Cirencester, 1969–1972: Ninth Interim Report

Alan D. McWhirr

doi:10.1017/S0003581500075600

Cirencester, 1969–1972: Ninth Interim Report

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 29 November 2011

Alan D. McWhirr

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The 1969–72 excavations have concentrated on two main areas to be affected by the proposed relief road around Cirencester. In insula XII two houses, apparently constructed in the second half of the third century A.D., have been uncovered and planned. A total of twelve mosaics were found in varying states of preservation. Building XII, I was rectangular with a bath suite to the west, whilst the latest phase of XII, 2 resembled the plan of a winged corridor villa. From this building came evidence of iron working. Both buildings continued to be used in the fourth century and there is slight structural evidence suggesting fifth century occupation.

To the west of Cirencester excavation of a late Roman cemetery has produced 268 burials, not all of which were complete, and a small number of associated finds. All but one were inhumations and two were in stone coffins. The skeletons have been studied by Dr. C. Wells and a short report on his work is included. Work has also been carried out on a road leading towards the amphitheatre. To the north of this road was a boundary(?) wall. Other excavated sites are mentioned in this report. Several interesting pieces of Roman sculpture were found.

Two appendices are included which discuss the mosaics and inscriptions found during the period under review.

Type: Research Article
Information: The Antiquaries Journal , Volume 53 , Issue 2 , September 1973 , pp. 191 - 218

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0003581500075600 [Opens in a new window]
Copyright: Copyright © The Society of Antiquaries of London 1973

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^{page 191 note 1} These were organized by Miss D. M. Radway who acted as a steward on every day of the excavations.

^{page 192 note 1} Many people have made helpful contributions during the course of four years’ work, but it has not been possible to mention everybody by name.

^{page 193 note 1} This section has been contributed by J. A. Derry, who supervised the work.

^{page 193 note 2} Archaeologia, (1920), pl. XIGoogle Scholar; Beecham, K. J.History of Cirencester, 1886, p. 250Google Scholar; Antiq. Journ. xli (1961), pl. xixGoogle Scholar and subsequent interim reports in Antiquaries Journal.

^{page 193 note 3} Ranging poles shown in the plates of the cemetery and road are in feet whilst those on other sites are metric.

^{page 194 note 1} A detailed analysis of the silt from this area is being undertaken.

^{page 195 note 1} Since the writing of this report further road surfaces have been found on the site of the old railway line and in the grounds of the Querns Maternity Hospital, Tetbury Road.

^{page 195 note 2} This section has been contributed by D. J. Viner who supervised the work.

^{page 195 note 3} Details of earlier finds and the significance of these tombstones are discussed by M. W. C. Hassall, F.S.A. in Appendix I (p. 211).

^{page 197 note 1} These are not shown on the general plan of the area, fig. 2

^{page 198 note 1} Antiq. Journ. 1 (1970), 294Google Scholar.

^{page 200 note 1} Trans. Bristol and Glos. Arch. Soc. lxvii (1946-1948), 381Google Scholar.

^{page 201 note 1} For a plan of these discoveries see Buckman, J. and Newmarch, C. H., Remains of Roman Art in Cirencester (1850), p, 35Google Scholar.

^{page 201 note 2} Ibid., pls. 11 and vi.

^{page 201 note 3} In particular the Committee are grateful to Mr. R. E Woodman for his continued support.

^{page 202 note 1} Antiq. Journ. xlii (1962), 3Google Scholar.

^{page 202 note 2} Ibid., xliii (1963), 16.

^{page 202 note 3} Ibid., xlv (1965), 97.

^{page 203 note 1} Ibid., 101.

^{page 204 note 1} For a detailed discussion by Dr. D. J. Smith, F.S.A. of these mosaic floors, see Appendix 2.

^{page 205 note 1} See below, p. 217.

^{page 207 note 1} Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeohgical Society, lix (1937), pls. III and IXGoogle Scholar.

^{page 207 note 2} Dr. Tylecote kindly examined colour slides of these objects, but did not handle them himself.

^{page 207 note 3} Mr. P. J. Fowler, F.S.A. has drawn my attention to a small pile of Pennant sandstone tile rough-outs found at Butcombe (P. J. Fowler, Excavations of a Romano-British Settlement at Row of Ashes Farm, Butcombe, North Somerset: Interim Report, 1966-7).

^{page 209 note 1} The Cartulary of Cirencester Abbey, ed. C. D Ross, no. 124.

