Scheduled Ancient Monument: Wixoe Roman town (1485940)

Roman Wixoe is recorded as one of eight potential small towns in Suffolk, together with Icklingham, Pakenham, Long Melford, Coddenham, Wenhaston, Hacheston and Felixstowe, all of which (except Wenhaston) lay on known main roads at, or very near to, a river crossing. These were positioned no more than 20 miles (32km) apart and would presumably have operated as market centres serving the surrounding settlements. Wixoe developed adjacent to an ancient ford across the River Stour and close to the intersection of two major Roman roads: routes 24 and 34a identified by Margary (1973). The former, sometimes known in Cambridgeshire as the Via Devana, was an important road that ran from Godmanchester via Cambridge to Colchester, and ran north-west to south-east on the west side of the River Stour at Wixoe. Margary’s route 34a extended east across the Stour at Ains Ford and ran east from Wixoe to Coddenham via Long Melford. The main focus of the settlement lay on the east side of the river, encompassing at least 15ha, and from the east side of the settlement a road aligned north-east to south-west may have headed northwards to the small town of Icklingham, some 30km distant. Until archaeological evaluation was carried out in advance of the construction of the Abberton pipeline around 2012, little archaeological work had been undertaken within the Roman town at Wixoe. However, surface finds have been reported from at least the early C19, and extensive fieldwalking and metal detecting surveys in the general area had generated over 4,000 Roman coins. Aerial photographic evidence, geophysical surveys, trial excavations and analysis of finds, particularly coins and pottery (over 28,000 sherds), have demonstrated that the town (at least on the eastern side of the Stour) was a planned settlement probably established in the Flavian period (AD 69–96), possibly in the later part of this date range. The town’s initial development appears to have been relatively slow until the early to mid- second century. There was a clear upsurge in activity in the Middle Roman period, represented by increases in the number of archaeological features and the quantity of associated finds, which together are indicative of population growth. Investment in the settlement’s infrastructure during this period is evidenced by the redefinition of the internal road network and boundary ditch, together with the laying out of agricultural enclosures and regular building plots in the north-eastern part of the town. The town boundary was redefined in its largest form in the Late Roman period, when a substantial new ditch was dug around the settlement east of the river, and evidence of a number of buildings survive from this period. A variety of features have been discovered suggesting a small town of some status, including an internal street network with buildings fronting onto roads, a settlement boundary ditch, distinct zoned activity areas, and two substantial masonry buildings comprising a possible villa-like structure or religious complex and a possible bathhouse. These structures distinguish Wixoe from lower order settlements, however it was clearly not a major urban centre. The scale of artefact and coin loss within Wixoe in particular, and the other Suffolk small towns in general, clearly differentiates these settlements from other rural sites, including villas. Pottery evidence suggests expansion may have been short-lived, and Wixoe seems to have reached its peak in the late second to early third century, followed by a slow decline until its eventual abandonment in the early fifth century. Very little evidence of a military presence has been identified in the vicinity of the settlement. A scatter of finds of first to fourth century date, found adjacent the river crossing and road junction on the western bank of the Stour, may hint at broadly contemporary ribbon development in this location. By about the mid-sixth century, the area had become part of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of East Anglia, later coming under the influence of Anglo-Danish rule in the C10. Though it is presumed the Roman road system was still used, the immediate area declined in regional importance. The current village of Wixoe was established in the Anglo-Saxon period around 700m east of the Roman town, and the Domesday Book of 1086 recorded 17 households there. The Church of St Leonard in Wixoe village was built in the C12 and is listed at Grade II*. The Stour Valley line of the Great Eastern Railway was constructed north of the village in 1865, running north-west to south-east across the Roman town; the line closed in 1967, after which the railway was removed. Early-C20 quarrying in the south-western part of the Roman town was shown on the 1904 and 1926 Ordnance Survey maps between the river and railway, and has also been confirmed by geophysical survey. A reservoir or pumping station was constructed on the west bank of the River Stour in the 1980s. Details Small Roman