Fieldwork at Lawn Field, Buriton, Hampshire
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Proc Hampsh Field Club Archaeol Soc 48, 1992, 95-105 FIELDWORK AT LAWN FIELD, BURITON, HAMPSHIRE by ELIZABETH DES BRISAY ABSTRACT PREHISTORIC SETTLEMENT Fieldwork on the Upper Greensand shelf below the South Some finds of prehistoric date suggest early Downs escarpment has revealed a Roman site of some occupation of the southern to south-eastern interest. Finds of some Roman military equipment and the area of the site. Half a Neolithic flint axe, a presence of earthworks suggest the possibility of a Roman long flint tool (130 X 25 mm) described by the military establishment. The discovery of fragments of British Museum as a fabricator, some coarse imported marble and stone from the Mediterranean indicate an early and relatively luxurious Roman building. There is also evidence of pagan Saxon occupation. 250 m THE SITE Situated on Upper Greensand, on compara tively high but level ground, the site (Fig 1) is 450 m from the Chalk South Downs es carpment (NGR SU 743202). The south-west edge is bounded by a stream, and along the north-east edge the land slopes away very steeply into a gully, along the bottom of which runs another stream. The field is at present under arable use, and during certain times of the year a considerable number of earthworks become apparent (Fig 2). The most probable explanation is that the main ones are in some way connected with the Roman occupation and the lesser ones perhaps with a medieval field system. There has been little evidence of soil erosion in Lawn Field, and ploughing is not disturbing the Roman buildings, in contrast to Wolver Brow (des Brisay 1989) where the plough has dislodged the foundation stones of the building, and disturbed a very large quantity of tile. This latter site is now under grass and thus protected for the immediate future. The only aerial photographs of the Lawn Field are high-level verticals taken in the 1950-60s. These, unfortunately, do not show any building positions or other features. Fig 1. Lawn Field, Buriton: general location. 96 HAMPSHIRE FIELD CLUB AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY flint-gritted pottery of Bronze Age type, and a complicated design of parallel lines and tri spindle whorl have been found. Also, flint angles made with a fine square-toothed comb, flakes, and a saddle quern stone from the this almost certainly comes from an Early Lodsworth quarry near Petworth, were recov Bronze Age burial. ered from the edge of the field. Within the field There is no evidence of Iron Age occupation. was half a mortarium of the same stone (160 X In the Buriton area, the people of this period 150 mm, 80 mm on thickest edge). A stone seem to have settled on the chalk uplands triangular tapering handle extends from the above the escarpment, rather than on the bottom of the mortarium, perhaps to steady it Upper Greensand shelf. while in use. There was an interesting find in the Manor garden, close to the Lawn Field, when some ROMAN FINDS deep digging dislodged a rim and two other fragments of a very fine Beaker period pot (Fig The position of the scatter of Roman pottery 3). No greater than 5 mm in thickness, with a and tiles is indicated on Fig 2. There are N Scatter of Roman pottery and tiles. Approximate position of earthwork Scatter of Pagan Saxon grass-tempered pottery. Fig 2. Lawn Field, Buriton: site plan. DES BRISAY: FIELDWORK AT LAWN FIELD, BURITON, HAMPSHIRE 97 concentrations of both pottery and, separately, tiles on different areas. One area of high density of tile is situated at the north- westernmost part of the field, where tegulae, I?"' imbrices, stone floor tiles and fragments of box-flue tiles have been ploughed up. The incidence of tiles is less frequent further south west on the lower ground. There is a greater density of pottery on high ground across the top of the field, also diminishing towards the syi south-west. The bronze objects of military affinity have been found almost entirely on one section of the field. Clay Tiles Two comparatively large fragments of box-flue tiles have been found. Both have diamond-shaped designs, one made with a 3-toothed comb, and single lines, presumably by a knife, the other by 8- and 7-toothed combs. The corners of these tiles are present. There are several small pieces with various designs, one possibly roller-stamped with a rosette, being only 10 mm thick. Tiles of this thickness have been dated to the 1st century AD (inf E W Black). Another fragment has 10-toothed combing with very narrow teeth, and the rest have wavy undu lating lines. All these measure 10-15 mm thick, slightly below the thickness of 15-17 