Urban development in north-west Roman Southwark: excavations 1974-90

Abstract

• The Courage’s Brewery bottling plant excavations revealed an intriguing archaeological sequence chronicling the development of the northern island of Roman Southwark to the west of the road which crossed tidal channels to reach the Thames bridgehead. First-century AD timber revetments and an embankment protected the area from flooding, and two minor roads led to the river and timber buildings constructed on reclaimed land. Construction of larger masonry buildings marked a change in the nature of the settlement from the mid 2nd century onwards. Occupation gave way to a cemetery in the mid 4th century, and the Roman deposits were mostly sealed by ‘dark earth’.