A new soakaway was excavated by archaeologists. The work found that nearly 2 metres of soil had built up over the surface of the natural gravel since Roman times. A rubbish pit or cess pit was also found, along with Roman, medieval and later pottery.
Period Archives
32 East St Helen Street
Salvage excavations during the construction of a swimming pool found remains of stone walls and a lane, a rubbish pit which was probably medieval, and a Roman pit.
Barrow Hills
A Roman cemetery was excavated in a gravel quarry in 1945. It contained 35 burials, all of adults. One had probably been buried in a coffin, one had a small pottery beaker with it, and one had nine Roman coins, which had been wrapped up in cloth. The cemetery could belong to a Roman settlement which lay just to the north.
St Helen’s Mews
Salvage excavations when St Helen’s Mews was being built found an Iron Age ditch or gully, Roman and medieval rubbish pits, and the walls of a stone cellar, next to East Saint Helen Street. Rubbish pits and other features were seen elsewhere on the site.
Stert Street
An excavation was carried out on a vacant plot in Stert Street, now the Job Centre, in 1975 and 1976. Remains of medieval and post-medieval buildings, and pits and a well of the same date, were found, along with much pottery. Other finds included the skeleton of an infant, Roman pottery and coins, and an ice-skate made from the bone of a horse.
Queen Street
The skeleton of a young man, which seemed to have been buried in a pit, was found during building work in 1974.
Pottery from the pit dated to the early part of the Roman period.
Queen’s Arms
A Roman pot containing cremated bone was was found while excavating a cellar at the Queen’s Hotel in 1884.
The find is now in Abingdon Museum’s collections.
Checker Walk
West Central Redevelopment Area
Oxford Archaeology excavated on the site of the Regal Cinema and Southern Electricity Board depot, in advance of redevelopment.
Discoveries included the ditches of the Iron Age oppidum, a medieval building, a small cemetery which may be medieval, and remains of medieval and later occupation of the area.
Old Gaol
The remains of a Roman temple, possibly preceded by an Iron Age shrine, were found in excavations before the Old Gaol flats were built.
Ditches which may be medieval property boundaries, and medieval pits and later structures, were also found.