Find Spot record MCC7557 - St Marys Church, West Bergholt

Summary

Roman brick used in the walls and buttresses.

Location

Grid reference TL 9530 2808 (point)
Map sheet TL92NE
County ESSEX
Civil Parish WEST BERGHOLT, COLCHESTER, ESSEX

Map

Type and Period (1)

Full Description

Roman brick used in the walls and buttresses.<1> Investigation produced no firm evidence of Roman occupation on the site. The wall fabrics and excavation produced substantial quantities of reused Roman building and kiln material but its source is uncertain. Fieldwalking in the vicinity failed to produce any evidence of Roman activity and it is therefore likely that the building and kiln lie either some distance away or are directly beneath the hall and its grounds. The few finds of residual Roman pottery might support the latter. Excavation produced a large amount of reused Roman tile in a variety of fabrics and sizes including tegulae, imbrices, brick and fragments of wasters which formed approximately one quarter of the Roman tile. The quantity and freshness of the material suggests that it is likely that a Roman kiln site was robbed to provide material for the church. In turn this should suggest that the kiln site lies at no great distance and it is equally likely that there is a villa in the vicinity which provided most of the remaining tile. Five fragments of lava quernstone from the excavation may be Roman although a later date is possible. Further pieces also apparently survive within the fabric of the church - all of lava. A fragment from a puddingstone quern may be of Roman date.<2> Photo record in Essex HER.<3><4><5><6> Other ref.<7> Finds in Colchester Museum.<8>

Sources/Archives (8)

  • <1> Monograph: Rodwell, Warwick J with Rodwell, KA. 1977. Historic Churches: a wasting asset. p.97.
  • <2> EXCAV REPORT: Turner, R. 1985. Excavations at St Marys Church, West Bergholt, Essex 1978, archive report. site archive.
  • <3> Photograph: Hedges, John D. 1977. TL92-031. 7 frames.
  • <4> Photograph: Anderson, T. 1977. Woodford Green 504 5985. 31 frames.
  • <5> Photograph: Anderson, T. 1978. TL92-031. 92 frames, colour.
  • <6> Photograph: unknown. 1978. West Bergholt church - photographic record. 139 frames.
  • <7> EXCAV REPORT: Turner, R. 1984. Four church excavations in Essex. No 4, pp.43-63.
  • <8> Artifact: Colchester Museum. unknown. ARTEFACT Col Mus.

Finds (7)

Protected Status/Designation

Related Monuments/Buildings (6)

Related Events/Activities (1)

Record last edited

Sep 15 2016 11:36AM

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