Stone Age man used to live at Berkshire sewage works - prehistoric flintwork and signs of Roman settlement found near Kintbury
Nov 08, 2006
Ten millennia-worth of history have been unearthed by Thames Water at one of its sewage treatment works in Berkshire.
The remains of three bread ovens, complete with hearth, flue and furnace, prove that the Romans also settled the area and evidence of two large gateposts indicates that visitors to the Roman community would have had to pass through an imposing entrance.
Dr. Roy Entwhistle, an archaeologist working for Thames Water, said: "Given how quiet this corner of the Kennet Valley is today, it’s remarkable to think that so many different people have called it home over the last ten thousand years.
We knew there had been Roman settlement in the area as a bathing house dating from that period was discovered by a schoolteacher on a nearby field in the 1950s.
The discovery of the bread ovens and the gateposts suggest the bathing house would have been part of a large, working Roman community, living near the London to Bath road.
We were particularly pleased to discover the Mesolithic flintwork which would have been used by hunter-gatherers to fashion tools. Finding these prehistoric collections undisturbed is rare in Southern England."
Thames Water's Conservation Scientist, Jonathan Taylor, said: "Whenever we dig in an area of archaeological interest - such as Kintbury - we make sure that we recover any artefacts so they can be recorded and made available for future generations.
We are delighted to have been able to shed light on the rich history of this area. The pottery and flintwork will now be cleaned up and donated to the West Berkshire museum for everyone to enjoy."
Thames Water unearthed the artefacts prior to a major project to improve the sewage treatment works. Over the next four months, a plant to further improve the quality of the treated wastewater and two storage tanks will be installed at the site.
Further information:
Thames Water Utilities Ltd.
Nicola Savage
Email: Nicola.Savage@thameswater.co.uk
Web: www.thameswater.co.uk
More News and Articles
Jul 24, 2024
News
UK utilities place multiple orders for settlement tank technology
Northumbrian Water, Southern Water, and Dŵr Cymru upgrading wastewater sites
Three UK water utilities have agreed orders for the installation of a total of six conical settlement …
Jul 22, 2024
Article
Reusing wastewater, rethinking water: Maharashtra's roadmap
How Maharashtra turns wastewater into a resource
Water resource management is a critical issue globally, and in India, the state of Maharashtra is pioneering efforts to regulate and …
Jul 19, 2024
News
Kansas City advances fire hydrant leak detection technology
An acoustic fixed-base pipe monitoring technology that uses fire hydrants to host multi-sensor devices, has already found more than 30 leaks for Kansas City Water, says Lou Rossetti …
Jul 17, 2024
News
When two bores right a wrong
The Edge Underground team is adamant: there is always a risk of things going wrong on a trenchless project, even for the most prepared contractor.
Experience and having the right equipment can be the difference between …
Jul 15, 2024
News
Adapting to a region’s growing water and wastewater needs
Gippsland Water has completed two major projects to provide local communities with water security. Trenchless Australasia takes a look at the two projects helping increase water supply …
Jul 12, 2024
News
Connections made in Glastonbury
Difficult ground conditions called for a specialist solution when new PE pipes for potable water services had to be installed underneath two, 10-metre road crossings in the grounds of the UK’s ultimate music festival …
Jul 10, 2024
Article
The Water-Energy Nexus: Interdependence and Challenges
Niclas Andersson, CEO of AirWater2All, explains the connection between water and energy. The importance of this connection and the areas in which it needs to be considered are explained …
Jul 08, 2024
News
Minimising cultural impacts with trenchless technology
Yarra Valley Water is leveraging the benefits of trenchless technology to lessen impacts on the Upper Darebin Creek branch sewer project.
The project consists of building a 2.7km sewer pipe …
Jul 05, 2024
News
SprayWall: Reinforcing Underground Infrastructure with Unmatched Strength
In the trenchless technology industry, finding a rehabilitation solution that offers ease of installation and exceptional structural integrity is paramount.
For three decades, …
Jul 01, 2024
News
“Don’t let stereotypes hold you back”
Trenchless Australasia sat down with Rob Carr project manager Marie Piette to discuss her career and work at the microtunnelling contracting company.
From Norway to Cambodia and now Perth, Western Australia, …
Jun 28, 2024
News
Transforming Wastewater: Towards Climate-Neutral Sewage Treatment
Baden-Württemberg’s Minister President Winfried Kretschmann recently toured the Büsnau Training and Research Sewage Treatment Plant, where a pioneering project led by researchers …
Jun 26, 2024
News
Bothar advances with significant new contracts
Having commenced work on the Fitzroy to Gladstone Pipeline earlier this year, Bothar Boring and Tunnelling has announced the award of further contracts as part of its ongoing collaboration with …