Langport Ranges, High Ham, Somerset - Archaeological Evaluation and Assessment of Results

Wessex Archaeology

The evaluation was successful in its stated aims in providing a detailed geophysical plan of the wider area around the villa, identifying that it was a much larger complex than initially thought, and by identifying at least two phases of villa construction. The earliest phase is potentially dated on artefactual evidence to the late 2nd to early 3rd centuries AD, but remains slightly ambiguous as only a few short stretches of walling were assigned to the phase (and therefore no coherent overall plan), and no direct dating for these was obtained.

The major phase of construction and occupation appeared to belong to the later Romano-British period, and comprised two wings. The finds assemblage was not large, but coin and pottery evidence spanned the later 3rd to 4th centuries AD. This also corresponds with the dating of the exposed mosaics on stylistic grounds. The evaluation was able to confirm that the lack of major agricultural activity on the site due to its use as an MOD firing range had resulted in the excellent preservation of the underlying archaeological remains, despite the very shallow depth pf the overburden.