Warbank, Keston: A Romano-British Site

WARBANK, KESTON: A ROMANO-BRITISH SITE By NANCY PIEROY EOX, B.A. INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY (I) THE WARBANK SITE WARBANK is the name given to the lower south-westerly slopes of Holwood Hill in the Parish of Keston (National Grid 541250/163250), where an ancient river has cut a terraced valley (now dry) into the chalk which forms the foot of the hill. The sunniest and most sheltered of these terrace slopes was the site chosen for the Roman buhdings in the Upper and Lower Warbank Fields—the Roman site is over 400 ft. above sea level and is prominently situated right on the " nose " of the hill so that any buhdings here would dominate the scene. (Fig. 1.) I t is a very beautiful site with commanding views; in Roman times buhdings here would have looked across the vaUey to the highway from London to Lewes and northwards in the distance to Londinium— where to-day can be seen St. Paul's Cathedral and Tower Bridge. A bridleway still in use, recorded in a deed of A.D. 1326 as " the common lane leading to Chelsham and elsewhere," follows the natural line of movement between the Roman site at Warbank and the Roman Road from London to Lewes, meeting the highway near Layhams Farm at a distance of 1 £ miles. There is a spring above the site and the essential building materials—sand, clay, gravel, chalk and flints are all found on the site. (Fig. 1.) It is interesting to record that the Roman site at Warbank (O.D. 425 ft.) is closely related geographically to the site of Caesar's Camp (O.D. 450-500 ft.) the Iron Age Camp on Holwood Hill, and that first century pottery, including buff/grey Belgic wares, was found on the site during the excavations. The Roman site later became the site of the Saxon Manor of Kestane or North Court (now represented by Keston Court Farm), which included in its holdings the whole of Holwood Hill, and in particular an interesting group of tenements just outside the southern entrance to Caesar's Camp—an unusual feature emphasized by the rest of Holwood Hill being heathland. The southern entrance to Caesar's Camp and the associated ramparts have been destroyed and Holwood House and its garden occupies the site of the gateway and the medieval tenements, so that there is an interesting suggestion of continuity on both archaeological sites. 96 TO LONDON i /$*?» fastesti/e © T 7 ^ iWfiok-"> S P&tfbrnv (or'rtuseD fibon') * TTT Pit 4- - 5 6 Ciulg'Fiffii^ WE ptt& Tife .ScrUsl. Bfis 6en£s2. Sandsumi 3Qx£s CfkKiC&g» Fifliruj YeKowCemm JLfr-CoCnata W/ita, / Roofmg lifts Watt PCaste' FfoorX « ^ ^ > ^ . •• « * * • » • P PiT3 Scat of fccp. Era. 2. Plan of Excavation. [face p. 100 ^ar6onlfKx5t^ Kent; Ranumo-Bntlsfl Sttl Section C~D TTTfrmlTm^TT^^T^' n - f . ' r - i - i - r r ^ w • ) j r l ^ r r i l i M T : ) l ) M ' r r ^ M M M W M 0 ^ i ' j M W M > / ^ M ' i M M M ' 1 ' M J J W M M ' ^ ' H t ' i l i M ' ? f / i t ' r r i ' " t * t M t i j i , i ' T ^ I ' M I M ^ ^ S ^ S l tfmwrfnwrfi Gufl^ (1st, (xmf potligO MTVyPlTlwtim^Tiy'l'ITI'l^l'I^TITi^TIM'i'i'lifilTI'I'I'ff'I'I'l !^?r^»ja^s-;. ? fevKS ivjrs^ Exttattatra' Gfios^flLfX on- cemciw fouHDatiotu Pfotfortti/ (orraiseO fCbof?) Section A?~B , '„- r MMlfnn.. f mTn t l T i f t B^m i 1 1 1 ' 1 1^ ^gr, . j , v .^;.jij.1i(.ilJ?j.l.H|.t.|i/jHj'f'J'|UlTr''l')1'f'' ( , O I 2 3 4 5 Inch*, PIG. 4. Urn and Sherds found at Warbank in A.D. 1861 PIG. 5. Romano-British Pendant found at Warbank and purchased by the British Museum in 1929 (f) 103 WARBANK, KESTON: A ROMANO-BRITISH SITE The Ditch. A ditch 2 ft. 6 in. wide and 2 ft. deep crossed the southern end of the site (Fig. 1 and Sections AB and CD, Fig. 3). It cut through the area leveUed up with chalk and clay, just clearing the line of the waU. The silted filling contained building debris, animal bones and potsherds; of these two wares are significant: 3 sherds of a Poppyhead Beaker, decorated with barbotine dots ; 4 sherds of a Castor-ware Beaker; indicating that the ditch was open during the second century. (II) THE WALLS AND FLOORS The Walls The structural remains were scanty, and were foundation levels. In Fig. 2 the waUs are