Monument record LMD 017 - Roman villa at Liston Lane

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Summary

Roman Villa at Liston Lane.

Location

Grid reference Centred TL 8606 4515 (179m by 158m)
Map sheet TL84NE
Civil Parish LONG MELFORD, BABERGH, SUFFOLK

Map

Type and Period (5)

Full Description

Roman Villa at Liston Lane.
A tessellated pavement was cut through by a sewerage trench in a field to the S of Liston Lane in 1958. Salvage recording was carried out by N Smedley for IPSMG (S1).
The pavement consisted of a central area of white limestone tesserae 7.5 feet wide, flanked on either side by 2 feet of tesserae of black bituminous limestone. A red tile, 1.5 feet in length was inserted centrally. At either end, and overlapping the black area for 10 inches, was a quarter-round moulding of red tile, and at one end a line of upright tesserae indicating a wall lined with tesserae - this may indicate that the structure was a bath rather than a room. Individual tesserae were half an inch square and 1 inch deep, set in a 3 to 4 inch thick layer of pink cement, resting on a 6 inch layer of white cement, itself resting on a 2 feet thick layer of flint, which increased to 3 feet for wall footings. In the rubble overlying the pavement was a tegula and a few red tile tesserae. Also found was an angled fragment of painted wall plaster and C1 - C2 pottery, including samian. Divided from the pavement by a more recent field ditch was a pink cement floor which ran for 10 feet northwards and continued under the modern road. A white cement floor was also found 12 feet to the S of the tessellated pavement.
The building remains lay on a raised platform visible on aerial photographs. A ditch forming the S boundary of this platform contained Belgic and C1 Roman pottery (S1).
1981: Site under pasture (S2).
1991: Site shows uneven surface under grass. Nothing remains above ground. Laid down to grass (S4).
For ring ditch within scheduled area see (S5).

Sources/Archives (6)

  • <S1> (No record type): Smedley N, Roman Long Melford, PSIA, 28 (3), 1960, 272-289, photos.
  • <M1> (No record type): SAM file:.
  • <S2> Unpublished document: DOE scheduling information.
  • <S3> (No record type): Beresford M W & St Joseph J K, Med England : An Aerial Survey, fig 104.
  • <S4> (No record type): Suff Pres Soc (Paul Edwards) survey, table of results, 1991.
  • <S5> Photograph: Air Photographs. NAU, TL 8645/JCC 1, 10 July 1996.

Finds (8)

Protected Status/Designation

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Events/Activities (4)

Record last edited

Nov 7 2023 10:48AM

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