mm recorded for lst-century to 130/140 AD tiles elsewhere (inf E W Black). There is one tegula mammata, the mamma, of rectangular shape, 15 X 20 mm, and 15 mm high, being positioned just over 25 mm from the edge. cms Fig 3. Lawn Field, Buriton: prehistoric pottery (scale of Of the other clay dies, there are about two dozen 3 cm). fragments of tegulae, divided equally between very chalky fabric, similar to those on Wolver Brow (des Brisay 1989), and very good strong red fabric. The Marathonisi quarries near Sparta, Greece. Called flange in each case is quite different, possibly Marmor Lacedaemonium Viride by Pliny, it was quarried implying different suppliers or different episodes of in Classical times and was a stone associated with roofing activity. Of the remaining tiles, only three the early Roman Empire. The problem in tracing its pieces are imbrices, the rest being primarily bessales, presence in Britain is that the stone can be confused including some quite sizeable pieces. with Porfido Verde Antico from Thessaly (Watson 1916), which is the variety recorded at Fishbourne (Cunlifle 1971). Lacedaemonian Porphyry has been Stone found from an arcade in the temple of Claudius at Of the many different varieties of stone present on Colchester, and almost certainly at Ely (Glam), the Lawn Field, the most interesting are those where Wheeler (1922) described it as Green Pelo- imported from the Mediterranean. TJhere is a rect ponnesian Marble. Otherwise it would seem to be angular piece of Green Porphyry, 57.5 mm in length absent from Britain. (broken at both ends), 40 mm in width and 20 mm A diamond-shaped stone, 65 X 35 X 22 mm, is in depth, possibly a piece of opus sectile, from the composed of Silt-stone from Italy. It is formed of 98 HAMPSHIRE FIELD CLUB AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY layers of volcanic dust, not quite fine enough to be been carried out in a series of semi-circles and no Mudstone, possibly Rhyolite/Tuff, silicified and mortar remains. The top has been completely mineralised (inf R Sanderson, Geological smoothed by wear in the centre, but shows signs of Museum). This piece of stone is discoloured, but the grooving tool at both ends. The chisel used on was probably used for the same purpose as the both of these stones would have measured about Porphyry. Another piece of marble facing or mould 7 mm wide. ing was white with grey veining, similar to marble A piece of grey stone arch, measuring 230 mm on from Fishbourne described as coming from Greece the outside and approximately 45-50 mm thick, has or Asia Minor. Two fragments of imported volcanic been found. It was broken and the interior badly lava have been retrieved from the top of the field. scratched by an agricultural seeding machine. It is This particular stone was used by the Romans as a an unusual variety of stone to be found in the area, building stone, since it is easy to handle and cut (inf coming from the Coal Measures — the nearest R Sanderson). sources being South Wales and the Bristol area. When a mechanical excavator was tidying the Robin Sanderson of the Geological Museum field edges, it dislodged some stone tiles. They are described it as an impure medium-grained mi about 22.5 mm in thickness and probably square, caceous sandstone, containing streaks and frag with their top surfaces worn down, so that one could ments of coalified plant remains. In repairing this assume that they had been used as flooring. Com stone, it was found to be soft and crumbly - posed of a creamy, shelly limestone, the same probably only suitable for building. Tooling marks colour as Quarr Abbey stone, but different in confi on the outside are similar to those on the two guration, they are possibly Binsted stone from the previous stones. Isle of Wight. No stone roofing tiles have appeared, but there are three pieces of Purbeck stone, varying from 5 to 15 mm in thickness. Each piece shows Quern-stones and Hones signs of chiselling on one side, possibly as keying for There are three small edges of quern-stone of mortar. Lodsworth stone from near Petworth, and two One ornamental stone of micaceous sandstone centre pieces of ferruginous sandstone. All are so with circular iron banding has been found. This has small that they may not necessarily belong to been cut and smoothed on both sides to 10 mm in quern-stones, but be used for other grinding needs. thickness, possibly for use as cladding. Portland The hones are mainly composed of quartzitic stone stone has been found in quantity on the site; the pebbles almost identical to those found at Wolver pieces showing signs of tooling and cutting, perhaps Brow, but are an infrequent find. for use in building.