Viscount Way, South Marston, Wiltshire (WT-SMA05)

Clients: Prologis Developments Ltd

Author: Robin Nielsen

Site supervisor: Portia Askew

Prior to construction of new warehouse units for Prologis Developments Ltd, archaeological evaluation led to the excavation of two foci of archaeological interest of differing characters between March and May 2005. To the north-west of the site, on higher ground, the earliest activity was dated to the Late Iron Age/early Roman period and consisted of a penannular ditch with its entrance to the southeast, presumably representing an eaves drip gully for a roundhouse. Just to the south of this was an enclosure area surrounding a smaller rectangular one, representing either a food-processing area, or a zone set aside for ritual purposes. To the east, a horseshoe-shaped enclosure with an entrance on its south-eastern side was recorded, possibly an animal pen. Other features dated to this period included a second ring-ditch with its entrance to the east of Zone 1, and a series of ditches.

Occupation on this part of the site continued into the early Roman period with a smaller drip gulley within the footprint of the earlier one, and the addition of further structures just to the east. There was some reorganisation of the enclosure system with additional boundary ditches. This resulted in the formation of a large rectangular enclosure encompassing the structures. Evidence for cereal processing, small-sclae industrial and other activity just outside the settlement area included a working ‘hollow’, a watering hole and a well.

Analysis suggests that occupation on this part of the site did not continue much later than the end of the second century AD, however considerable evidence for Late Roman activity of the 3rd –4th centuries AD was found in the other area of archaeological interest to the south. This consisted of a series of interconnecting drainage ditches on this lower-lying (and very boggy) part of the site. Large quantities of building material dated to this period were found and must derive from a Roman building or buildings nearby, possibly further to the south or south-east. There was some structural evidence from this period in the form of a stone wall probably forming part of an enclosure.

This site report is extracted from MoLAS 2005: annual review