Clayton Manor Villa

Overview

During the excavation of a service trench at Clayton Manor in March 2002, an area of Roman floor tiles and walling was exposed. This was recorded, and subsequently a larger trench was opened on the front lawn of Clayton Manor to investigate these features. The trench revealed the tiled floor and remains of walls of a Roman bathhouse. This building is almost certainly the same building that was originally discovered and exposed in the early part of the 19^th century, as numerous finds of this date were recovered during this excavation.

Introduction

Recent investigations at Clayton Manor were carried out by the Mid Sussex Field Archaeological Team during the construction of a new garage, games room and car port to the west of the entrance to Clayton Manor in August 2001. The excavation of a service trench to these new buildings in March 2002 revealed part of a tiled floor and associated wall. Michael Fairbrother who was working on this project for Eade Builders, reported the discovery to the author who recorded the exposed features.

The owners, granted permission for us to carry out further investigations adjacent to the service trench on their front lawn, which were carried out over the Easter bank holiday weekend (29^th March to 1^st April 2002).

The previously located archaeological remains at Clayton Manor are recorded in 19^th and 20^th century publications, although there are no above-ground surviving remains to be seen. The earliest reference to Roman remains at Clayton Rectory (now Clayton Manor), is in the Gentleman’s Magazine of 1818, which states, “where a few years since, in the front of the Parsonage-house, a Roman bath was discovered”. Blencowe (1862) also mentions the remains, however, the most detailed description comes from the Victoria County History (1935), which is quoted below.

“The remains of a figured mosaic and of a Roman bath found (c.1810) in the rectory garden. Its position was about ¾ of a mile south-south-east of the Hassocks Roman cemetery and ¼ mile east-north-east from the 6^th milestone from Brighton on the London road. The rectory is now known as Clayton Manor. After discovery (c.1810) the remains were reburied by the Rev. Halliwell. They were re-opened subsequently, but at present the site is only known by tradition – near or under beech trees close to the north west corner of the house and about 100 yards from the Clayton-Ditchling road.”

Prior to the trial excavations in August 2001 mentioned above, the only work to have been carried out at Clayton Manor was a small trench excavated in the mid 1990’s by Chris Baron, on the lawn on the northwest corner of the house. The results of this work are currently unpublished, but no archaeological remains were found, and some 1.5 metres of made ground was encountered.

The Excavation

The service trench had been excavated through a dark grey-brown sandy loam garden soil (Context 30), below which was a light grey-brown sandy clay loam demolition layer containing frequent mortar fragments, together with pieces of chalk, tile and flint (Context 33). Below this, at a depth of c.300mm, was an area of upturned tegula roof tiles, reused as flooring and laid onto a buff-coloured mortar base, some 3.3m wide (Context 34). This was bounded on the east by the remains of a wall of flint and chalk nodules 1.1m wide, bonded with a cream-coloured mortar (Context 35), and on the west by a wider area (2.56m) of similar flint and chalk nodules in a cream mortar (Context 36).

On the east side of the tiled floor, the tiles had been disturbed by a feature (Cut 31) c.600 x 200mm, which extends outside the trench to the south. The feature, which also cut through the demolition layer (Context 33) above the floor, contained a single fill of mid grey-brown sandy clay with small fragments of mortar, tile and charcoal. This feature is probably of 19/20^th century date.

After the removal of the turf, Trench 1 (Fig. 1) was excavated through c.100mm of dark brown sandy loam topsoil (Context 37). Below this a similar demolition layer to that observed in the service trench was encountered. On the western side of the trench, this was a light grey-brown sandy clay with mortar, chalk, tile and charcoal pieces (Context 38) c.150mm deep. On the eastern side of the trench, where the topsoil was deeper, was a similar layer of mid to light grey-brown sandy clay loam c.100mm deep with similar inclusions, plus numerous roots from the nearby trees and shrubs (Context 39). Between these was a layer of dark brown sandy loam c.150mm deep with less frequent mortar, chalk and tile mixed with it (Context 40).

