[TQ 7720 6663] Roman Foundations found A.D. 1869 [T.I.] (1) [TQ 7694 6608] Roman Remains, Foundations etc. found A.D. 1869 [T.I.] (2) In 1869, workmen digging for brickearth at Luton, Chatham, found Roman glassware, a bronze jug and basin (the latter stamped "Africanu[s]), an iron lamp, a bronze hasp, Samian ware and two pieces of iron, possibly components of a small spade. Wickham (3) and Roach Smith saw foundations of large buildings, evidently Roman. Most of these had been removed by earlier diggings, when "red cups and saucers and bushels of bones' were found. Watkin (4) refers to the site as a 'walled Roman burial place' Jessup (5) includes it in his list of Roman walled cemeteries mainly, it would seem, on the assemblage of finds which, agrees well with other well furnished burials from walled cemeteries. The "spade" he identifies as a ritual iron shovel, comparable with examples from the Mithraic Temple at Carrawburgh (Arch Aeliana, 4ths 1951, 84) and the walled cemetery at Litlington Cambs. (Arch. 26, 1836, 368). He dates the bronze vessels and glass bottle as possibly late 1st early 2nd c. The Brit. Mus. (6) regard the bowl as probably 'table ware': more elaborate examples might be sacrificial. The site was re-positioned (2) by Crawford, but the evidence for this was not included in O.N.B. (7). 'Luton Brickfield' is shown on O.S. 25" 1866: its location would appear to support the original (1) siting. Most of the finds are in the B.M. (Wickham Coll. 1874) (3-7) No further information: the area has now been built over. (8) Additional bibliography. (9-11)

<1> O.S. 6" 1898 (OS Card Reference). SKE47815.

<2> O.S. 25" 1932 (OS Card Reference). SKE47800.

<3> Arch. Cant. 1874, 174-5, illust. (H. Wickham) (OS Card Reference). SKE36981.

<4> Arch. J., 35, 1878, 70 (W.T. Watkin) (OS Card Reference). SKE37157.

<5> J.B.A.A. 3rd Ser. 22, 1959 27-8 "... Walled Cemeteries in Ro. Britain" (R.F. Jessup) (OS Card Reference). SKE44831.

<6> Ants. Ro. Brit. 1951, 38, illust. (Brit. Mus.) (OS Card Reference). SKE33313.

<7> R.O.N.B. 1939, 91. (OS Card Reference). SKE48918.

<8> F1 CFW 04-NOV-64 (OS Card Reference). SKE42421.

<9> PSA 2nd series 14 1891-3 30 (OS Card Reference). SKE48809.

<10> Arch Cant 21 1895 xlviii (OS Card Reference). SKE34836.

<11> Arch Cant 25 1902 lx (OS Card Reference). SKE34889.

<12> Field report for monument TQ 76 NE 35 - November, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4058.