| Summary : The site of a Roman road and buildings; possibly a town. The Roman place-name may be Villa Faustini, though this site is not necessarily the site of a villa. Mesolithic flint implements were also found. It is also the possible site of a fort. Excavations on the southern edge of the settlement in 1994 located Prehistoric hut circles, timber buildings, wells, enclosures, a road, and evidence of iron working. A mid 5th-early 7th century timber causeway associated with the River Waveney was the latest feature discovered there. Excavations immediately west of the village centre in 1987 found Roman pottery scatters and amorphous features, but no evidence of settlement structures. |
More information : TM 149786) Romano British Settlement (R) (Site of) (1)
Iter V. "Villa Faustini fits very well with Scole". (2)
Scole: site of Roman settlement identified as Villa Faustini by Rogerson (8) and by Gale, who records the discovery of Roman floors, wall foundations, coins and pottery, including samian, at Scole House (TM 14857872. See illustration card for further details). Roman sherds including mid 2nd century Samian are reported by F Thrower (5) from 147788, and a dupondius from a garden at TM 15297888 (6). Excavations in 1973 (7 and 8) at TM 147786, on the west of the Roman road (RR 3d) uncovered an east-west street running parallel to two lanes between which were successive rammed chalk and clay floors and cobbled surfaces ranging in date from the early 2nd to the mid 4th century, some with associated clay-lined ovens and hearths. A late 1st century timber building was partially examined and two timber-lined wells and many pits were excavated. Some Mesolithic flints were found in the sub-soil. (For details of adjoining sites possibly connected with the settlement, see subsidiary cards). (3-8)
The location of the Roman name 'VILLA FAUSTINI' mentioned in the Antonine Itinerary (Iter V) between Colchester and Caistor is unknown but it may refer to either the Roman settlement at Scole or that at Stoke Ash (see TM 17 SW 35). The appearance of a villa-name in the itinerary does not necessarily imply the central buiding of an estate could refer simply to a road-station dependent on it. (9)
(TM 14267892) Excavations at Waterloo in 1936 revealed a Roman gravel road adjoining a large deposit of flints and some timber piles and cross-pieces interpreted as the remains of a Roman wharf sited on a creek (no longer in existence) leading to the Waveney. A Roman sandal and some pottery were found on the site of this structure, and to the south of it were cement floors and foundations of several timber buildings, with indications of at least two periods of occupation. Finds included a large quantity of pottery, especially Samian ware, two coins and several articles of bronze.
(TM 14927833). Roman Remains at Scole, Site No.5: "Mr. Thrower found and excavated an eleven foot Roman gravel road on the line of a former footpath running parallel to the Waveney on the east side of Scole bridge."
TM 152787. Extensive area of flint cobbles uncovered, associated with Roman pottery and animal bones, during the construction of sewage filter tanks in 1951.
(TM 15567874) (1) A number of Roman objects, now in Ipswich Museum, and including iron spearheads, part of a lock, a bronze brooch, and some 27 pottery sherds (since lost), together with human bones, were found circa 1903 in a gravel pit on the Scole Lodge estate. Gale considers that this may have been the site of a fort.
(TM 14737850. Romano-British grey ware sherds were dredged from a ditch and in G Moss' possession (1968).
Scheduled. (10) |