EXCAVATIONS EM 1999 ON LAND ADJACENT TO WAYSIDE FARM, DEVIZES 



209 



of this structure was for malting or the drying of 

 grain, although analysis of the charred and 

 mineralised plant remains (see Carruthers, this 

 report) does not corroborate this. Similarly, the 

 function of oven F4214 is not known. 



Other features include ditches which may have 

 acted as field divisions or for drainage and small 

 numbers of pits and post holes with no obvious 

 function or structural pattern. Quantities of 

 artefacts from all this features was low when 

 compared with the midden and its associated 

 deposits. However, on a site such as this is difficult 

 to distinguish between those features and deposits 

 which represent evidence for domestic activity and 

 those which are now known to have religious 

 connotations. 



CONCLUSIONS 



Sarah Cottam (finds). Professional staff comprised 

 Charlie Bosworth, Brigid Gallagher, Charlotte 

 Kimber, Emma Markiewicz, John Hodgson, 

 Stephen Leach, Ginette Radcliffe and Samantha 

 Worrall. Illustrations for this report were prepared 

 by Astrid Hudson, John Hodgson and Mark 

 Corney. 



The work and helpful comments of all the 

 specialist contributors to this report are greatly 

 appreciated. Particular thanks must go to Mark 

 Corney for his advice and observations on the 

 character and significance of the site. 



Jo Mills wishes to thank Paul Robinson of 

 Devizes Museum and Nick Griffiths FSA for their 

 help and comments. 



The collaborative role of Duncan Coe, former 

 Assistant Archaeologist at Wiltshire County 

 Archaeology Service is duly acknowledged. 



Throughout the above discussion it has been 

 emphasised that the deposits relating to both phases 

 at Wayside Farm represent only part of a more 

 extensive Iron Age settlement or farmstead and later 

 Romano-British complex. It is clear that that further 

 evidence for both phases either still await discovery 

 or have already been destroyed by recent 

 development in the area. Of particular note is that 

 sporadic finds of Romano-British material have 

 been found during construction work at the 

 Nursteed Road Industrial Estate and as far north 

 as 'The Green'. Residents along Nursteed Road 

 have also reported finds of this date from their 

 gardens. This would suggest that evidence for 

 Romano-British activity would extend over a 

 considerable area, as 'The Green' is located c.800m 

 northwest of Wayside Farm. The character of the 

 late Romano-British site at Wayside Farm has, based 

 on the artefact evidence, mostly been established, 

 but the nature and importance of Romano-British 

 material beyond the site cannot, at this stage be 

 determined. There is still some considerable 

 archaeological potential for the area surrounding 

 Wayside Farm. 



ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 



The project was commissioned and funded by 

 Bryant Homes Southwest Ltd and we are 

 particularly grateful for the co-operation of their 

 Regional Architect, Andy Godden. 



The fieldwork was directed by Stephen 

 Robinson, assisted by Joe Whelan (supervisor) and 



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