Treasure trove of artifacts unearthed in Shipston

A team from Archaeology Warwickshire has unearthed 2000 year old finds in Shipston, dating back to the late Iron Age and early Roman period.

The treasure trove of artefacts was discovered on the Taylor Wimpey development site on the Campden Road. A mixture of pottery, coins, lead weights and decorative clips have been identified. The finds included Samian pottery – a type of finely decorated tableware imported from France and Spain. Another significant find was the well-preserved skeleton of a horse, alongside what are believed to be cattle bones probably buried for religious reasons in a ceremonial manner.

Early indications suggest that some of the finds belong to a settlement of the Dobunni – an Iron Age tribe known to have lived across what is now Gloucestershire and the southern part of Warwickshire. The Dobunni are thought to have been early adopters of the Roman lifestyle after the invasion of 43AD. According to Stuart Palmer, Principal Archaeologist  at Archaeology Warwickshire, the settlement at Shipston is of considerable interest as it was in use both before and after the invasion and it will be possible to study what the impact of the invasion might have been on the local population.

The dig was funded by Taylor Wimpey as part of its pre-development work on the site. The investigation began with a detailed geophysical survey and trial trenching to identify the most likely areas of interest. Topsoil was removed from the site, to expose the pits and ditches that indicate where the settlement was. Anne Wallace, Sales and Marketing Director for Taylor Wimpey Midlands said: “Archaeology Warwickshire have made some fascinating discoveries during the archaeological works on the site of our Herdwick Fold development. We are pleased to have been able to donate the artefacts to the local museum so that residents of Shipston-on-Stour can learn more about the history of the area.”

The artefacts discovered have been removed from the site to be cleaned and dated ready to be deposited in a museum. Deputy Mayor, Dan Scobie, requested that the finds were returned to Shipston where they can be displayed for local residents to enjoy.

Dan Scobie said “On behalf of the town council, I would like to thank Archaeology Warwickshire and Taylor Wimpey for inviting us to view some of the finds in situ and for supporting our efforts to return the artefacts to Shipston.  We hope to be able to arrange for them to be displayed in the Shipston Museum in the future.”