town at Wixoe, probably established in the Flavian period (AD 69-96), and abandoned in the early fifth century. PRINCIPAL ELEMENTS The small Roman town at Wixoe, an area of around 25ha, enclosed within a town ditch on the east side of the River Stour, and an area of Roman activity along the west bank of the river adjacent Ains Ford. DESCRIPTION The scheduled area lies approximately 3.5km (2 miles) south-east of Haverhill on the east and west banks of the River Stour west of Wixoe village. The scheduled area mainly lies east of the river (around 22ha), and its boundary is largely defined by the below-ground survival of the Roman town ditch to the north and east, and the River Stour to the south and west. The scheduled area west of the river (around 3ha) focuses on the area around AinsFord. The Roman small town of Wixoe developed adjacent an ancient ford across the River Stour and close to the intersection of two major Roman roads: routes 24 and 34a identified by Margary (1973). The main focus of the settlement lay on the east side of the river, to the north and south of the east-west road, encompassing at least 15ha. From an intersection towards the east side of the settlement a road aligned north-east to south-west headed northwards, probably to the small town of Icklingham, some 30km distant. Archaeological excavation has found that both this north road and the east-west road measured around 9.75m in width (broadly comparable with other nearby examples). The north road was flanked by ditches for most of its exposed length, although these also formed part of the adjacent agricultural enclosures. Recent geophysical survey undertaken in 2023, archaeological excavation undertaken in 2011, aerial photography, metal detecting and field walking have revealed extensive survival of buried archaeological remains east of the River Stour. Collectively the evidence indicates that the main settlement east of the river was broadly sub-oval in plan. A boundary ditch enclosed the north and east sides of the Roman town, and where excavated it was shown to have been approximately 4.5m wide and 2.25m deep. The eastern extent can be traced in the geophysical survey as continuing south towards the River Stour, while part of the northern boundary shows as two linear cropmarks on aerial photographs. This suggests that the whole of the town on the eastern side of the river was enclosed by the ditch; it is presumed there were gates where the main roads exited the town. The ditch appears to have originated in the Early Roman period and was subsequently reworked in the Middle and Late Roman periods, with several phases of ditch being revealed during the 2011 excavation, and by geophysical and aerial photographic surveys. The final ditch in its largest form could have been created any time between the second and fourth centuries. The ditch appears to have fallen from use towards the end of the Roman period: finds from its fills include a coin of AD 364-78. Wixoe clearly exhibits some evidence for deliberate planning, along with more organic and piecemeal development. The presence of at least one designated area of pitting / craft / industrial activity in the south-east part of the settlement, the extent of which can be traced over a large area in the geophysical survey, is indicative of zoning. The excavated craft / industrial zone was found to be long-lived, continuing in use throughout all phases of Roman occupation, and was periodically defined by ditched boundaries and fence lines. The quarries and other pits in this area subsequently became used for the disposal of stable waste, as well as domestic rubbish from the settlement. In addition to the roads mentioned above, excavation revealed an internal lane in the south-eastern part of the town following the interior line of the boundary ditch, running north-east to south-west. The lane was narrower than the roads, measuring around 4.5m in width and the surface was metalled. This lane was presumably associated with the craft or industrial zone and may conceivably have led to a wharf on the River Stour. The banks of the River Stour are waterlogged and therefore have a high archaeological potential to retain particularly rich deposits of preserved organic materials and Roman waterfront structures such as timber wharfs or a bridge. Several smaller lanes also emanated northwards from the road which runs east-west through the site; between the central two lanes a series of large enclosures identified through geophysical survey may represent a market area. Following the early Roman establishment of Wixoe, expansion in the Middle Roman period took the form of new (possibly fairly organic) development and rebuilding within the north-east quadrant – and probably the more central (unexcavated) parts of the town. Roads were re-defined and a number of evenly spaced plots containing individual buildings laid out adjacent to them. Along the north road, the plots on the east side ranged between 25m and 27m in width, and plots on the west side ranged between 17m