PCA undertook an archaeological excavation in advance of a significant development by Berkeley Homes, at Tabard Square, the junction of Long Lane and Tabard Street, London Borough of Southwark. The excavations, undertaken between July 2002 and July 2003, covered a vast area: approximately 1.2 hectares.
Our work at Tabard Square revealed a fantastic Roman landscape which transformed perceptions of Londinium’s ritual landscape and refined our understanding of Southwark’s prehistoric and Roman topography.
The site at Tabard Square lay within an area which, from the end of the late Devensian glacial stage – c. 9,500 BC, formed part of a broad landscape of low sand and gravel islands (eyots) within the multiple braided channels of the Thames. Previous predictive models had placed the site within one of these river channels. evidence from this excavation has been important in demonstrating that in fact it lay adjacent to the southern shores of one of these channels, known as the Borough Channel, which separated the ‘mainland’ area of Southwark from the islands and channels to the north. Furthermore, recent findings suggest that Bermondsey Eyot, which lay further to the east, was linked to the mainland by a land bridge, throughout most, if not all the prehistoric and Roman occupation periods.
Our excavations unearthed rare evidence of early human activity along the channel with Late Glacial or early Post-Glacial flintworking and an associated hearth. This underscores the desirability of this location as a focal point for early human occupation. Evidence of occupation spanning from the Mesolithic to Late Bronze Age periods aligns with a an established pattern of settlement in the area, whilst the recovery of the blade ends from two axeheads hints at the potential symbolic or ritual significance of this locale from an early date. Throughout the Late Bronze Age, Iron Age, and early Roman periods, we found evidence of increased floodplain inundation, leading to reduced human activity and the regeneration of woodlands, along with the expansion of peatlands in the area.
General view of the excavations, looking south-west. The surviving foundations of a second-century Romano-Celtic temple dominate the foreground
Southwark in the mid first-century
The site was located close to the point at which Roman Stane Street and Watling Street converged before heading north across the islands of Southwark to the bridgehead and thence the city on the north bank; a crossing first established c. AD 60. The earliest evidence of Roman activity from Tabard Square, dated to around AD 80, is clearly related to reclamation of this low-lying and damp area, through the digging of drainage ditches and driving of piles across a vast area, presumably to create a platform or causeway alongside or across the channel. This phase of activity was short lived, however, and the subsequent dumping of vast quantities of imported material, and further construction of drainage ditches, resulted in an area that was ready for more permanent settlement. Clay and timber buildings were constructed adjacent to a road running perpendicular to Watling Street. These were similar to other contemporary buildings north of the river and appear relatively well-appointed, with finely-executed painted plaster schemes.
The mid second century saw a complete transformation of the landscape, with the creation of a large gravelled precinct, and the construction of two Romano-Celtic temples, and numerous associated plinths, altars and columns.
The site witnessed further transformation around AD 130 when the clay and timber buildings were levelled, the ground raised, new ditches dug and the site prepared once more for the construction of new buildings. The deposition of numerous complete vessels, some deliberately slighted and large assemblages of animal bone within a large ditch defining the eastern edge of this newly laid out area reflect its transformation into a religious precinct. The finds deposited included occasional exotic or unusual items, such as a tin-alloy vessel containing a probable cosmetic. Numerous animal cremations within the newly established zone, some accompanied by complete vessels, also date to this period.
This preparatory work culminated, c. AD 160, in the construction of two masonry-founded Romano-Celtic temples. The discovery of an inscribed marble plaque suggests that at least one of these buildings was dedicated to a Romano-Celtic god, Mars Camulus, and had been set up by Tiberinius Celerianus, a moritix, or sea farer. Modifications were made to the temple precinct during the third century, perhaps in response to the southernmost of the temple buildings becoming dilapidated, or beginning to collapse. The precinct was divided by a substantial masonry wall, new buildings were constructed and a paved area was established adjacent to the northern temple. Plinths and columns were constructed, presumably to support stone and bronze statuary, elements of which survive here in a fragmentary form.
Artist’s reconstruction of second-century northern temple (by Chris Mitchell)
Artist’s reconstruction of the divided and modified third-century precinct (by Chris Mitchell)
The precinct contracted in the fourth century, the temples fell out of use and a new, winged building was constructed, set at the south-eastern end of a walled enclosure. Whilst the religious nature of the site did not necessarily change, the liturgies may well have done and the careful burial of the plaque dedicated to Mars Camulus, within a later fourth-century pit or shaft suggests that the belief systems of the second century had been supplanted by other concerns. To the south of this enclosure curving ditches suggest land divisions of a strikingly different form to those seen in previous centuries.
Key finds
The size of the site played a pivotal role in the recovery of some of the most extensive finds assemblages from an individual site, not only within Southwark but also within the broader City of London. This was underscored by the discovery of at least three nationally significant finds: the Mars Camulus inscription, the bronze foot and the face cream canister. These discoveries have proven to be invaluable for research purposes, particularly in the case of the Roman coins, which nearly doubled the previously recorded count of coins from Southwark.
