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Primary contact

Prof Michael Fulford
Professor of Archaeology
School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science
University of Reading
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RG6 6AA
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Resource identifiers

• ADS Collection: 1352
• DOI:https://doi.org/10.5284/1030449
• How to cite using this DOI

Redhill, Ratcliffe on Soar (Nottinghamshire)

The map above shows the site in its geographical and thematic context, to view all other sites from the database in this view select 'All sites' from the list of layers.

Published Sources

A Palfreyman and S Ebbins (2003) Redhill Iron Age and Romano-British Site, Nottinghamshire: A New Assessment, Transations of the Thoroton Society 107 , 17-40

S.M. Elsdon (1982) Iron Age and Roman Sites at Red Hill, Ratcliffe-on-Soar, Nottinghamshire: Excavations of E. Greenfield, 1963 and Previous Finds (published 1982), Transations of the Thoroton Society 86 , 32-48

Database ID	25035
Site Type (Major)	Nucleated settlement, Religious ritual and funerary
Site Type (Minor)	roadside settlement, RC temple, mansio
Non Domestic Stucture	bathhouse
Region	Central Belt
County	Nottinghamshire
Summary	The site of a Romano-British unwalled roadside 'small-town' and temple at Redhill, north of the village of Ratcliffe on Soar, adjacent to the River Soar (a tributary of the Trent). The site may have been an important junction where the transfer of goods between road and water took place. The site has been subject to several archaeological interventions since the early 20th century. This record is based on a 2003 assessment of all investigations up to that point, as well as a 1982 report on E Greenfield's excavations and previous finds. Early finds from the site include 18th century discoveries of coffins and skeletons with Roman artefacts and a temple was excavated by Greenfield in the 1960s. A large part of the site may have been destroyed during construction of the adjacent Power Station. The temple plan is incomplete, but Greenfield discovered the foundations of a square or rectangular cella surrounded by an area of gravel or pebbles, in which were buried at least two curse tablets. The focus of Iron Age pottery is also this area and the site may have had a ritual focus prior to the Roman period. Many metal finds have also been recovered from the site, some likely votive. An additional stone walled building with a tiled roof, box flues, tesserae and a possible bath house has traditionally been interpreted as a villa, though the possibility of a mansio has recently been suggested. The site probably had at least a late Iron Age origin, if not earlier.
Organisation	Redhill Research Group; E. Greenfield
Area of investigation (ha)	Not recorded
Easting	449266
Northing	330465
Start Date	-100
End Date	400
Rural settlement form	complex
Number of circular buildings	0
Number of rectangular buildings	2
Paddocks	No evidence
Multi-room building	Evidence
Aisled building	No evidence
Masonry building	Evidence
Trackway/Road	Evidence
Structured deposits	Evidence

Burial data
Burials summary	Many burials have been discovered at the site over several centuries, but accurate quantification is difficult. At least 13 must have been present, based on the descriptions provided by the principal source for this record, but the true total is likely to have been significantly higher. Few data are available on age/sex etc. Coffins are also reported to have been found. A separate report on a child cremation in a beaker decorated with ducks is published in Trans. Thoro. Soc. Vol 100, pp 165-7 (possibly already included in the stats below).
Burials start date	50
Burials end date	400
Number of burials	13
Cremations	Present
Inhumations	12
Male	2
Female	Present
Child	Present
Adult	2
Cremation urns	Present
Disarticulated bone	Not present or no data
Animal bone	Not present or no data
Associated settlement	Present
Associated enclosure	Not present or no data
Grave goods	Not present or no data

Brooch data
Brooch summary	Many brooches recovered. The Redhill Research Group have recorded over 50 brooches, but the number recovered and subsequently lost must be significantly greater. Unquantified examples (but 1 placed in each box to indicate presence) include simple coiled wire, Colchester brooches, Aesica, Aucissa, Langton Downs, Dolphin, Polden Hills, T-shaped, Trumpets, Headstuds, zoomorphic (swimming duck known, probably other examples), plate brooches, a chatelaine brooch and at least three penannular brooches.
Number of brooches	51
La Tene I, II and III	1
Langton Down	1
Colchester	1
Colchester derivative/Dolphin	1
Aesica Fantail	1
Aucissa Bagendon	1
Developed T-shaped	1
Polden Hill	1
Trumpet/derived	1
Headstud	1
Zoomorphic plate	1
Later Plate (2nd Century)	1
Penanular	3
Unclassified	1

Coins data
Coin summary	Many coins apparently lost, and significantly more must have been recovered than are known about. Thousands must have been discovered (1000 placed in coin total to indicate high number), based on records of casual finds, with a date range spanning the early 1st century AD to early 5th. The coin report produced by Ebbins for the report used in this record only provides quantification by coins per mils, not actual numbers, though a small number are identified specifically in the report. Late Roman coins dominate, and there are peaks in Reece periods 13, 17 and 19. A small number of coins recorded in 1982 report based on Greenfield's excavations, including 2 barbarous radiates.
Number of coins	1000
AD161 - 180	2
AD180 - 193	1
AD260 - 275	2
AD275 - 296	2
AD348 - 364	1

