More information : (Name SU 36431537) Roman Remains found AD 1880 (NAT) (1)
Probable Romano-British dwelling or village site on east bank of Test, near the railway. In breaking ground for ballast in 1880, many pits were found, containing Samian and other pottery, part of a statuette in white clay, ashes, bones and coins. Three wells, two of them steyned with stone and what have been a sunk furnace - or granary have also been seen. Other finds include much good Samian ware; Upchurch, New Forest and other pottery; a dozen fibulae, various bronze and iron fragments, a bronze ring, a bronze figure of a stag supporting, a candlestick; three Gaulish coins and some 70 Roman coins (AD 70-230 and AD 250-380). An ornamental weight, consisting of a metal bust of Bacchante found in 1842 is now in the British Museum. Some of the other objects found are in the Salisbury and Devizes Museums. (2)
Close to Nursling Farm is a huge gravel-pit from which railway ballast was obtained 30 years ago. In excavating that part of it called Armsea (on the tithe map) there was found a great number of Roman remains - including a bronze statuette, quantities of Samian and other pottery, and three wells. A few items said to come from Nursling are in the Southampton Museum. Enough discoveries have been made on the site to make it pretty certain that an important Roman settlement existed here. (3)
Much of the settlement site has been removed by old gravel diggings which have lowered the ground level by about two metres over the northern part of the site. The remainder was under pasture when visited and there were no surface indications of occupation. (4)
SU 364153. Three silver Gaulish coins found N.E. of station at Nursling. (5)
(SU 36511576) Roman Settlement (R) (site of) (NAT). (6)
The location of the Roman name 'Onna' recorded in Ravenna Cosmography is unknown, although it is listed by Richmond and Crawford as the Roman settlement at Nursling. Rivet believes this unlikely and gives the possibilities as either the Roman defended site at Iping (SU 82 NW 2) or the settlement at Neatham (SU 74 SW 14). (7)
Spreads of Roman pottery have been discovered at SU 363157 and SU 366158. (8)
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