Newly-discovered Cotswold Roman town features on BBC TV

An archaeological dig, which has captivated the people of Gloucestershire, has been featured in the new series of Digging for Britain on BBC Two. 

During 2023 and 2024, the team undertook excavations across more than 40 hectares of the A417 Missing Link Scheme between Cowley and Brockworth via the Air Balloon Roundabout. Archaeologists from Oxford Cotswold Archaeology found that nearly 8ha of the excavations covered a fascinating Roman settlement at the south-eastern end of the scheme.

The team of up to 70 archaeologists uncovered a small town that straddled Ermin Street Roman road, one of the key routes in south-western Roman Britain (Image: National Highways) Gloucestershire was at the forefront of Roman expansion into Britain following their invasion in 43 AD. The Romans quickly built a network of roads to help spread their influence across the south of England, establishing large settlements at Cirencester and Gloucester.

The team of up to 70 archaeologists uncovered a small town that straddled Ermin Street Roman road, one of the key routes in south-western Roman Britain, linking many large Roman towns, like Silchester, Cirencester and Gloucester. Finds included Roman structures, wells, ovens, and agricultural features, all containing abundant artefactual material, such as 460 Roman coins, 15 brooches, 420kg of pottery and animal bone, and countless other everyday items, all giving a view into the lives of the settlement’s occupants from nearly 2,000 years ago.

Other finds included 460 Roman coins, 15 brooches, 420kg of pottery, and animal bone, as well as countless other everyday items (Image: National Highways) The settlement’s relationship to the Roman road was key, and it is probable that it represented a busy stopping point for those travelling along the Roman highway seeking somewhere to rest and trade.  

Alex Thomson, project manager for Oxford Cotswold Archaeology, says, ‘Our Roman settlement site was one of the standout areas of our work on the A417 project. We knew that we would find good archaeology, but what was revealed exceeded all expectations.  

‘Being able to look at a Roman roadside settlement in such extensive detail is a rare opportunity, and its relationship to a key Roman road is particularly interesting. It’s clear that the structures we’ve recorded helped serve the passing trade on a busy Roman highway; it really could be a 2,000-year-old service station!’

Jim Keyte, National Highways’ Archaeology Project Manager for the A417, adds, ‘It’s a great pleasure to be able to share our findings with the viewers of Digging for Britain.  

‘As a landscape-led project within the Cotswolds National Landscape, being able to explore the traces left by our ancestors provides a unique opportunity to contribute to the story of the Cotswolds and leave a lasting legacy of knowledge for the local community.’

An aerial view of the Roman settlement found towards the south-east of the A417 Missing Link (Image: National Highways) The series, which will also be available on iPlayer, is hosted by Professor Alice Roberts. She visited the A417 Missing Link scheme to meet the team and go behind the scenes to find out more.  

Following the episode, the finds will be catalogued, before going on display in local museums to help further local knowledge of the area’s history.

nationalhighways.co.uk//a417-missing-link

oxfordcotswoldarchaeology.org.uk