ENN106878 - Moat Lane 2012 (Evaluation)

{1} Site code: TLR12. The earliest remains dated to the Roman period, and included the foundations and lower courses of a substantial stone wall, possibly part of a building, a robbed out wall, a possible yard surface, an inhumation burial and a ditch. All of these remains lay to the west of Moat Lane, to the rear of properties fronting on to Watling Street. Tentative evidence was also found for a large ditch in the area of the mill car park, on the eastern side of the site, close to the conjectural line of the town's Roman defences. A small assemblage of Roman pottery, dating to the 2nd to 4th centuries AD, animal bone and part of a small copper alloy bracelet were recovered from Roman deposits. Medieval pottery, largely dating to the 12th to 13th centuries AD, was recovered from deposits across the site, although medieval features were only encountered to the rear of 130 Watling Street, where possible floor layers were identified. The most recent of these, a mortar floor, had been scorched to a pinkish-red colour. Part of the motte ditch, as shown on 19th century maps of the site, was investigated and found to contain 19th century refuse in its waterlogged upper fills, including a large quantity of discarded household crockery and leather scrap from the manufacture of shoes. Elsewhere, the remains of a 19th century malthouse, a fuel tank from an animal feed depot and the remains of buildings shown on 19th century maps of the area were investigated. Information from OASIS Online Form. [NB. Mapping in report c.4m discrepancy against NCC's OS maps, some adjustment attempted by eye but may still be c.1-2m error.]