^{page 209 note 2} Ibid., no. 161/93.

^{page 209 note 3} Ibid., no. 123/73.

^{page 209 note 4} Ibid., no. 314/361.

^{page 209 note 5} Trans. Bristol and Glos. Arch. Soc. viii (1883-1884), 227Google Scholar.

^{page 209 note 6} K. J. Beecham, op. cit. 222.

^{page 209 note 7} Ibid., 222.

^{page 211 note 1} Gloucestershire Records Office, no. D 674b/ P 48.

^{page 211 note 2} The most notable recent discovery, probably part of a tombstone, was found in 1966 on the Abbey site; see J.R.S. lvii (1967), 203Google Scholar, no. 1.

^{page 211 note 3} For inscriptions I to 4 see also Britannia, ii (1971), 289, no. 3Google Scholar and ibid, iii (1972), 352, nos. 2, 3 and 4, for a briefer but more technical description and discussion.

^{page 211 note 4} R.I.B. 141; Cunliffe, B., Roman Bath (Society of Antiquaries Research Report no. xxiv), pp. 186–8Google Scholar, fig. 9 and pls. XXXIX-XLI, especially pl. XLI.

^{page 211 note 5} Fishwick, D., ‘The Imperial Numen in Roman Britain’, J.R.S. lix (1969), 76–91Google Scholar.

^{page 211 note 6} Frere, Compare S. S., Britannia (1967), pp. 206–7.Google Scholar For the tile stamps of the colonia of Gloucester, giving in abbreviated form the names of duoviri and duoviri quinquennales, see especially J.R.S. xlv (1955), 69, pl. XIVGoogle Scholar, and ibid, lviii (1968), 212, no. 48.

^{page 212 note 1} J.R.S. xi (1921), 101Google Scholar= L'Annie Épigraphique (1922), no. 116 and for another example R.I.B. 678.

^{page 212 note 2} See C.I.L. xiii, Index XI F. with cross references to Index X.

^{page 212 note 3} R.I.B. III (from Watermoor Common to the south of the city) and R.I.B. 112 and 113 (from near the Querns on the west side of the city).

^{page 212 note 4} SeeBritannia, iii (1972), 352, n. 2.Google Scholar The curious way that the beginning of this line has been inset and the somewhat abraded nature of the stone at this point almost suggest that one is dealing with a secondary inscription.

^{page 212 note 5} SeeMann, J. C. for the evidence of spoken Latin in Britain, in Britannia ii (1972), 222Google Scholar.

^{page 212 note 6} e.g. R.I.B. 10 and 153; compare promissit, R.I.B. 307.

^{page 212 note 7} Or possibly Ingennus regarded by Alfred Holder (Alt-Keltischer Sprachschatz) as Celtic.

^{page 212 note 8} It is a matter of controversy whether names of this type were given only to slaves of eastern origin or from other areas as well. See Kajanto, I., ‘Ono-mastic Studies in the Early Christian Inscriptions of Rome and Carthage’, in Acta Instituti Romani Finlandiae, vol. ii: I (Helsinki, 1963), 58 ffGoogle Scholar.

^{page 213 note 1} See Britannia, iii (1972), 352, no. 3 and n. 4Google Scholar.

^{page 213 note 2} Compare the related nomina borne by Vindex, M. Comitinius and Vind[ex, M. Comitius. (C.I.L. vi, 2959).Google Scholar Vindexis a Celtic cognomen, see Britannia, ibid. no. 4 and n. 5.

^{page 213 note 3} C.I.L. xiii, 6729 has been restored as MER-CVR]IO ///// ET MATRIBVS.

^{page 213 note 4} Miss Joyce Reynolds points out that a cognomen derived from Fulmen is not impossible, citing I.L.S. 6446 Ceraunus, as a parallel.

^{page 214 note 1} Other names are Antula (15), Fabul(l)a (13), Verula (10), Rosula (8), Catula (7), Merula (5), Vetula (5), Rufula (4).

^{page 214 note 2} Compare the case of the centurion Flavius Virilis (I.L.S. 2653), whose penultimate appoint- ment was in legion III Augusta, stationed at Lambaesis, and who after completing his service in legion III Parthica, retired to Lambaesis. However, in this case one would have expected the veteran centurion to have retired to Caerleon not Cirencester.

