More information : (SD 476618) Roman vicus at Lancaster. Settlement was indicated with the discovery of masonry and numerous Roman coins during the construction of a house in Church Street in the 18th century. A number of other finds (SD 46 SE 37, 46, 47, 56, 57 & 69) and excavations in 1973-5 suggest the existence of a vicus, pottery, coins and structural remains indicating occupation from AD 80 until 330. It is almost certain that Church Street represents the line, more or less, of the main street of the vicus, leading from the east gate of the fort (SD 46 SE ). The limits of settlement seem to be marked by the river to the north by Cheapside/St Nicholas Street to the west and Market Street to the south. Excavation at No 1 Penny Street showed a probable Antonine extension to the original vicus, so that the cemetery at Cheapside (SD 46 SE 48) may have been at the limits of an earlier smaller settlement. A substantial road branching off the main line of Church Street and running towards the Dalton Square area also revealed. "Substantial new construction", dated to circa 330, was found in the southeast corner of Mitre Yard. A bronze coin of Justinian I, circa 540, was found at Green Ayre in 1977 and with 3 other early Byzantine coins found at Lancaster seems to indicate continued contact between this area and the Mediterranean in the 6th-7th centuries. Below the Roman occupation levels at 65 Church Street sherds of a Neolithic bowl of Mortlake type were found, disturbed by the Roman building. (1-5) (SD 47536185) Excavation in the cellars of No 73 Church Street, Lancaster in 1978 revealed vicus levels. The main feature was a ditch either for drainage or used as a fence boundary, associated with fragments of a cobbled floor of mid second century date. It was sealed between levels of first century and second century domestic rubbish containing coins and pottery, which included Samian ware. Several levels of Roman Road surface were recorded in a trench in front of No 41 Church Street in 1973. S. H. Penny in discussing the vicus area gives its termination date as early to mid third century AD, based on present pottery evidence. (6)
Remains of the civilian settlement, associated with Lancaster Roman fort. Scheduled. (7)
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