Summary

Romano-British farmstead 530m north west of Hampton Lodge.

Source: Historic England

Details

This record was the subject of a minor enhancement on 10 February 2016. This record has been generated from an "old county number" (OCN) scheduling record. These are monuments that were not reviewed under the Monuments Protection Programme and are some of our oldest designation records.

This monument includes a Romano-British farmstead situated in the base of a narrow dry valley at the foot of the prominent Hampton Hill. The farmstead survives as a rectangular enclosure defined by a slight bank of up to 4m wide and 0.3m high with a largely buried outer ditch just visible as an earthwork on the west, north and southern sides. The enclosure is crossed by a drive and an avenue of trees.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

Romano-British farmsteads are small agricultural units comprising groups of up to four circular or rectangular houses along with associated structures which may include wells, storage pits, corn-drying ovens and granary stores. These were sometimes constructed within a yard surrounded by a rectangular or curvilinear enclosure, and associated field systems, trackways and cemeteries may be located nearby. Most Romano-British farmsteads in England have been discovered by the analysis of aerial photographs. They usually survive in the form of buried features visible as crop and soil marks and occasionally as low earthworks. Often situated on marginal agricultural land and found throughout the British Isles, they date to the period of Roman occupation (c. AD 43-450). Romano-British farmsteads are generally regarded as low status settlements, with the members of one family or small kinship group pursuing a mixed farming economy. Excavation at these sites has shown a marked continuity with later prehistoric settlements. There is little evidence of personal wealth and a limited uptake of the Romanised way of life. Romano- British farmsteads occur throughout southern England, but cluster on the chalk downland of Wessex, Sussex and Kent. They are the most representative form of rural settlement in the region during the Roman period. Despite some tree growth and a drive the Romano-British farmstead 530m north west of Hampton Lodge survives comparatively well and will contain archaeological and environmental evidence relating to its construction, development, longevity, social organisation, function, agricultural practices, domestic arrangements and overall landscape context.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Other
PastScape 453729

Source: Historic England