Monument record TR 15 NW 2053 - Roman Revetments, Dean's Mill, The Causeway

An evaluation was commissioned to assess any surviving archaeological remains in advance of a proposed development at Dean's Mill, The Causeway. The evaluation was undertaken in August and September, 1992 and the site code was DM92.

Two deep trenches were excavated in order to assess the palaeo-environmental aspects of the evaluation: one trench was excavated just south of the northernmost branch of the river Stour,.but proved unsuitable for study as it was inundated continually with water from the river. Trench A was located in the south of the cleared part of the proposed development area.

The deep trench (trench A) excavated on the south of the evaluation area for palaeo-environmental assessment and study exposed a complete and undisturbed stratigraphic sequence. The lowest deposits observed in the bottom of trench A consisted of relatively poorly sorted sandy gravel, with mostly angular flint inclusions. This was interpreted as probably river gravels deposited during the late glacial period (c. 11000-8000 BC). Overlying the basal gravel was a complex series of sediments, associated with two east-west aligned timber structures located in the south of the trench: one consisted of a double row of planks containing irregularly-spaced posts, the other a series of posts, planks and wattle.

The sediments associated with these structures closely resembled sequences already seen in the City of London and known to be related to the Roman and post-Roman waterfronts. The timber structures that were exposed were well preserved and proved to be of Roman and medieval date. The structures identified as Roman in date almost certainly represented the Roman river frontage, which in itself was important evidence for locating the course of the Stour in the Roman period. Ceramic and coin evidence found within the sediments also confirmed that the archaeological sequence was of the Roman and post-Roman periods. The sediments were deposited by river action, man-made activity or by a combination of both processes. The upper sediments sealed the timber structures described above and were considered to have been deposited as a result of river flooding in this area of the Stour.

Allen, T. & Bennett, P., 1992, Results of the Archaeological Survey, Dean's Mill, the Causeway. (Excavation archive). SKE30796.

Allen, T. & Bennett, P., 1993, Dean's Mill, The Causeway (Article in serial). SKE30795.