Large-scale excavations in Gloucester by Cotswold Archaeology have revealed a well-managed Roman settlement founded by Roman soldiers with an exceptionally well-preserved limekiln.

The extraordinary colonia founded by Roman soldiers between the second and third centuries yielded several remarkable archaeological finds.

A deliberate dump of Roman pottery. Image: Cotswold Archaeology

Exceeding archaeologists’ expectations, they uncovered two Roman buildings, a pit with stashed ceremonial, ritualistic, or culturally significant pottery, and a woman’s grave. The most significant discovery involved the unearthing of a large Roman limekiln in the former town’s northeast region. 

With these pieces of evidence, another facet of Britain was brought to light under Roman rule: a well-managed Roman agricultural settlement dotted with farms and high-status villas in the hinterland of Glevum or Roman Gloucester. 

A Roman soldier’s colony in Britain

In September 2020, Cotswold Archaeology began routine surveys of a future development site in Barnwood, which revealed what it had been hiding for 1,800 years. Desk-based assessments, archaeological trenching, and geophysical surveys suggested that extensive Roman remains lay buried beneath the surface.

Artist’s reconstruction of the limekiln in use (illustration © Nathan Chinchen) Image: Cotswold Archaeology.

The settlement showed evidence of occupation between the second and fourth centuries and the mediaeval and post-medieval periods. Areas of reclaimed land offer fertile soils for harvesting crops and raising livestock. The nearby River Severn became a major trade route and vital resource for fish, birds, game, and reeds for thatch, according to a press release.

A big limekiln provided materials to the region

Though the grave of an adult woman who died between the ages of 40 and 44 lacked significant artifacts aside from her footwear, the 13ft x 9ft Roman limekiln unearthed astonished archaeologists.

In an excellent state of preservation, the stone blocks set into the clay were still intact. The design included an internal ledge and a rare partition wall extending 13 feet from the opening, designed to improve air circulation and cool the stone.

Once constructed and covered with earth and turf, the Romans produced quicklime in the kiln, a key ingredient in making mortar, cement, and plaster—materials vital to buildings and decorating Roman structures such as townhouses and villas, according to a press release. 

Positioned between the limestone uplands of the Cotswolds and the Forest of Dean (a source of coal for fuel), the large kiln would have serviced nearby settlements such as Glevum and Corinium, most notably a wealthy building discovered in the 1970s in the area. The latest excavations clarified how this Roman community was organised. 

But the limekiln had a short life. The Romans abandoned the site by the third century for unknown reasons. Nevertheless, the rare and remarkable construction offered archaeologists a rare window into Roman construction methods and local production. 

“These discoveries reveal not just how people lived and died here, but how they built the world around them,” the press release concluded.