The Romano-British Roadside Settlement at Wilcote, Oxfordshire II: Excavations 1993-96

Neither towns nor villas, the function of Roman road-side settlements has previously been regarded as a mystery. Wilcote, however, has now been thoroughly investigated and Anthony Hands suggests in this publication that it may have functioned as both a watering post for travellers along Akeman Street and as a kind of navvies' encampment for road maintenance (connected with large quarries reported on in this volume). The 1993-1996 finds report contains details of coins, pottery and metal objects of quite high value, compared with the negligible architecture. Do the finds reflect the inhabitants of the settlement or the passing trade? With stimulating commentary on some of the theoretical issues generated by this long running excavation as well as fine illustration of the discoveries, this is an excellent excavation report.