Forum for residents of St Georges Park and Long Leys Road Lincoln

[john shipton]

At the moment a private archaeology company in Lincoln is involved in an archaeology dig. This work is being done on Bakers Field which will be the new cemetery for the city of Lincoln. This contracted dig is for 4 weeks and will finish on Friday, 14th May.
Having seen the site after a week of digging, I was told that important Roman remains have been found. While the dig continues other foundations have been found. But what has come to my attention is that these finds have been kept secret from the public domain due to the rush of building the cemetary later. Lincolnshire's main archeologists only recently have found out about the excavation which appears to have been kept secret for reasons of another.
So I am asking several questions to local and West End residents who may know what happened beforehand and what has been found so far.
These are...

1) Under Bakers Field there are remains of a Roman villa.
2) There are remains of another Roman dwelling.
3) Walls have been uncovered going back to Roman times.
4) Roman porcelain has been found.
5) Coins going back to the Roman period have been unearthed.
And other finds found going back to the Roman era.
This is on the eastern side of Bakers Field.

On the western part of Bakers Field, about two years ago, a limited dig was undertaken resulting in Roman finds. This was done before the water springs were investigated.

Can all of this be substanciated and verified? People have asked me these questions which need to be answered.

Also, which is important, while the Lincoln A46 bypass was built, Roman archeology was found but nothing disclosed about the places it was found. Can anyone throw some light on this?

And finally, an elderly resident has mentioned a box of Roman jewells which was found plus the remains of a Roman graveyard.

If the City Council is just playing about with Roman history, these important findings could be lost forever if the dig is subject to a few weeks. I have been told from West End residents this may be the case. So suggestions have been made about extending the Roman dig. Perhaps our council could arrange school parties for visits and get responsible kids involved in helping out. For I have been told that the private company doing this important dig, has not enough staff to deal with the situation. This is something which should not be ignored or missed.
If details are being withheld by the City of Lincoln Council, concerned people wish to know why? Roman archeaology is important to Lincoln rather than proceeding with a cemetery. If the information is correct, this opens up another kettle of fish.
What do people think and can these questions be answered?
Thanks!

[tonyandcarol]

hi john. Well i can confirm a few things for you. i know of two local farmers who's land the bypass went through near the bridge here on longleys rd.They have told me the same information of the find of jewellery and the three roman coffins ,which lead people to believe that this area was a roman grave yard.The farmer thought it was kept quite so as not to hold up the construction of the bypass.i wonder where and who has got the treasure.The three coffins i was informed by the previous archaeolgy company who did the first investigations informed me that only people of standing were buried in coffins,this i didn't know ,i am sure others do.
You are correct about the buildings that have been found.i took some photos over the weekend from our track way to show my father and certainly there are some substantial buildings coming to the surface.one is a villa,another i am told is a farm building and part of the wall surrounding the settlement.some of the walls are two foot wide and so defined.The present company on there showed me oyster shells and large animal bones,some 1 foot long.romans loved oysters i am told.i'am sure that some schools would benefit from school visits and so near to home.as a person who loved fossil collecting and archaeolgy i find this site so interesting and so pleased and amazed to think we have such a find on our door step,sadly only for a short period and many people unaware of our history that could be shared.

[Jeff]

I can remember the bypass being built and the findings of Roman remain all along its length. Very little was disclosed about this and only limited details given.
Having said that, if appears that City Hall has hidden so much which has been found from the public eye. They seem to be doing this again with Bakers Field. I wonder if residents on the St Georges estate wish to do something about the situation. For once concreted over, the archaeology underneath will no longer be seen and will be lost forever in the archives.
Perhaps the local can approach the councillors who supposeingly be representing us can do some thing about it. It sounds that this piece of history will be lost and that will be it. Building on this field needs a stay of execution. It needs a proper dig to find other remains and to look at waht has already has been found. Could residents contact the media such as TV, radio and newspapers. We need to pull together as a part of history will just be documented and no one else would know.
Act now before it becomes too late.

[Neville]

how interesting about Roman archaeology found underneath bakers field. may i suggest that we get the university involved and use their students who have an interest in archaeology. this is an opportunity not to be missed. if the council does not wish to respond in extending the excavation then why can't residents contact tony robinson and time team. i am sure that they will be interested. i should be meeting mr shipton on the west common this afternoon when i walk my dog. i will ask him to contact the media about bakers field. the echo in their last story about what lies under bakers field did not mention the location. i will let them know friday after the general election and local elections. can residents ring coucillors helen heath neil murray and karen lee. they should be told about all of this. perhaps they already know.

[Neville]

i was given these details regarding tony robinson and time team.
contact:-

"If you'd prefer to give us a call, Viewer Enquiries is open from Mon-Fri 9am to 9pm and 10am to 7pm Sat-Sun on 0845 076 0191 (Lo-call number)."

but please try to ring our ward councillors first:-

neil murray on 01522 546065
karen lee on the same number
helen heath on 01522 881291
also lincoln city council archaeologist is mike jones on 01522 873271
the officer dealing with the cemetery is steve lockwood on 01522 873520

[matt_lincoln]

[quote="tonyandcarol"]...I took some photos over the weekend from our track... [quote]


Is there any way you can share these photo's?

I would love to see them, I took a walk round to the field this evening but couldnt see anything and I presume its private land, so no-one can just go walking on there!

