A Romano-British Cemetery at Barnwood, Gloucestershire

Extract

During the war the 40-acre gravel pits, the property of Messrs. Chambers at Barnwood, two and a quarter miles south-east of old Gloucester (Glevum Colonia) and lying in the Severn Vale immediately east of and adjoining Irmin Street, became not merely valuable to the Government Munitions Department, but of very special interest to the archaeologist and the palaeontologist. The extent of the oolitic sand deposit is naturally far greater than the excavated area which we had to observe, and lies along, and beyond, both sides of the road. Too frequently, however, is it found underlying houses and gardens to be quite satisfactory as a quarry for the archaeologist. Above the lowest depth now excavated, that is to say from 12 to 15 feet from the surface of the ground, occur freely the tusks and teeth of elephants (both Antiquus and, it is said, Primigenius), rhinoceros of two, or perhaps three, varieties (including Merckii), Cervus Elephas, and Equus Caballus; while the teeth of wolf, fox, and smaller mammals are met with at higher levels. There we are constantly hoping for traces of Palaeolithic man; and one ‘find,’ of a palaeolith, close by, the first example of its kind in Gloucestershire, more than justifies this expectation. The sand, richly deposited above these remains, consists of superposed layers of oolite grit abounding with Echinoids and Brachiopods.