Plan to protect underground remains of Roman Telford on edge of huge 1,100-home development
Archaeologists have revealed that Roman Telford was at the ‘lower end of urban refinement’ as a developer seeks to preserve underground evidence for posterity.
Developer Miller Homes has sanctioned an enhanced plan to protect whatever remains of ancient Uxacona in a one-hectare corner of its huge 1,100-home site at Priorslee.
The plan reveals that the ‘small’ Roman settlement of Uxacona straddled what is now the A5 and contained a mansio – a Roman inn where horse-riding Imperial posties used to stay the night.
Archaeologist reports submitted with planning documents said that the site, now fields with ponds and woodland, contained a mansio boundary ditch, a potential gully of the Roman period and a pit. But “no other significant archaeological features were revealed”.
They added: “The pottery retrieved from this ditch indicates that the new settlement at Uxacona was likely at the lower end of urban refinement.”
Mansiones were, the documents say, substantial, mostly masonry, buildings of varying size and plan providing facilities, including accommodation and stabling, for travellers associated with the Cursus Publicus, the provincial postal service of Roman Britain.
“Most examples survive in the form of buried foundations,” the documents added.
“Fewer than 10 examples have been positively identified and, in view of this rarity, all mansiones with surviving remains are considered to be of importance.”
Uxacona may have been continuously occupied from the first to fifth centuries CE (AD).
Planners have long since given approval to the ‘Sustainable Urban Extension’ at Priorslee but officials are going through the process of considering so-called reserved matters.
One of those matters is an Archaeological Heritage Management Strategy, which has recently been ‘enhanced’ to cover one hectare of the wider development site.
“This Management Strategy has been formulated in response to the concerns laid out by the archaeological advisor and Historic England,” a report from specialists RPS Group Plc said.
“It has been produced to facilitate agreement between the developers, Historic England, and Telford & Wrekin Council to provide positive management of the important archaeological remains, for the benefit of current and future communities.”
The plan seeks to retain the land as informal public open space and to stop ploughing which can damage features below the surface.
“The development offers an opportunity to enhance the significance of the Scheduled Monument and secure its positive management beneficial to a community asset,” reads the report.
“This Management Strategy sets out objectives and policies to ensure this outcome can be met.”
Other reserved matters to be checked include a sub-parcel of land consisting of 162 dwellings.
Miller Homes has changed aspects of some 60 of those dwellings because of the lay of the land.
