LAND AT IFTON MANOR, ROGIET, MONMOUTHSHIRE ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION C.A.T JOB: 0681 C.A.T REPORT: 97503 OCTOBER 1997 This report has been researched and compiled with all reasonable skill, care, and attention to detail within the terms of the project as specified by the Client and within the general terms and conditions of Cotswold Archaeological Trust Ltd. The Trust shall not be liable for any inaccuracy, error or omission in the report or other documents produced as part of the Consultancy and no liability is accepted for any claim, loss or damage howsoever arising from any opinion stated or conclusion or other material contained in this report or other documents supplied as part of the Consultancy. This report is confidential to the Client. Cotswold Archaeological Trust Ltd accept no responsibility whatsoever to third parties to whom this report, or any part of it is made known. Any such party relies upon this report entirely at their own risk. © Cotswold Archaeological Trust Headquarters Building, Kemble Business Park, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 6BQ Tel. 01285 771022 Fax. 01285 771033 Land at Ifton Manor, Rogiet, Monmouthshire: Archaeological Evaluation CONTENTS CONTENTS ..................................................................................................................... 1 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ........................................................................................... 2 GLOSSARY .................................................................................................................... 3 SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................... 4 1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................... 5 1.1 Introduction ......................................................................................... 5 1.2 The Study Area..................................................................................... 5 1.3 Archaeological and Historical Background. ....................................... 6 1.4 Archaeological Specification and Methods ......................................... 7 2. EVALUATION RESULT .......................................................................................... 8 2.1 General ................................................................................................ 8 2.2 Romano-British (Figs. 4, 5 & 6) .......................................................... 8 2.3 Medieval (Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10) .......................................................... 10 2.4 Post-medieval/modern ......................................................................... 12 2.5 Undated (Fig. 11 & 12) ....................................................................... 13 3. ASSESSMENT OF RESULTS.................................................................................... 15 3.1 Date and Interpretation of Archaeological Deposits .......................... 15 Romano-British ................................................................................... 16 Medieval .............................................................................................. 17 Post-medieval/modern ......................................................................... 18 Undated ................................................................................................ 18 3.2 Survival and Extent of Archaeological Deposits ................................. 19 4. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................... 20 5. BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................................................................................ 20 APPENDIX 1 ................................................................................................................... 33 APPENDIX 2 ................................................................................................................... 38 APPENDIX 3 ................................................................................................................... 39 1 Land at Ifton Manor, Rogiet, Monmouthshire: Archaeological Evaluation LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Fig. 1 Location plan ....................................................................................... 21 Fig. 2 Study area, showing location of trenches ............................................ 22 Fig. 3 Extract from 2nd edition ordnance survey map (1901) ........................ 23 Fig.4 Trench 10, plan and sections ............................................................... 24 Fig. 5 Trench 10, burial [1001] ...................................................................... 25 Fig. 6 Trench 2, plan and sections ................................................................. 26 Fig. 7 Trench 8, plan and sections ................................................................. 27 Fig. 8 Trench 12, plan and sections ............................................................... 28 Fig. 9 Trench 15, plan and section ................................................................. 29 Fig. 10 Trench 3, plan and section ................................................................... 30 Fig. 11 Trench 7, plan ...................................................................................... 31 Fig. 12 Trench 1, plan and sections ................................................................. 32 2 Land at Ifton Manor, Rogiet, Monmouthshire: Archaeological Evaluation GLOSSARY ARCHAEOLOGY For the purposes of this project, archaeology is taken to mean the study of past human societies through their material remains, from prehistoric times to the modern era. No rigid upper date limit has been set, but AD 1900 is used as a general cut-off point. CONTEXT The simplest level of excavated archaeological data, i.e. a context could be the cut of a ditch (shown as - [1], or its fill (shown as (2)). MEDIEVAL Taken here as the period from the Norman invasion in AD 1066 to approximately AD 1500. NATURAL Defined in archaeological terms this refers to the undisturbed natural geology of a site, e.g. Lower Lias clay, river terrace gravels etc. NGR National Grid Reference given from the Ordnance Survey Grid. OD Ordnance Datum; used to express a given height above mean sea level. POST-MEDIEVAL The period following the medieval period, from AD1500 to the Industrial Revolution. PRN Principal Record Number (used for entries on the County SMR) ROMANO-BRITISH Term used to describe a fusion of indigenous late Iron Age traditions with Roman culture, often abbreviated as `R-B.' SMR Sites and Monument Record. 3 Land at Ifton Manor, Rogiet, Monmouthshire: Archaeological Evaluation SUMMARY In August 1997 Cotswold Archaeological Trust (CAT) was commissioned by Bovis Homes Limited to undertake an archaeological evaluation of land at Ifton Manor, Rogiet, Monmouthshire (NGR ST 4650 8795). The evaluation results indicate that Romano-British, medieval, and post-medieval deposits survive throughout the proposed development area. Romano-British activity is restricted to the eastern limit of the proposed development area, whilst the medieval activity is concentrated around the central core of the study area, most notably on the high ground on the periphery of the modern farm complex and presumed location of the medieval manor and church. An undated subterranean structure with a corbelled sprung roof also survives close to the medieval core of the study area. 4 Land at Ifton Manor, Rogiet, Monmouthshire: Archaeological Evaluation 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Introduction 1.1.1 In August 1997 Cotswold Archaeological Trust (CAT) was commissioned by Bovis Homes Limited to undertake an archaeological evaluation of land at Ifton Manor, Rogiet, Monmouthshire (NGR ST 4650 8795) (Fig.1). 1.1.2 The work was undertaken in compliance with the ‘Standard and Guidance for Field Evaluation’ issued by the Institute of Field Archaeologists (IFA). Mr Charles Hill, of Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust (Curatorial Division), made a monitoring visit on the 12th September 1997. 1.2 The Study Area 1.2.1 The study area is approximately 2.5 ha, and largely comprises of pasture land, although an area of semi-derelict buildings and yards is clustered around the manor house in the centre of the site. The development area is bound to the north by the B4245, to the west by residential housing and to the south and east by pasture land (Fig.2). 1.2.2 The underlying solid geology of the study area is Triassic Sandstone overlain by a drift geology of Quaternary estuarine alluvium and second terrace gravel deposits. Topographically, the proposed development area is situated on a small peninsula of sandstone, at approximately 12.5m OD, which slopes on three sides to the now redundant Ifton Bank Reen at 6.25m OD. 5 Land at Ifton Manor, Rogiet, Monmouthshire: Archaeological Evaluation 1.3 Archaeological and Historical Background. 1.3.1 A rapid desk-based assessment of readily accessible archaeological, historical and cartographic records was undertaken prior to the commencement of fieldwork. The main sources of information accessed consisted of relevant data held in the Sites and Monuments Record (SMR), Swansea, and the County Records Office, Cwmbran. 1.3.2 The earliest recorded archaeological evidence within the general vicinity of the proposed development area is a flint scraper (PRN 4057G), found during construction work at Crossways Road, Rogiet (NGR ST 4610 8794). Human remains found at Ifton Quarry