Tour of the Marcham/Frilford Excavations 2003

Earlier excavations had revealed a Romano-British temple and underlying Iron Age structures. Photographic evidence showed the presence of a circular structure at the east end of the site which was thought to be an amphitheatre. However, as the 2002 excavations proceeded, doubts began to accumulate about this interpretation. When water was hit at the base of the structure's retaining wall, the team tended towards the idea that this might have been a pool enclosed by a shallow bank.

The 2003 excavations have deepened the conviction that this was not simply an amphitheatre. The depth of the water in the re-opened trench in the circular structure has been found to go down two metres to chalk bedrock. Timber retrieved from just below the water is waterlogged and difficult to handle. Underwater excavation cannot be undertaken, however, without specialist equipment which unfortunately is not presently available.

The eastern entrance to the circular structure was also re--opened. It appears that the wall surrounding the structure was cut into in order to make a later entrance. With at least three phases of building here, the roughly cobbed-up ramp leading the entrance to the circular structure may have been constructed to connect with an earlier entrance. The thinking now is that there might have been an Iron Age sacred pool here, possibly converted later by the Romans into an amphitheatre.

An exciting feature of this year's dig has been the large number of objects found. Indeed, the Friends were greeted by the find of a small pottery crucible for ironmaking. The finds in the trench (No. 2) covering a large stone structure near the pool/amphitheatre, now thought to have been partially unroofed, have included 200 Roman coins and a large quantity of fine jewellery, possibly votive offerings. Also found, in particular areas, have been serving and drinking vessels, animal bones and, curiously, a midden of oyster shells, pointing to the theory that this could have been an area of workshops, shops and eating stalls connected with the nearby sacred pool and temple.