Relhan Collection : 132 Comberton. Ground plan of supposed Roman building found near Comberton church

Relhan, Richard, 1782-1844

Relhan Collection

<p style='text-align: justify;'><p>1842</p><p>A Roman building, probably remains of a bath block, was found 1842 by workmen digging gravel on low ground 100m from Bourn Brook. There were 2 rooms with a flue into one and hypocaust pillars still in position under both. The walls were of Ketton stone, chalk marl and flint. Fragments of glass, coarse and samian pottery, domestic objects, Roman tile and painted plaster, lead pipe, coins and pale yellow pottery with red lines were found. A hexagonal room with sides 3m long and walls .6m thick was discovered but destroyed before the plan was made. It is likely to have been a Roman temple. Human bone, ash and charcoal were also found. Some of the finds are in the Cambridge University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. </p><p>CHER; RCHME 1968; Gentleman's Magazine<i>, N.S. VIII (1842), 526; </i>Archaeological Journal<i>, </i>VI (1849), 210; CAS<i></i>Reports<i>, </i>IX (1849), 7)</p></p>