More information : [SE 68982610] The chapel of St Wilfrid at Stanhill mentioned in a chartulary of Drax Priory c.1181 (See SE62NE13). The Tithe Award map of Drax Parish (1838) shows field 611 (OS) to be part of an area called "Stannels". In the NW corner of this field in 1953 an accumulation of rubble and mortar marking the chapel site was found; also pottery including medieval and 3rd/4th century ware. (1) Excavations in the NW corner of The Stannels have revealed stone foundations of a rectangular building containing five compartments. Pottery found, has been dated between AD 160 and AD 320. Probably a RB farm. No structural evidence of the reputed Chapel of St Wilfred was found. 200 ft NW of the building is the clay foundation of another of the same date. In these foundations were found post holes of a later timber building. Pottery sherds have been found here dating from AS St Neots ware, to 17th century. (2) The sites of these two buildings occur at "A" SE 69012607 and "B" SE 68972611. "A" can be identified by a clearly defined area of rubble, mortar, tile fragments and pot-sherds littering the surface of the present ploughed field. "B" was identified by the filled in excavation trenches in an unploughed portion of field NW of 'A'. There are no visible structural remains. (3) Excavations between 1961-64 by K Wilson revealed: (Site No 7 on plan 2 - SE 69022607) A small Romano-British farmstead of at least two constructional phases dating between AD 250 to 370-400. See plan 1. (Site No 8 - SE 69082606). A large tumbled mass of undressed stone between which were pieces of iron, nails, charcoal and a few pieces of coarse pottery and Samian. The stones bore no relation to any walling and there were no foundation trenches. Probably the residue of a builder's dump (although shown as an 'Unidentified Romano-British Building' on plan (2). (Site No 5 - SE 69002612) Nine postholes of a timber stucture but no stone foundations or pottery finds; probably the site of the Chapel of St Wilfred built in the late 12th century and possibly on the site of an earlier chapel mentioned in 959. (See SE62NE13).
(Site No 6 - SE 69032612). A Roman slag heap containing fragments of iron, charcoal and a few pieces of 3rd century pottery. (4) (SE 69022606; SE 68972610) Roman Buildings (R) (Site of). (5) The Roman villa at Drax might be compared broadly to villas such as Frilford (SU 422972). (6)
In 1961-4 K Wilson excavated a five room building with verandah, outbuilding and storage pit of cAD 250. A second phase corridor was added and a wall around a courtyard; abandoned cAD 370-400. In 1990 the site was examined for plough damage, though none was apparent. (7) |