Below the demolition layer (Context 40), a tiled floor containing numerous upturned tegula roof tiles was encountered (Fig. 2). The floor measured 3.3m wide, and had been laid onto a bedding of buff-coloured mortar (Context 44). The mortar contained numerous small inclusions of crushed chalk and tile, and was c.50mm thick. Below the mortar was a bedding layer of irregular flint nodules up to 120mm in size, bonded into a compact grey-brown sandy clay (Context 57). This layer was between 100 and 150mm thick, generally comprising a single course of flints, but in places a second course could be seen. On the north side of the trench the floor tiles were missing, and many others were in a broken state. The imprint of the missing tiles could be seen in the underlying mortar layer, which extended to the north edge of the trench. In places there is a faint trace of mortar over the top of the floor tiles, but this seems to have been mostly worn away.

On the east side of the floor, the wall originally encountered in the service trench (Context 35) was found below the demolition layer (Context 39). The trench was extended north a further 2.9m to follow the wall, by which point it turned to the west (Fig. 1). The east and north wall were of the same construction, with no join visible. The wall comprised a compact cream-coloured mortar bonding pieces of chalk to 150mm in size and irregular nodules of flint to 200mm in size. Its upper surface had numerous indentations where other nodules had been removed.

On the west side of the trench, there was a broad area of buff-coloured mortar bonding occasional surviving nodules of chalk and flint, which extended to the west edge of the trench. On the south edge of the trench the mortar was at a higher level and tiles set into its surface formed what may be two shallow steps (Context 45), or alternatively this could be the side of the bath with some missing tiles. The mortar area appears to continue further south outside the trench, but at a level some 100mm higher.

A number of features have been cut through the floor within Trench 1(Fig. 1). Five postholes, either round (Cuts 46 and 48) square (Cuts 50 and 54) or irregular (Cut 52), have been cut through the mortar floor, and partially through the underlying flint base. These each contained a similar fill of mid grey-brown sandy clay with fragments of mortar, chalk, tile and charcoal in them.

Fig. 1   Plan of the Roman Bathhouse at Clayton Manor

On the north east corner of the east and north wall, a circular feature (Cut 63) 480mm in diameter, and 450mm deep has been cut through the wall (Fig. 1). It contained an upper fill of mid grey-brown sandy clay loam (Context 65) which included tile, mortar, chalk and flint pieces together with root disturbance. Below this was a similar layer but more firm, and with no roots and flint inclusions (Context 64). The ground sloped away from the outside edge of the north wall and it is not clear whether this is natural or the ground has been cut away more recently perhaps in landscaping the front lawn. This may of course have removed any evidence for the building having extended further northwards.

A large feature (Cut 42) had been cut through the mortar layer (Context 44) on the north west corner of the trench (Fig. 1). This was 2m long and 0.7m wide, but extended outside the trench on the north side so its full dimensions are not known. It was 180mm deep, and contained a mid grey-brown sandy clay loam with mortar, chalk and tile pieces, and charcoal fragments (Context 43). This feature had cut through both the mortar and underlying flint base on its north side, and here had exposed the underlying clay. On its south side a compact layer of buff-coloured mortar, with crushed tile and chalk inclusions, (Context 70) was exposed in the bottom of the cut, and appears to extend under the flint base (Context 57).

Trench 2 was opened to the north west of Trench 1 on the front lawn. After removing the turf, and below some 200mm of topsoil was a layer of grey brown sandy clay loam c.100-150mm deep with rare mortar, chalk and tile fragments (Context 56). Within this layer was a horizon of chalk pieces (Context 59) on the north west side of the trench, which extended outside the trench here. On the south east side of the trench within Context 56 was a further horizon of chalk pieces (Context 60). Below Context 56 was a layer of light grey brown sandy clay containing small flint nodules, mortar and tile fragments (Context 58); this was recorded to a depth of 200mm and lay directly on the clay subsoil. No evidence of any floors or walls was found in Trench 2.

