A Romano-British Farmstead at Stretton Road, Great Glen, Leicestershire

Construction by Miller Homes (East Midlands) of a new housing estate in the village of Great Glen, six miles south-east of Leicester, provided a rare opportunity to examine one of Leicestershire’s many Romano-British farmsteads. Albion Archaeology’s excavation there in 2011 revealed the remains of an agricultural settlement that was founded in the mid-1st century AD and continued to be occupied throughout the Roman period. There were periodic changes in the layout of its fields and enclosures, but its domestic core stayed in the same place, and no significant breaks in occupation were evident. Together with livestock enclosures and a threshing floor, the plant remains and animal bones that were recovered reveal a varying emphasis on arable and pastoral farming. No great wealth was apparent, but the occupants engaged in trade, importing goods from beyond the region that were perhaps paid for by the small agricultural surplus that they are likely to have generated.

With support from the developer, the Albion Archaeology team was able to engage closely with local communities. There were site tours for school children and an open weekend, and groups of young archaeologists were able to develop their digging skills. This component of the project is described in an appendix to this report.

This monograph is now out of print, however, a free PDF of this monograph is available, please click the cover image to the left to download a copy.