shown in situ in two places, and in heavy broken line where there were vestiges stiU remaining. The light broken line shows line of the walls only where it is certain. Fig. 6 shows my conjectural of Feet PIG. 6. Conjectural reconstruction of the ground plan of the building in eight acres "reconstruction of the ground plan, based on all factors. The method of construction used for the waUs could be seen in a section 9 ft. long. After the site had been prepared the cement foundation for the waUs was laid in a coarse yeUow pebble cement 2 in. thick. Roughly squared pieces of sandstone were then laid, with the squared face outwards and the 104 WARBANK, KESTON: A ROMANO-BRITISH SITE space between the stones filled up with pale yeUow mortar, small pieces of sandstone and flints. One change of plan could be seen. A gap in the cement foundation had been fined up using a different cement and two stones used to fill the gap on one face, but a block of chalk had been used on the other. A slot 18 in. by 6 in. by 4 in. was left and the remainder of the space filled in with mortar. The purpose of the slot, which was faced with cement, is not known. The stone surface of the waU facing Floor II was covered with plaster and a small amount of coloured plaster was in situ where indicated on Fig. 2. There was no design, but the range of colours appeared to be very similar to the fragment from the chcular structure (p. 98). On the side of the wall facing Floor I it could be seen that when the first cement floor foundations was laid it was continued up the face of the sandstone waning, making a waterproof junction between floor and walls (see Fig. 3). The Floors The greater part of Floor I and the excavated area of Floor I I were covered with the layer described as yellow building debris (Section AB, Fig. 3). But this did not cover the whole area of Floor I. Another type of bunding debris—the heavy pink building debris—occupied part of the floor (Section CD, Fig. 3) and continued into the area adjoining the platform or raised floor where the heaviest debris was found. The yellow building debris contained broken white and red roof tiles, tiles, flue tiles, rough squared sandstone blocks, chalk nodules and plaster mixed with quantities of the characteristic yeUow cement and mortar such as was used for the walls and floor, giving the debris a clearly yeUow appearance in striking contrast to the heavy pink building debris, which contained very large heavy flints—many 16 in. long, roof tiles, flue tiles, pieces of very large bricks 3 in. thick, pohshed on one side, massive pieces of pink OP. SIG 5 in. thick, white plaster, pink plaster, yellow plaster and quantities of a composition flooring. A fourth century coin (FEL. TEMP. REP TYPE. c. A.D. 350) was found in this debris, an hon object, too corroded for laboratory treatment, and potsherds. Floor I Floor I was the best preserved floor. On the roughly leveUed chalk was laid a layer of cement 2£ in. thick; on this was closely set a layer of old roofing tiles 16 in. by 12 in. (tiles, Series II, Fig. 2). Another layer of cement 2 | in. thick was laid over the roofing tiles, and on this was laid square floor tiles 9 in. by 9£ in. (tiles, Series I) making a floor 105 WARBANK, KESTON: A ROMANO-BRITISH SITE 9 | in. thick. In the sandy debris of this floor two Constantinian coins were found. There were smaU blackened areas on the floor, but no evidence to suggest that the building met its end by fire. The square the set on pink OP. SIG. indicates a shallow step in this section of the floor (Fig. 3). Floor II The whole extent of this floor was not recovered as it passed under the hedge into Lower Warbank Field. The chalk had been very carefully levelled, and on the chalk had been laid a fine sandy cement foundation which survived in patches. This floor was covered to a depth of 2 ft. 6 in. with yellow bunding debris and the white roofing tiles seemed to be associated with this floor. Platform or Raised Floor III It will be seen on Fig. 2 that a small sloping ramp has been cut in the chalk to connect the platform with the lower area adjoining. The platform or raised floor was a dehberately leveUed area composed partly of natural chalk and partly of the filling of the pits and gullies—as can be seen in Fig. 2, Section AB. Flints set in hard mortar survive as shown, but are too fragmentary to describe as walls. The heaviest debris on the site was found in the platform area. (Ill) THE POTTERY SAMIAN WARE FROM PRINCIPAL GULLY. Fig. 7. 