A new trench (Trench 3) was opened in the flowerbed (Fig. 1) adjacent to the service trench and Trench 1 (Fig. 3). Below the garden soil (Context 30), there was the usual demolition layer some 250mm deep, comprising a rubble of mortar and tile mixed with a mid grey-brown sandy loam (Context 71). Under the rubble the floor of upturned tegula tiles was encountered, although here it was mostly covered with a light grey to buff mortar with crushed chalk and tile inclusions (Context 72). On the west side of the tiled floor were the remains of a wall standing c.250mm high, and faced with square-cut tiles laid horizontally four or five courses high (Context 73). There was no surviving facing of plaster or mortar. Behind the tiles, the wall comprised a core of irregular flint nodules held in a compact cream-coloured mortar with rare crushed chalk and tile inclusions. The wall was a minimum of 400mm wide and extended further west outside the edge of the trench.

The wall (Context 73) recorded in Trench 3 extended northwards into the trench some 0.8m, before turning 90° to the west, after a further 0.55m it turned 90° again, this time back to the north before exiting the trench on the north west side (Fig. 3). The facing of tiles survived on both east-facing sides of the wall indicating that this dogleg in the wall is original, and probably represents a narrowing of the bath at the south end.

Trench 4 was excavated to the north of Trench 1. Below the turf and topsoil the north wall was encountered, confirming that this did turn to the west in the extension to Trench 1. The wall comprised c.1m wide area of compact buff-coloured mortar with numerous irregular flint nodules and less frequent chalk pieces (Context 75), and was overlain on its north side by a loose tumble of irregular flint nodules, which were not bonded in mortar (Context 76).

The Finds

Apart from quantities of tile and mortar, there were few Roman finds recovered during the excavation. Most of the finds appear to relate from the early 19^th century period when the site was initially discovered and opened up for public viewing.

The Roman tiles include examples of tegula and imbrex, together with a few bessales used as wall facing. A few fragments have evidence of combing on the surface, suggesting the presence of box-flue tiles on the site. The tegulae have been reused as floor tiles for the floor of the bath, upturned so that the flange is facing down. A sample of those in the floor was measured and produced dimensions of between 390mm and 410mm in length and 290mm and 310mm in width. Most tile fragments had evidence of mortar adhering to one or more surfaces.

The mortar and opus signinum varies across the site, with up to five different types, based on their inclusion type and density, being identified. One piece has a backing of pale buff coloured mortar c.30mm thick, onto which c.30mm of opus signinum is bonded, the face of which has a yellow-buff painted plaster adhering.

A few sherds of Roman grey wares and East Sussex Ware were found in the demolition layers, but these layers also included the occasional sherd of 19^th century pottery as well. A number of pieces of clay pipe were also found in these layers.

A number of copper alloy finds were recovered during the excavation including a buckle and a stud. Five copper coins were also found including two halfpennies and two George III ‘Cartwheel’ pennies of 1797.

Discussion

The remains found at Clayton Manor in 2002 appear to be part of a Roman bathhouse, although probably only a single room was uncovered during the excavation. The full extent of the bathhouse is not known, but probably extends under Underhill Lane to the south and may have extended further north as well. The resistivity survey suggests that there may be further surviving walls immediately to the north-east of Trench 1, however there is a tree located in this spot and this may be producing false results, and certainly will mean that excavation here will not be possible. There is no evidence for it extending either further east or west. It is not possible to date the remains as there were no in-situ Roman deposits or features that could have produced dateable finds.

It would seem most likely that these remains are those exposed in the early part of the 19^th century. The lack of Roman finds, together with the early 19^th century finds mixed with the demolition material above the floor and walls, suggests that this building had been exposed in the early 19^th century, at which time visitors deposited (perhaps as tokens of good luck) or lost the coins and other items, and it was then covered back up until rediscovered in 2002.