^{page 214 note 3} I am greatly indebted to Mr. A. D. McWhirr and Mr. David S. Neal for enabling me to see the mosaics uncovered in 1971 (i.e. nos. I, 2, 3 and 6) and for providing colour transparencies, photographs, and drawings which have been of much assistance in the compilation of my notes. On Mosaic 2 see Britannia, iii (1972), 339Google Scholar, pl. XXVII.

^{page 215 note 1} Cf.Smith, D. J. in La Mosdique Grico-Romaine (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris, 1695), pp. 105–11Google Scholar; id., in The Roman Villa in Britain (ed. Rivet, A. L. F., 1969), pp. 97–102Google Scholar; id., Antiq. Journ. xlix (1969), 235–43Google Scholar; id., Trans. Bristol and Glos. Arch. Soc. lxxxix (1970), 73–6Google Scholar.

^{page 216 note 1} Antiq. Journ. xlix (1969), 231–4, pl. xxxixaGoogle Scholar.

^{page 216 note 2} Lysons, S., An Account of Roman Antiquities discovered at Woodchester in the County of Gloucester (1797), pls. vi (plan), xiGoogle Scholar; id., Reliquiae Britannico- Romanae, ii (1817), part i, pl. XXIIGoogle Scholar.

^{page 216 note 3} Antiq. Journ. xlix (1969), 236–7, 238 ff., pl. XXXVIIIaGoogle Scholar.

^{page 216 note 4} Unpublished. I am indebted to the Curator of The City Museum, Gloucester, for photographs of the fragments in situ and to Mr. David S. Neal for a photograph of his restoration of the design.

^{page 216 note 5} Room XII: Trans. Bristol and Glos. Arch. Soc. xii (1888), pl. viiGoogle Scholar.

^{page 216 note 6} Hakewill, H., An Account of the Roman Villa … at Northleigh (1826), pl. 2, fig. 1Google Scholar; Antiq. Journ. xlix (1969), pls. XL, XLIIaGoogle Scholar.

^{page 216 note 6} Proc. Dorset Nat. Hist, and Arch. Soc. xciii (1972), figs. 10, 11, 13Google Scholar; Britannia iii (1972), pls. XXIV, A, xxv, B.Google Scholar An old drawing in the Society's Library, formerly conjectured to show part of an otherwise unknown mosaic ‘in Gloucestershire if not actually in Cirencester’, can now be identified with this pavement; cf. Antiq. Journ. xlix (1969), 240, pl. XXXIXbGoogle Scholar.

^{page 216 note 8} Report of the Research Committee of The Wool-hope Club, 1916, pl. 23.Google Scholar Cf. Antiq. Journ. xlix (1969), 242, n. 4Google Scholar.

^{page 216 note 9} R.C.H.M. (Eng.), Herefordshire, iii—North West, pl. 88 = V.C.H., Herefordshire, i, fig. 14 facing p. 192. Cf. Antiq. Journ. xlix (1969), 242, n. 4Google Scholar.

^{page 216 note 10} R.C.H.M. (Eng.), London, iii— Roman London (1928), pls. 39, 48Google Scholar, Cf. Antiq. Journ. xlix (1969), 242, n. 4Google Scholar.

^{page 216 note 6} Hoare, R. C., Ancient Wiltshire, ii (1821), fig. 3 on plate facing p. 113Google Scholar.

^{page 217 note 1} Soc. Ants. Lond., Fetusta Monumenta, i (1747), pl. LIGoogle Scholar.

^{page 217 note 2} Bathurst, W. H., Roman Antiquities at Lydney Park, Gloucestershire (1879), pl. IXGoogle Scholar.

^{page 217 note 3} R. E. M. and Wheeler, T. V., Report on Excavations of the Prehistoric, Roman and Post-Roman Site in Lydney Park, Gloucestershire (1932), pp. 62–7Google Scholar.

^{page 218 note 1} Smith, D.J., ‘The labyrinth mosaic at Caerleon’, Bull, of the Board of Celtic Studies, xviii (1959), 304–10Google Scholar; id., Antiq. Journ. xlix (1969), 236, 237, pls. XXXVa, XXXVIIbGoogle Scholar.

^{page 218 note 2} Unpublished.

^{page 218 note 3} Antiq. Journ. xlix. (1969), 237–8, pl. XXXVIIIbGoogle Scholar.

^{page 218 note 4} Smith, D. J., ‘Roman mosaics in Britain before the fourth century’, in Actes du Deuxieme Colloque International sur la Mosalque Antique, Vienne (Isère), 1971 (forthcoming)Google Scholar.

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