1. Form 67. Decorated globular vase or cup. Early version. A.D. 75-100. Ovolo with plain tongue difficult to paraUel. Cf. Richborough. Plate LXXXIV, No. 66, where dated pre- Flavian, probably Claudian. 2. Form Ritterling 8. Red hemispherical bowl. Stepped footring. At latest A.D. 50. 3. Form 18. Platter, A.D. 75-100. This group is consistent with a Flavian dating, c. A.D. 85. SAMIAN WARE FROM FLOOR I—not stratified. Fig. 8. 4. Form 38. Flanged bowl. Hadrianic. 5. Form 35/36. Ivy leaf bowl. Fragment of rim. Not figured. UNGLAZED WARES. All the pottery was recovered in fragments, and these have been put together wherever possible; fortunately it is possible to figure some part of every vessel represented in the first century coUection. The remaining sherds (all of which were unstratified) have been dealt with by analysis of fabrics. 106 WARBANK, KESTON: A ROMANO-BRITISH SITE r nr 3 O J 2 3 4 5 FIG. 7. Samian ware from Principal Gully Filling inches r T T O | 2 33 4 5 FIG. 8. Samian ware from Floor I unstratified. No. 4 inches 107 PS 0 1 2 3 4 3 FIG. 9. Buff/Grey Belgic wares from Principal Gully Filling 108 WARBANK, KESTON: A ROMANO-BRITISH SITE GROUP I—FROM PRINCIPAL GULLY. Fig. 9. Fig. 9 iUustrates the buff to grey Belgic wares found in the filling of the Principal GuUy with Samian Forms 67, 18 and Ritterling 8, dated to c. A.D. 85. 6. Grey ovoid beaker. SmaU, sharply everted rim and round shoulder. Polished with tooled pattern. Cannot be paralleled. Fine paste, thin yellow core, grey exterior. 7. Grey carinated bowl—with concave waU and tooled decoration. This bowl or cup is closest to Camulodunum Form 211 B. Fine paste baked to the clear light grey. Camulodunum. Form 211. Seventeen examples. Dated A.D. 10-61. Verulamium. No. 35. P.161. Discussion. Dated A.D. 10-35. Archceologia Cantiana. 1954. Discussion on carinated cups by Mr. S. S. Frere. P.113. 8. Grey cordoned flask—of La T6ne type. Camulodunum. Form 231 B. and Form 232 A b. Discussion P.263. Dated A.D. 10-65. Verulamium. 45 A and B. P.165. Dated A.D. 10-35. Richborough I. PI. XX. No. 4 and 5. This example is not closely paraUeled. There is a strong family resemblance to the later Ospringe flasks. Paste well fired to uniform clear light grey; faintly tooled decoration. 9. Black Ovoid pot. Rim missing. Fine paste baked to a uniform clear hght grey. Exterior fumed black with " soapy " polish surviving in places. 10. Ovoid cooking pot. Simple everted rim. Part of a second pot with lid. The pot figured is in a poor soft brownish pink fabric; and the second pot, of which the lid is figured, is a better fired brownish grey paste. Camulodunum. Form 256 B. Dated A.D. 10-48, diminishing later. Prominent in British Camulodunum in contrast to the rest of S.E. England. Discussion. Camulodunum P.269. THE GRITTED WARES FOUND WITH THE SAMIAN AND BELGIC WARES IN THE FILLING OF THE PRINCIPAL GULLY. Fig. 10. 11. Large bead rim cooking pot. Blackish brown, heavily gritted ware. Pinkish buff inside rim. Intermittent tooled fine on shoulder. Camulodunum. Form 257. P.268. Fig. 56, No. 7. Dated A.D. 43-65 and later. Not common. Archaeologia Cantiana. 1954. Excavations at Canterbury. S. S. Frere. P.113-114 and Footnote 2. 109 WARBANK, KESTON: A ROMANO-BRITISH SITE 12. Beaker. With smaU everted rim, horizontal grooves on round shoulder. Fine pinkish brown Native ware gritted with crushed limestone. The fabric can be matched at Lullingstone—otherwise unparalleled at present. 13. Heavy reddish brown native ware base and part of side. A parallel fabric to patch grove. Grey core reddish brown externally. A weU-fhed hard fabric of good colour which can be matched at Lullingstone. ~*~ ( stc^ ^ 1 3 V 2 133 \ B O ! 