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MONUMENT NO. 395289

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Site of a Roman villa, Moor Park Golf Club, excavated in 1956; it consisted of a building with five rooms and two hypocausts of different dates and pottery of the 1st to 4th century AD was found. The villa appears to have been built c.AD 130, deserted c.AD 200 and reoccupied in the 4th century AD.

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A Roman building discovered on Moor Park Golf Course. A large portion of it has been destroyed but "... a section of flint rubble walling is, however, still exposed and any further developments will be reported to me." The site is believed to be unrecorded. (1)

There are remains of a Roman building on Moor Park (not Sandy Lodge) Golf Course just under 1/2 mile SSE of the site of the Palace of the More [TQ 08169399]. The site is on the brow of the hill and it may possibly be a temple site." Visited by Norman Davey with O'Neil. (2)

[TQ 0796 9352 Site of a Roman building. Partly destroyed by a small pit dug for sand. About 10' of wall can be seen. Workmen state that a hypocaust-like structure was destroyed. R.B. pottery tesserae and tiles. Site originally noted by Ddr. Norman Davey. [If the siting given by Authy. 3 is correct the directions given by Authy. 2 should read SSW not SSE.] (3)

"One room with a door leading to a courtyard and part of another belonging to a building found and partly destroyed by sand digging between 1930 and 1034 (a) was examined on the north slopw of Moor Park Golf Course, Rickmansworth, Herts, overlooking the Colne valley." The best preserved room was dated to the 2nd c. but the site had evidently been reoccupied in the 4th c. when some structural alterations were made including the insertion of a hypocaust and the addition of a tank or bath (b). A road 10' wide with shallow ditches running NNE - SSW on the west side of the building was trenched; late 1st c. potsherds were found in the silt of the eastern ditch and in a sand and pebble layer washed over it and part of the road were late 1st. c. potsherds; over this was a layer of sand and clay which was an occupation layer containing a considerable amount of 2nd c. pottery including a mortarium stamped CASTVS, but none of later date (c). (4)

Notice of the 1956 excavation. Finds included a votive offering - a fine poppy beaker and nearby a small bird or animal - and a coin of Theodosius. (5)

Ro. villa with 2nd - 4th c. phases. Much Roman material and Belgic pottery, and flint imps. To be published. (6)

Interim Excavation Reports. (7-8)

ROMAN BUILDING G.S. (Site of) (9)

TQ 0800 9348 Slightly amended siting from that given by Authority 3. Site recognised by mounds of debris flints, fragments of tiles, results of excavation. (10)

TQ 080934. Roman villa on Moor Park Golf Course-scheduled. (11)

TQ 078 935. Moor Park Roman Villa. An early Christian signet ring found during the 1956 excavation probably dates to the second half of the 4th century, suggesting a spread of Christian devotion to villa sites in the countryside around Verulamium (St Albans). (12)

HT 48 Listed as the site of a Roman villa. (13)

The remains were in severe danger of deterioration due to exposure. The secretary of the Golf Club was willing to assist in any work to cover and preserve the remains. Work was undertaken in 1996 to clear undergrowth and clean walls. This small investigation may enable the production of a satisfactory scheduling proposal. (14)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) St. Albans and Hertfordshire Architectural and Archaeological Society transactions

(Norman Davey) 1936-8 Page(s)306

( 2) Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments

( 3) Annotated Record Map

Sp. 6" (M. Biddle, 20.11.53)

( 4) Society for Promotion of Roman Studies The journal of Roman studies

47, 1957 Page(s)214-7

( 4a) Society for Promotion of Roman Studies The journal of Roman studies

21, 1931 Page(s)227

( 4b) Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments

( 4c) Watford and South West Herts Archaeological Society half yearly bulletin

(B. F. Rawlins) 7

( 5) The archaeological news letter

(A. Millard) 6 (3), 1956 Page(s)79

( 6) Annotated Record Map

Corr. 6" (D.M. Collins, 10.2.58)

( 7) Watford and South West Herts Archaeological Society half yearly bulletin

5, 1956 Page(s)5

( 8) Watford and South West Herts Archaeological Society half yearly bulletin

6, 1956 Page(s)1-2

( 9) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

1" 1958.

(10) Field Investigators Comments

F1 ASP 11-FEB-59

(11) General reference

DOE (IAM) List Ancient Monuments 3 1978 Page(s)51

(12) St. Albans & Hertfordshire Architectural and Archaeological Society and East Hertfordshire Archaeological Society Hertfordshire archaeology

(M Henig) 9, 1983-6 Page(s)184

(13) by Eleanor Scott 1993 A gazetteer of Roman villas in Britain

Leicester archaeology monographsNo.1 (1993) - no.1 Page(s)95

(14) English Heritage Alternative Action Report

Went, C. 11-FEB-1997

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