Monument record LMD 030 - Rodbridge (Rom)

Pottery, including 50 sherds Castor ware, 2 Samian, total 700 pieces. Bronze spatula, hook and nail. Found in disused pit at Rodbridge. Probable ford across river of Roman road.
PSIA gives Grid Reference TL 856 435 - which is in Borley, Essex.
August 1951: Sherds of Rom pottery recovered by Miss E M Backhouse from disused gravel pit where animal bones reported.
September/October 1951: Planned investigation undertaken by member of Suffolk Institute of Archaeology. Various finds listed in (S2), including bronze ligula about 4 inches long, steelyard hook, nail, 2 Samian sherds, 50 `Castor' ware, circa 700 greyware sherds and `approx 25 sherds of Anglo-Saxon coarse ware' (S2). Material from gravel pits supplied to Acton Airfield during World War II. Gravel pit bulldozed 1951/2.
29 Sept 1951: test trench dug by 'an amateur archaeologist'. Mainly Roman finds but said to be 'fragments of Anglo-Saxon coarse decorated pottery' as well. Reported by CR Elliott (S3).
May 1952: further excavtion by same amateur archaeologist. Further Roman pottery at same levels as before (S4).
Basil Brown notes that at Gravel Pit Farm, Rodbridge, about 700 fragments of pottery (Rom and AS), animal bones, charcoal, two iron objects, flints and flakes were found. He also kept a newspaper cutting which notes the find of a glass counter at the site, believed to be Roman (S1). A photograph of the excavation taken by Basil Brown is in the archive. Letter from Elliott says he has documentation from his excavation as follows: notes, plans, photos, negs, correspondence. He also has some pottery and a Rom pin. He says he gave the rest of the material to the Old Sudbury Museum but it is now lost.
See also Sax.