GGAT00482g

The Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust
Historic Environment Record

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Stoop Hill Roman Villa, Caldicot

Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 00482g
Trust : Glamorgan Gwent
Community : Caldicot
Unitary authority : Monmouthshire
NGR : ST4832687360
Site Type (preferred type first) : Roman farmstead / Roman Villa
Status : Scheduled Monument

Summary :
Square ditched enclosure of the type that surrounds a house. A broad inner & narrow outer ditch defines most of 2 sides of an enclosure that measures 175ft NW-SE.

Description :
Square ditched enclosure of the type that surrounds a house. A broad inner & narrow outer ditch defines most of 2 sides of an enclosure that measures 175ft NW-SE.
BUFAU excavation 1994 revealed two cobbled areas and associated gullies/ditches.

Pottery mostly early (2nd century) report suggest that the site is not a villa; a building of some more official function was suggested because the pottery from the excavated part of the site was largely 2nd century in date, which would be surprisingly early for a villa in this area. However, there is no evidence that it was actually a villa as opposed to a farmstead; air photographs taken by John Sorrell in 1995 show the enclosure as containing rectilinear features appearing as dark cropmarks; there are no parchmark features visible. Although the rectilinear features could be buildings, they do not reveal any internal detail.(Evans 2001)

The site at Stoop Hill (PRN 00482g) has also been claimed as a possible villa; this site was discovered from the air and consists of a slightly polygonal enclosure some 53m across, defined by a broad inner ditch and a narrow outer ditch, and containing rectilinear features appearing as dark cropmarks. Although the rectilinear features could be timber buildings, they do not reveal any internal detail. There is as yet no evidence for masonry buildings within the enclosure, and excavations carried out in 1994 on the edge of the enclosure revealed two cobbled areas and associated gullies or ditches, with pottery of mostly early (2nd century) date (Ferris 1994, 10-13). Although the report suggested that the site might be a building of some official function because of the early date, a farmstead of relatively unromanised structural type would seem to be more likely, and would take its place among the settlements with square enclosures, such as Llanbethery and Whitton (Jarrett and Wrathmell 1981).
(GGAT 63 Romano-British SE Wales Settlement Survey)

Sources :
, 1991 , Second Severn Crossing: A Watching Brief Undertaken at Stoop Hill, Caldicot, Gwent. (

© GGAT)
Ferris, I.M (Ed) , 1994 , Archaeological Investigations in 1992 on the Gwent Approaches to the Second Severn Crossing
GGAT , 1988 , A Question of Time Archaeological Implications of the Second Severn Crossing. (

© GGAT)
St. Joseph J.K. , 1953 , Air Reconnaissance of Southern Britain , Journal of Roman Studies : XLIII : 89
Various , 1990 , Archaeology of the Second Severn Crossing. Assessment and Recommendations for Gwent. (

© GGAT)
08/MM Letter/Sorrell J/1995
09/MM AP/Sorrell J/9.7.95
05/MM Desc Text/Welsh Office/Knight JK/1966/AM7
06/MM Desc Text/Cadw/Whittle E/1987/AM 107
07/PM Watching Brief/GGAT/1991/Stoop Hill
04/MM AP/GGAT/1986
01/PM Desc Text/1953/Journal of Roman Studies/vol43 p95
03/MM Record Card/OS/1957/ST 48 NE 1
02/MM AP/Cambridge Univ/CH050 CH051
11/Desc Text/Cadw/Full Management Report/2005/Copy in further information file.
10/Pm Desc Text/GGAT/1990 AUG/ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE SECOND SEVERN CROSSING: PRELIMINARY REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS ARISING FROM ASSESSMENT UNDERTAKEN IN GWENT/SMR REPORT ARCHIVE 24

Events :
E000291 : Stoop Hill Roman Villa (year : 1991)
E003004 : Stoop Hill Roman Villa (year : 1957)
E003007 : Field Visit Stoop Hill Roman Villa (year : 1994)
E003005 : Stoop Hill Roman Villa (year : 1966)
E003006 : Stoop Hill Roman Villa (year : 1987)
E003008 : Stoop Hill Roman Villa (year : 2000)
E003009 : Stoop Hill Roman Villa (year : 2005)
E001482 : Second Severn Crossing. (year : 1988)
E003942 : Archaeology of the Second Severn Crossing. Assessment and Recommendations for Gwent. (year : 1990)
E003943 : Gwent Approaches to the Second Severn Crossing. (year : 1992)
E003901 : Church Farm, Caldicot (year : 1993)
E001657 : Romano-British Southeast Wales Settlement Survey (year : 1998-2001)
E003943 : Gwent Approaches to the Second Severn Crossing. (year : 1992)
E006735 : Land at the Former Tythe House, Church Road, Undy, Monmouthshire (year : 2020)

Related records
National Monuments Record NPRN 93486
GGAT Historic Environment Record (HER) 08949g

Compiled date : 02-02-1988

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