Other finds data
Finds summary	Many finds recovered over many years, most of which little information is available for. Where objects are mentioned in the 2003 report as multiples but no quantities are provided 2 have been placed in the relevant box to indicate multiple presence. Several certain religious finds have been found including 3 lead curse tablets (one addressed to Jupiter), a miniature axe head, a miniature eagle figurine, 2 phallic lead tokens, and a TOT finger ring. CBM included tegulae, imbrices, pilae and box flue and a hypocaust building, probably a bath house appears to have been present. A strigil was found near the apparent bath house. Bone objects and fragments of glass have also been found. 3 military harness fitting was also found and have been included under military fittings and transport, whilst a tie hook from lorica segmentata was also found. Tools include a file, two plane blades or chisels and a set. Lead and copper-alloy smelting evidence and part of a lead ingot and iron slag attest to metalworking at the site. In addition to the finds above, the 1982 report lists 2 bracelets, gaming tokens, a bone knife handle, a lamp holder or lamp, a socketed iron arrow or spearhead, a spike or chisel, a socketed spike, a tinned spoon, part of a poss. cauldron, 3 vessel sherds, 3 possible weights, 3 chisels, 1 wall hook, 1 pair of shears, 1 key, and several other nails and unidentified objects.
Bracelets	2
Finger rings	2
Toilet/cosmetic instruments	1
Military fittings and weaponry	5
Equine/transport objects	3
Religious objects	8
Knives/tools	10
Agricultural tools	1
Household objects and and furniture fittings	3
Security	1
Recreation	2
Objects associated with weighing	5
Spinning (spindlewhorls)	2
Quernstones	2
Vessel glass	3
Iron slag	Present
Hobnails	Not present or no data
Evidence for salt production	Not present or no data
Evidence for bone-working	Not present or no data
Evidence for metalworking	Present
Structural worked stone	Present
Painted plaster	Present
Window glass	Not present or no data
Tesselated floor/mosaic	Present
Tiled roof	Present
Briquetage	Not present or no data
Inscriptions	Present
Lighting	Present
Hypocaust	Present
Evidence for Christianity	Not present or no data

Pottery data
Pottery summary	Pottery based on fieldwalking report presented in the 2003 report and from the 1982 report. Roman pottery from 2003 report spanned the whole period, although most was 2nd century AD. Grey wares predominated. Samian, Rhenish, amphorae and mortaria were present. The high quality of the samian is noted. A small amount of late Iron Age pottery indicated activity at the site prior to the Roman period. See burial data for info on child cremation in decorated beaker. In pottery from 1982 report IA pottery not well quantified, but about 65 vessels recorded (prob early IA). A smaller amount of LIA pottery. Of 107 Roman sherds 62 were from temple/shrine. At least 8 sherds of samian and 12 mortaria fragments.
No. of sherds	974
Amphora sherds	16
Mortarium sherds	56
Samian sherds	64
Religious vessels	Present
Pottery wasters	Not present or no data
Graffito	Not present or no data
Amphora presence	Present
Mortarium presence	Present
Samian presence	Present

Plant data
Summary	No data

Zooarchaeological data
The data below is divided into an overarching record for the whole site and, if recorded, separate records for individual phases.
Summary	A small amount of data from the 1982 report on excavations by H. Houldsworth and those of Greenfield. Antler tine was sawn. Oyster shell present.
Sheep/Goat NISP	13
Cattle NISP	107
Pig NISP	5
End date	400
Dog NISP	1
Fish	No
Egg shell	No
Assemblage sieved?	No
ABGs in NISP	No
Marine shell	Yes
Overall
Red deer NISP (antler)	2
Start date	-100

Faunal Ageing data
The data below is divided into an overarching record for the whole site and, if recorded, separate records for individual phases. Concordance with existing published ageing criteria is provided in the tables below Cattle Age category Grant stage Halstead stage Maltby stage Neonate 0-2 A 1 Juvenile 3-16 B-C 2-3 Subadult 17-37 D-E 4-5 Young adult 38-42 F 6 Adult >43 G 7 Elderly >43 H-I 7 Sheep/Goat Age category Grant stage Payne stage Payne stage Maltby stage Neonate 0-1 A 0-2 months 1 Juvenile 2-17 B-C 2-12 months 2-3 Immature 18-28 D 1-2 years 4 Subadult 28-39 E-F 2-4 years 5-6 Adult >40 G 4-6 years 7 Elderly >40 H-I 6-10 years 7 Pig Age category Grant stage Hambleton stage Maltby stage O'Connor stage Neonate 0-1 A 1 Juvenile 2-14 B-C 2-3 juvenile Immature 15-25 D-E 4-5 immature Subadult 26-35 F 6 subadult Adult 36-41 G 7 adult Elderly >42 H-I 8 elderly
Summary	No data
Evidence of neonatal (unknown) bones	No
Evidence of neonatal horse bones	No
Evidence of neonatal domestic fowl	No
Evidence of neonatal sheep/goat bones	No
Phase - Overall
Evidence of neonatal cattle bones	No
Evidence of neonatal pig bones	No

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