Roman-era finds in Tring Road
The secret is out! All that digging and excavating that has been going on next to the vets on Tring Road since January, was the archaeological investigations prior to the construction of a new cricket club for Wendover.
Wendover News was invited to a private tour while the investigations were underway, and I went along on the day that the site was being closed down ready to be handed over to the construction company. Simon Eccles had the previous full tour and has since used further research and his experience as a keen student of archaeology to build a full picture of the history of the site. This will be published in the print edition in the coming months and appear here, online.
As a bonus, on my visit, I made the acquaintance of Radha Patel, who is about to go to university to study history and is considering a career in journalism or media. After the tour, I asked if she could give her initial impressions about the finding at the site. Here they are. We hope you will be seeing much more of Radha’s work in future print editions of Wendover News.
Richard Byford
As an increasing number of roman settlements and artefacts are found across the Chilterns, a particularly interesting site has been unearthed in the future grounds of Wendover Cricket Club. It is not surprising that the Chilterns were a desirable location for many roman settlements due to the presence of chalk streams, (providing drinking water) and the opportunity to build water mills for motive power. The site boasts two wells, one of which was partially filled in, perhaps by a later medieval settlement.
There were also three corn dryers, indicating the productive nature of the settlement. This site was clearly used to collect water and to produce food. While settlements like these were common throughout England, they were often accompanied by a larger villa or house nearby. Unfortunately, there was no indication of a villa or central house within the boundary of the site.
Alongside these structural features, a plethora of roman and medieval ceramics were also found on the site, as well as a few coins.
Alloy coins with images of the emperor Constantine, (30
6-337 AD) are indicative of a Roman settlement residing there. Silver coins were also found, and this material points towards medieval civilisations occupying this site too. There were also vast amounts of nails, a buckle, and even a hairpin.
Despite this site having clear Roman features and artefacts, there were some curious irregularities and practices present throughout it. A particularly unusual aspect of the site is its location. Situated at the bottom of the hill, the site would be prone to flooding, which the Romans often looked out for and actively avoided. The most peculiar practice discovered was the burial of at least two bodies within the settlement boundaries, one a young child and one only an infant. While the absence of adult bodies is unconventional enough, the fact that these bodies were buried within the settlement is even more bizarre. It is perhaps more feasible to assume that these remains may be indicative of a later medieval settlement rather than a Roman settlement.
Ultimately, if it wasn’t for the need for a new Cricket ground these discoveries may never have been unearthed – howzat for a find?
Radha Patel