Designed by Jon Matthews Copyright John Matthews 2010
Winscombe Archaeology
Two major routes crossed the valley. A north-south road runs from Sandford Hill (ST599580) to Shute Shelf (ST421560). It can be shown that this road was in use in the Romano-British period as a resistivity survey clearly indicates a small building (associated with 3rd and 4th century pottery) with a well-constructed track leading to it, and also several 4th century coins have been found along the line of it. It is probable that the trackway dates back to at least the Bronze Age as several round barrows have been identified close to it.
A small 3rd or 4th century Roman building (c.10m by 8m), probably a farmhouse, with a track to the south east connecting it to the larger north-south trackway.
This route appears to leave the line of the present Sandford Road just north of Broadleaze Farm and turn towards the sharp bend at the end of Ilex Lane and the green lane towards Towerhead, crossing the east-west road at this point. The line passes to the north west of a ploughed-out round barrow and to the east of a probable Iron Age enclosure before it meets the crossing. From this point the road turns south, skirting the edge of a large enclosure ditch and continues towards the Winscombe/Banwell parish boundary. The resistivity survey indicates that the road ran between two ditches.
A portion of the north-south road looking north from the Winscombe / Banwell parish boundary. The line of the road (marked by dotted lines on the embossed image) turns slightly towards the east.
Two coins of Magnentius (350-353) were found by a metal detectorist in the south of this area [see Below].
Two coins of Magnentius (350-353) were found by a metal detectorist in the south of this area [see Below].
This was confirmed when the boundary ditch was re-cut in 1999 and the surface of the road was visible in the section.
The line of this road continues south through several fields, eventually continuing as a drove and lane.
A survey of the line of the road south of the parish boundary showing an area 60m by 160m looking north. A modern fence is discernable to the left of the stony surface of the road. To the south, where the trackway enters the next field, a small enclosure has been constructed on the hard surface.
A second enclosure has been identified south of this also on the same surface (not shown on this survey). The field to the north was originally within a mediaeval deer park and it is likely that the use of this trackway was discouraged at the time of the formation of the park. The field to the left of the road shows a grid pattern of drainage ditches.
A second enclosure has been identified south of this also on the same surface (not shown on this survey). The field to the north was originally within a mediaeval deer park and it is likely that the use of this trackway was discouraged at the time of the formation of the park. The field to the left of the road shows a grid pattern of drainage ditches.
The trackway continues to the south along a present day drove where. Here the line becomes unclear but it is presumed that the trackway follows the line of a present day footpath across Winscombe Farm, crossing The Lynch at a point where there was a cock-fighting yard in the 18th century.
The line from this point crosses what was an open field (Eastfield) and can be seen to continue towards Shute Shelf after it crosses Eastwell Lane following the line of the 18th century Winscombe Footpath to Winscombe Hill. South of Eastwell Lane and on the line of the trackway, a coin of Crispus (317-326) was found by a metal detectorist in 2001.
The line from this point crosses what was an open field (Eastfield) and can be seen to continue towards Shute Shelf after it crosses Eastwell Lane following the line of the 18th century Winscombe Footpath to Winscombe Hill. South of Eastwell Lane and on the line of the trackway, a coin of Crispus (317-326) was found by a metal detectorist in 2001.
Route 1
A resistivity ‘pseudosection’ across the line of the road through Great Wortice (above) looking north. This shows two ditches one at 4.5m from the left and the other at the edge of the section to the right. The 10m wide road between them is visible on the surface as a low agger