2 3 3 I Inchd FIG. 10. The Gritted wares from Principal Gully Filling GROUP II—SHERDS FROM PIT II. Fig. 11. The sealed Black filling from Pit II contained: 4 fragments of a large rim; 2 grey sherds; 3 sherds. Patch Grove fabric; 2 black sherds. AU first century in date. 14. Large " soapy " rim, diameter 12 in. Four fragments, Pit II. Probably from large native bowl, similar to Camulodunum. 230 A, a. The rim and fabric can be exactly matched at Lullingstone, where it is 110 WARBANK, KESTON: A ROMANO-BRITISH SITE dated to A.D. 90 or earher. surface. Leather brown. Grey core, pinkish brown under outer f 2) FIG. 11. Rim of Native Bowl from Pit I I . Diameter 12 in. No. 14. Fig. 12 15. Rim fragment of mortar, unstratified. Part of a rim 12 in. in diameter, with uprising flange and thin wall. Reminiscent of flanged pie-dishes such as Richborough I, 122. Similar rim form to bowl from Charlton Earthworks, pubhshed by Mr. F. C. Elliston Erwood, F.S.A. (Arch. Cant., LXIV, p. 159, Fig. 3), but this fragment cannot be paraUeled at present among mortaria. Hard pinkish white clay with mixed grit on interior surface. O I 2 - 3 4 5 inches FIG. 12. Mortar rim fragment unstratified. No. 15 ANALYSIS OF SHERDS Fabric Buff-grey, Belgic wares. Coarse rim Gritted native wares tooled lattice Pohshed bands Cordons Plain Coarse red wares (including a few 'Patch Grove No stabbing) Very coarse gritted wares. Black/brown as Class sherds. Vessels represented 11 4 2 23 1 12 14 17 111 WARBANK, KESTON: A ROMANO-BRITISH SITE Fhst century, from Pit I I 4 Pink with grey core (Roman not native) 1 Upchurch 1 Barbitone dot 2 Castor ware 1 Mortaria 3 Amphorae 2 Total 95 The analysis gives a picture of first and second century fabrics with first century predominating and no characteristic thhd or fourth century wares. DISOTJSSION The pottery from Warbank, although a smaU series, contains two Samian forms (No. 1 and 2) which are nowhere common forms and includes among the Belgic wares a carinated cup (No. 7), and two cooking pots which are characteristic of Camulodunum (Nos. 10 and 11) and two ovoid beakers for which exact paraUels are not known (Nos. 6 and 12). In addition there is the notable absence of native bead rims and stabbed Patch Grove ware. The Belgic wares as a group are grey and are aU of similar paste and firing, and in form they look to Camulodunum. This raises the threefold question of the relationship of the Warbank site to Caesar's Camp on Holwood HiU, and the relationship of both to Camulodunum. It would not be surprising to find northern Belgic affinities here based on the coin distribution of Tasciovanus and Cunobelinus; and the assemblage of pottery could reflect a family preference. Here the matter must rest unth Caesar's Camp, which has become known as Holwood Camp, is excavated. The rather unusual character of this assemblage in West Kent in early Flavian times is emphasized by the character of the pre-Flavian and Flavian wares which Col. G. W. Meates, F.S.A., has recovered at the Lullingstone Roman ViUa which is 7 J miles from Warbank, Keston, and which he has most generously aUowed me to examine. The form and fabric of the large "soapy" rim (No. 14) can be exactly matched at Lullingstone, where it is dated A.D. 90 or earlier. The good red gritted native fabrics of (No. 11 and 12) can be matched exactly, as can a black sherd with pohshed band which is dated at Lullingstone Pre Villa A.D. 50-70. There at the present time the resemblance ends, and the difference is accentuated by the quantities of stabbed Patch Grove rims and plentiful native bead rims at Lulhngstone. 112 WARBANK, KESTON: A ROMANO-BRITISH SITE APPENDIX I CONSOLIDATED COIN LIST OF ALL RECORDED FINDS AT WARBANK Date found CLAUDIUS A.D. 41-57 HADRIAN A.D. 117-38 FAUSTINA II A.D. 161-80 ALBINUS A.D. 193-4 VlOTORTNUS A.D. 265-267 CLAUDIUS II A.D. 268-70 CARAUSIUS A.D. 287-93 ALLECTUS A.D. 293-6 CONSTANTINE I A.D. 306-37 CONSTANTIUS II A.D. 337-61 VALHNS A.D. 364-78 1854 ?1854 ' i 1861 1 I 1951-53 ! i t I ! ! 1 i 1 1 j 1 1 ! 