The Focus site at Mill Street
Excavation found a timber and stone revetment beside a watercourse, with a large charcoal and slag dump interpreted as Roman smithing evidence.
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What this record tells us
Excavation found a Romano-British timber and stone revetment beside a watercourse with a large dump of charcoal and slag, dated by timber to AD 70-240 and interpreted as substantial smithing activity. Later evidence included high-status 13th-century buildings, medieval glazed roof tile, a trackway towards the Priory, waterlogged ditches with wattle fencing and possible fishery use, plus possible tanning evidence.
Additional research and clarification, 26 September 2026 Excavation found a timber and stone revetment beside a watercourse, with a large charcoal and slag dump interpreted as Roman smithing evidence. Dating of timber gave AD 70–240. Later remains included substantial thirteenth-century buildings, glazed roof tile and a route towards the Priory.
Waterlogged ditches and wattle fencing raise questions about fisheries and the management of the watery ground; possible tanning evidence adds an industrial dimension. An initial intervention reported no significant remains, while later work revealed a much richer sequence. The earlier negative result must not erase the later discoveries, or be treated as proof that the whole site was empty.
How this record is evidenced
Existing map record checked against the research catalogue and cited source.
The investigation details are drawn from Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club; the original publication or report remains the authoritative source.
The clean title and short public summary have been prepared by Leominster Heritage and remain separate from the wording of the source record.
The open questions below identify the details that have not yet been securely established.
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The Focus site at Mill Street
Fieldwork report · 2001–03 · Approximate position
Excavation found a timber and stone revetment beside a watercourse, with a large charcoal and slag dump interpreted as Roman smithing evidence.
As printed and normalised
Source and further reading
Woolhope Naturalists’ Field Club, annual Archaeology reports and the Leominster Heritage ADS-layer export of 26 September 2026. Individual years, pages, ADS identifiers and LARC identifiers are given in the catalogue; the export retains links to the full reports.
Entry-specific references: S17, Woolhope Transactions 2003; LARC-048 and LARC-041
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