| Summary : Originally the site of a Late Iron Age settlement which was adapted and developed during the Roman period. The buried remains of this Roman rural settlement is located 375 metres east of Chapel House Farm south of the River Tees and 500 metres north east of Dalton on Tees. It is a dispersed enclosed settlement within a sub rectangular enclosure ditched on three sides with a 35 metre scarp to the north. Evidence of two winged corridor villas was discovered at the centre of the enclosure and significant amounts of roof tiles, brick and painted wall plaster, animal remains and pottery were uncovered during excavation. A third complex of buildings was revealed in the south west corner of the enclosure along with significant concentrations of pottery, glass and slag. A well was also uncovered, capped with sandstone and containing debris including pottery, animal bone and fragments of roof tiles. Further features found include a leat, a polygonal feature of unknown function and a road crossing the settlement from east to west. |
More information : The site of a Roman villa was discovered on aerial photographs in the early 1990s. Geophysical survey and limited excavation confirmed the site. It consisted of three buildings;
A was of the winged-corridor design and being outside a triple-ditched enclosure which surrounded building B, may have been built later. Building A was located in its own enclosure.
B was of squarish plan and was aisled.
C was 20 metres long, though limited excavation prevents further interpretation. Pottery evidence suggests the site was occupied down to the end of the 4th century AD. (1)
NZ 3014 0814: The buried remains of a Roman rural settlement located 375 metres east of Chapel House Farm south of the River Tees and 500 metres north east of Dalton on Tees. It is a dispersed enclosed settlement within a sub rectangular enclosure ditched on 3 sides and a 35 metre scarp to the north. The western ditch is in use as a hedged field boundary. The eastern boundary is infilled but visible as a cropmark. These ditches may have served as drainage. The enclosure measures 160 metres north to south by 210 metres east to west. Evidence of 2 buildings lying 30 metres apart is visible at the centre of the monument. After excavation the building were identified as winged corridor villas. Significant amounts of roof tiles, brick and painted wall plaster were uncovered during excavation.
A further complex of buildings was found in the south western corner of the enclosure; their existence indicated by finds of pottery, glass and slag. Excavation discovered wall footings for a building 20 metres in length and adjacent to it was a well lined with sandstone blocks and capped with red sandstone. It appeared to have been used as a rubbish tip and contained Roman pottery, animal bone, and roof tile fragments.
Pottery found from this site spans the Iron Age period to the 4th century AD Roman period. Analysis of the bones found suggests a mixed farming regime with cattle also used as working animals.
To the west of the monument is a series of 3 ditches forming the east end of an earlier ditched enclosure. The ditch was found to contain Roman period domestic rubbish and building debris however the enclosure ditch is associated with a Late Iron Age settlement which was adapted and developed during the Roman period. Further features found include a leat which runs from east to west boundaries of the enclosure, a polygonal feature, function unknown, located south west of the westernmost building, and a road crossing the settlement from east to west. Scheduled.(2) |