Monument record TQ 67 SE 1329 - Possible buried Roman masonry building, north of Shornemead Fort

On the upper foreshore, limited probing and brief exposures have identified the buried remains of a Roman masonry building. The principal element observed is an east–west aligned wall approximately 0.25 m wide, encountered at a depth of c. 0.4–0.5 m beneath the present surface. Immediately to the south (or downslope) there appears to be a step‑down into a surface of large cobbles, which may represent either an exterior yard surface, a hardstanding, or an internal floor laid in water‑worn stones. No constructional details (such as bonding material, coursing, or facing stones) have yet been recorded, and the structure remains unexcavated.

Stratigraphically, the remains lie beneath a cap of alluvial silt, within a sector of foreshore that in 2025 began to show marsh‑plant recolonisation. This developing vegetation cover may offer a degree of stabilisation and protection through sediment trapping, but equally poses risks of root disturbance to the fabric. While no artefacts were recovered directly from the exposed wall or cobble surface during the brief observations, diagnostic evidence from the wider foreshore including hypocaust components and ceramic building material (CBM) in the vicinity indicates the presence of higher‑status Roman structures elsewhere along this reach. In addition, the building lies within the SMF complex and is proximal to the SMF 01 mid‑second‑century domestic ceramic deposit, reinforcing a Roman date on contextual grounds.

Given the sensitivity of the location and the fragility of the deposits, non‑intrusive geophysical survey is recommended at extreme low water, specifically earth resistance (resistivity) and electromagnetic (EM) survey, to refine the plan and extent of the wall and any associated surfaces before any intervention is contemplated. If conditions permit, a small, carefully positioned evaluation slot could be opened to confirm wall build and bonding, retrieve samples of mortar (if present) for characterisation, and examine the cobble surface for bedding layers or use‑debris. Should ceramic building material be encountered, CBM typology (including fabric, form and any stamped pieces) could provide additional dating and functional indicators. All works will be constrained by the ongoing vegetation recolonisation, tidal access, and the need to avoid destabilising protective silt veneers over the feature.

In summary, SMF 05 represents a buried Roman structural element—an east–west wall with a possible associated cobbled surface—likely functioning as an ancillary component within the broader industrial/domestic complex documented on this stretch of foreshore. Preservation is currently passive, with outcomes dependent on the balance between marsh accretion and tidal or storm‑driven erosion. (1)

Steve Trim, 2026, SHORNE/HIGHAM THAMESIDE ROMANO-BRITISH SITES 2012-2015+, SMF (05) (Unpublished document). SKE58794.