Romans on The Grange? Keith Fitzpatrick-Matthews (This was printed before the testpits were started on 15th Feb by the Comet) On 15 and 16 February, the Norton Community Archaeology Group will be looking for Romans on The Grange Estate in Letchworth Garden City. No, we haven't been invaded by men from the past wearing metal skirts! We're trying to find out where people lived in this part of town during Roman times. When the houses were being built on Ordelmere in 1954, workmen digging foundations discovered bits of pottery and bone, so they called in Albert Clarke, who was then the curator of the museum. He recognised that the pottery was Roman and found that it had come from two areas in particular, which we now think may have been pits or ditches belonging to a farm or village that stood in this area 1900 years ago. Unfortunately, Mr Clark wasn't an archaeologist and although he did his best to make a note of what had been found, we are left only with some notes written on an architect's plan and a very brief typed report. What we are now aiming to do is to try to find out more precisely what sort of remains are in the area, how big the settlement may have been and whether we can find objects that will help us to date the site more accurately. We have found that Letchworth Garden City was an area of intensively farmed land during Roman times, with farms and villages mostly on the hilltops. The farms' prosperity probably depended on the existence of a market nearby in the ancient town of Baldock. Thanks to the cooperation of local householders, we have permission to dig in gardens close to where the original finds were made. If you would like to be involved in the project, please email mickcommunications@hotmail.com for details. Even if we don't find the Romans, we're sure to turn up lots of interesting things! The article below was written Monday 18th Feb by KFM after the testpits were completed on 15th/16th Feb Romans at Caslon Way...Keith Fitzpatrick-Matthews Last week, The Comet reported that the Norton Community Archaeology Group was looking for Roman remains on The Grange estate in Letchworth Garden City. On Friday and Saturday, we excavated three test pits in gardens at Caslon Way. The group had been alerted to the site by the discovery of Roman pottery when the houses were being built there in November 1955. Recorded in a file note made by the then curator of Letchworth Museum, nothing further was done until last week. Altogether, eighteen people, including three pupils from Fearnhill School and two members of the Young Archaeologists' Club under the watchful eye of Keith Fitzpatrick-Matthews, Archaeology Officer for North Hertfordshire District Council, gave up their time to dig in the cold weather. The pits were only small, 1.5 m square, and were designed to give us the most information in the shortest time. All the finds made in the soil were kept and, mostly, they consisted of things dropped recently (a 1970s penny was the only coin found!) and left by the builders in 1955. But, towards the bottom of two of the trenches, Roman pottery was found. In one pit, there were several pieces of cooking pot and part of a flagon for holding drink, while in another, part of a mortarium (a grinding bowl that was used as a food processor) was found by a member of the Young Archaeologists' Club. These two pits were about 50 m apart, showing that the settlement may have covered quite a large area. In the base of one of the pits, a yard surface was found. These finds show that the site was in use during the second century AD and that it was probably a large farmstead or a farming hamlet. Others have been found nearby, at Hawthorn Hill, at Fairfield Park and at Archer's Way. Nineteen hundred years ago, Letchworth Garden City was evidently prime agricultural land. The NCAG meet for walks and lectures. For a full programme of their activities please visit www.nortoncommarch.com or contact the Secretary..Ken Bird at kenbird@ntlworld.com
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