and 20m in width; a large well was constructed to the west of the road. Excavations in 2011 revealed a variety of buildings and structures, many of which were of timber construction, but also two substantial masonry buildings, one a possible villa like structure and the other a possible bathhouse. A small circular structure of Early Roman date with a projected diameter in the region of 3m, located near the south end of the settlement, may represent a non-domestic haystack ring. The remains of five timber buildings were revealed adjacent the north road, most of which date to the Middle Roman period (second century); four of these structures were post-built, and one tentatively identified structure appears to be of sill beam construction. Two further buildings were identified in the craft / industrial zone. It is probable that the majority of domestic buildings at Wixoe were of timber, and the relatively small quantities of brick and tile recovered in the vicinity of the Roman buildings suggests they were roofed with thatch or wooden shingles rather than tiles. A masonry building, possibly representing a villa, was found east (outside) of the Late Roman town boundary ditch, around 50m north of the river. This structure was partly investigated in the 1950s when it was described as having flint foundations, and the presence of tesserae, wall plaster and other finds was also noted. Geophysical survey shows the building as being south-east facing, with at least nine rooms, a possible porch and a substantial buttress, however the plan is not typical of a villa so its use is uncertain. The remains of another stone building are located within the south-west corner of the settlement, around 50m north of the river. Its location within the settlement, apparent size and quality indicate it must have been a building of some importance, possibly a bathhouse. No direct evidence of temples or shrines has yet been found at Wixoe, but given the size of the settlement it is very likely that religious buildings were located here. Burials have been excavated at various points around the town and on both the eastern and western sides of the River Stour. On the east bank, some burials were positioned on or close to the main settlement boundary or near to the internal roads. In general, their dates appear to span each of the Roman phases of occupation, with the different inhumation and cremation rites signifying long-term and diverse burial practices. The Stour Valley line of the Great Eastern Railway was constructed in 1865 running north-west to south-east across the settlement and likely disturbed a great amount of buried archaeology during its construction. The railway line closed in 1967, after which the railway was removed. In the south-western quadrant of the settlement, quarrying shown on the 1904 and 1926 Ordnance Survey maps between the river and railway has been confirmed by geophysical survey. On the western side of the Stour, a number of antiquarian find spots, and recent discoveries as a result of fieldwalking and metal detecting indicate a distinct clustering of Roman activity close to the crossing point at Ains Ford and flanking the main Roman road (Margary’s Route 24). At least three possible inhumation cemeteries have been identified at various locations on the west side of the river (all but one are outside the scheduled area). Within the scheduled area, ten inhumations with several accompanying urns were discovered in 1801 south of Ains Ford and adjacent the Roman road, and the foundations of a building were purportedly found in the same field in 1801. South-west of Ains Ford and outside the scheduled area, three skeletons with urns were found in 1779 and 1792 human bones were found in 1863 and several human bones were also reported from close to the site of a purported fort or camp near Watsoe Bridge. Finds associated with a possible high-status building of Middle or Late Roman date were found in 1983 during construction of a reservoir or pumping station near Watsoe Bridge: a small assemblage of ceramic building material, comprising 36 unstratified tile fragments (box flue, imbrex and flat tile), along with a relatively large quantity of pottery dating broadly from the first to fourth centuries. These find spots are not included in the scheduled area as the archaeology was largely disturbed during the construction of the reservoir / pumping station in the 1980s and therefore has low archaeological potential. EXCLUSIONS The Stour Valley line of the Great Eastern Railway running north-west to south-east across the scheduled area, former quarry (centred at grid reference TL7084843281), electrical station (centred at TL7092743095), pumping station (centred at grid reference TL7104043288) and Water Hall (centred at grid reference TL7102443291) are excluded the scheduling. All hard-surfaced roads, track surfaces, fences, fence posts, hedges, field ditches, water and feed troughs, and telegraph poles are also excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath them is included.