1 1 2 1 2 1 t j 1 1 2 i i i 1 i 2 i 1 | Total 1 2 1 1 1 2 2 1 6 1 1 19 The two Oonstantinian Coins found in 1951-53 associated with Floor I were a Constantinopolis and an Urbs Roma. 113 WARBANK, KESTON: A ROMANO-BRITISH SITE APPENDIX II REPORT ON ANIMAL REMAINS EROM THE ROMAN SITE AT WARBANK By J. N. CARRECK, F.G.S., and A. G. DAVIS, F.G.S. In 1952 and 1953 samples of the sealed filling from Pit II were submitted to the writers for study, by Mrs. Piercy Fox. 1. 1952 sample of the black filling of Pit I I dated to first century A.D., and sealed by a mortar or cement layer. This filling yielded a fauna of 18 species, tabulated below. Washed residues of the deposit also contained much charcoal, fragments of red brick or tile, and pieces of mortar or cement, with broken Tertiary flint pebbles and pieces of chalk. 2. 1953 sample of material from sealed black filhng of Pit II, dated to the first century A.D. This yielded an assemblage of 16 species, given below. In addition, a few indeterminate fragments of marine moUuscan shells, one bearing a polyzoan, small pieces of charcoal, red brick or the, mortar or cement, and chalk debris, were present. FAUNAL LISTS Pit II, first century 1952 sample 1953 sample MAMMALIA (J.N.C.) Clefhrionomys sp. Sp. of Bank Vole 1 left m2. — Sus scrofa (Linn£) Pig 1 cheek tooth — Ovis or Capra Sheep or Goat 1 cheek'tooth 1 cheek tooth REPTTLIA (A.G.D., J.N.C.) Cf. Vipera berus (Linne) Cf. Viper —- 2 teeth, 1 vertebra MOLLUSCA (A.G.D.) Pomatias elegans (Muller) Fragments and 4 Fragments opercula Carychium tridentatum (Risso) 2 1 Cochlicopa lubrica (MuUer) . 2 2 Vertigo pygmaea (Draparnaud) — 1 Pupilla muscorum (Linn6) 2 6 Vallonia costata (MiiUer) 6 4 114 WARBANK, KESTON: A ROMANO-BRITISH SITE V. pulchella (MiiUer) Cecilioides acicula (MiiUer) Helix nemoralis (Linn6) Hygromia hispida (Lhm6) Helicella itala (Linne) Discus rotundatus (Miiller) Anon sp. (granules) Vitrea crystallina (MiiUer) Retinella radiatula (Alder) R. nitidula (Draparnaud) Vitrina pellucida (MiiUer) Limax maximus Linne Limax sp. 1 1 Fragments 5 — 2 Common 1 2 —• 2 — 6 — 4 1 and fragments 1 4 1 40 4 — 2 — 1 — In Mr. Davis's opinion the above molluscan assemblage is indicative of calcareous grassland with scrub, but no woodlands. The climate was damper than at present, and this fauna would not live there now. The total absence of aquatic forms in the first century filling of Pit II appears to show that the pit from which the remains were coUected did not contain water at the time of its infilling. The remains of pig, sheep or goat, and marine moUusca, are evidently human food debris. The viper appears to be absent or rare on the chalk at Keston at present. Samples of the chalky layer at a depth of 5 ft. in Pit IV, and the humic filling sealed under the first layer of cement of Floor I and resting on chalk, were also examined by the writers, but yielded no animal remains. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS To my husband, and aU who have encouraged me by helping with different aspects of the Excavation and the Report and to the numerous visitors to HoUy Lodge who have examined and commented on the pottery. Miss Eileen Andrews and Mr. Paul Rook for help with the final copy of the map and plans, Mrs. Freda Coleborn for help in figuring the pottery, Mr. Dudley Jackson for making the preliminary survey and taking the levels, and Mr. C. Claringbold, who not only aUowed his ground to be dug but took a most active part in the heavy work, Mr. W. W. Groves, Mr. G. Smith and Mr. D. C. Harben and other volunteers from Keston Field Club and aU the workmen who were employed on the site. To Col. G. W. Meates, F.S.A., and to Mr. M. R. HuU, F.S.A., for examining sherds and lastly to Mr. W. F. Grimes, C.B.E., F.S.A., for his kindness in visiting the site and giving me his advice and guidance with the excavation and with the Report. 115 WARBANK, KESTON: A ROMANO-BRITISH SITE BIBLIOGRAPHY C. F. C. Hawkes and M. R. HuU, Camulodunum Report. R. E. M. and T. V. Wheeler, Verulamium. Derek Allen, The Belgic Dynasties of Britain and their Coins. Archceologia, 90 J. P. Bushe-Fox, Richborough, Swarling and Ospringe Reports. G. W. Meates, Lullingstone Reports in Arch. Cantiana. S. S. Frere, Canterbury Report, Arch. Cantiana, 1954. J. B. Ward Perkins, Oldbury Report, Arch. Cantiana, 1938, and Archceologia, 90. 116