nd century Roman features comprised quarry hollows and plough soil deposits. Around the second to third century, a ditched enclosure was constructed. Finds of Roman pottery, roof tile and box flue tile suggest a building within the proximity of the site, possibly under the existing stables (B2).