Monument record MDR8158 - Possible Romano-British farmstead, Wilne Lane, Great Wilne

In December 1980 an area of land off Wilne Lane (at SK 448308) was cleared and the concrete foundations for a new house were laid. A number of finds were made, including a piece of tegula roof tile on which part of a stamp of three concentric circles remained. Pottery sherds included Derbyshire ware and grey ware, one of which appears to have been burnished. The bones of an ox were found, as was some medieval pottery. Other finds were lost. It was reported that during excavation a number of burnt stones were found, suggesting the remains of an oven or hearth. The spoil from the excavation was dumped in a field to the south of the Methodist Chapel. A search through the heap revealed other pieces of tegulae, pieces of brick, floor tile, and rim and body sherds of Derbyshire ware and grey ware. There was also a sherd of black cooking pot with a rounded rim, which looked Iron Age (though conceivably Saxon). These finds indicate the presence of a Romano-British farmstead in the vicinity, the roof tiles suggesting that it was a fairly substantial building. (1)