Matt

[tonyandcarol]

matt. if i could post them on the site i would .but i dont know if you can put them as attachments. i have a 15x zoom and its very clear to see.i could down load and email to you. tony

[matt_lincoln]

matt. if i could post them on the site i would .but i dont know if you can put them as attachments. i have a 15x zoom and its very clear to see.i could down load and email to you. tony

That would be brilliant Tony, my email is matt@mnjs.co.uk

Thanks

Matt

[James]

if i could post them on the site i would

Hi Tony,

I got a random message a week or so ago while I was working away asking me to call you (I think), there was no other info... was it about these pictures?

I can create you a page on the server that hosts the forum if people want to see them...

Let me know

Cheers
James

[tonyandcarol]

james.yes can i post a couple of photos of the dig.tony

[Neville]

interesting discussion taking place. i agree that the area must be excavated first. the council have a habit of going back on their words. i wonder what our wards councillors think about it all. they don't seem to be speaking about what has been found. will they do anything about it? i hope so.

Residents say Roman heritage 'could be lost forever' if cemetery work goes ahead

The site of the new cemetery in Long Leys Road, Lincoln.Worried residents fear part of Lincoln's rich Roman heritage could be lost forever.

After years of debate, work is soon to commence on a new cemetery in the Long Leys Road area of the city.

But with a short archaeological survey unearthing millennia-old finds, some householders fear the City of Lincoln Council is pushing ahead with plans too quickly.

Park Riding Stables owner Arthur Baker, 90, owned the land for more than 65 years.

"I don't think they should be building a cemetery there," he said.

"There's plenty of places they could put it but after 65 years they kicked me off so they could do this.

"I've heard they have taken off the topsoil and found a Roman building there, so what are they going to do about that?"

John Shipton, a member of the Long Leys Road Residents Association, was similarly worried.

"I would like to see the council extend the excavation and perhaps bring in university students to help as I believe there is more Roman archaeology yet to be found," he said.

But Diane Gardiner, projects development officer at the City of Lincoln Council, said the development was essential if the city was not to run out of burial space by 2012.

"The current burial ground in Lincoln at Canwick Road has limited space, so it was important for the city council to locate and develop a new burial site for the city," she said.

"Work has now started on the site at Long Leys Road.

"This week the routine archaeological investigations, under the instruction of the city council archaeologist, will be completed.

"Designs for the multi-faith burial ground will be drawn up over the summer and works to build it will begin once all planning conditions have been met."

< Previous story Read all stories Next story > Related stories
St Georges Residents ForumCity of Lincoln Council Comments (5)

Officials at City Council do concur that this site in question has important Roman remains underneath. The sad affair is that they are limited in what they can say and recommend on what can be done. However, they do confirm what has happened to proposals in the past for a Roman Centre for Lincoln. The chosen site for this were St Marks before the retail park was completed. The Roman Centre would have taken up a part of the complex. Then there was The Lawn uphill of Lincoln. Later which was under discussion was the basement of what is now called The Waterside in the city centre which has Roman features. Nothing ever materialised and now abandoned. This has been disgraceful of those promoting tourism for Lincoln. It looks as though the cemetery is going ahead despite important Roman archaeology which has been found and could be lost forever. So has been the Roman Centre. I dispair when Lincoln has a Roman heritage.
Jas, Lincoln
commented on 10-May-2010 12:53


Additional Comments?

It's such a shame to see that Park Riding School and Arthur(Baker) have lost their fight to save the land.
I have to agree with other who state that the land should be excavated properly by experts who can decide how important this area is.
A cemetary is a big mistake - I still wonder who would want to bury their loved ones under the fast moving noisy and in the winter windswept is really beyond me.
Steve Eyre, exiled in Cambs
commented on 10-May-2010 11:06


Additional Comments?

Having lived in Lincolnshire and worked in the centre of Lincoln half of my life, expedienecy has been the norm for both Lincoln City Council and Lincolnshire County Council. In building Lincoln's only A46 bypass, Roman archaeology was destroyed along this stretch of road. Not much was recorded too. Irish labourers let it slip as to what was going on. County Hall was responsible for this.
Now City Hall is practically doing the same. They want a cemetery at all costs!
When part of the excavation reveals a Roman villa and other buildings and walls, etc, I have been informed that either a high Roman official or a Roman
general lived there. The Roman archaeology underneath goes beyond the site. There could be remains of a garrison or a Roman settlement. So I would suggest that an extensive excavation should be undertaken. For a new cemetery can wait a while longer. Losing Roman remains cannot as this will be lost forever.
Peter, Lincolnshire
commented on 10-May-2010 10:34

Additional Comments?

This site is situated on a blind bend.
.
Developments in similar positions have been refused - but then I guess the City's Planners will be able to give themsleves permission under the "deemed authority" rule.
. Mushroom, Newport
commented on 10-May-2010 08:49

Additional Comments?

There is a perfectly good plot of land behind the cemetries on Washingborough that leads up to the Crematorium.
It is wasted land.
I would rather see the Long Ley's site used again by the riding school and this waste land used as it is surrounded by two cemetries and the Cremaorium.
It would need far less work than the Long Leys site.
The land would need raising but they have already done that where they bury now in the Canwick New Cemetery.
I think it is a very ill consideref plan.
Don't do it, Lincoln
commented on 10-May-2010 08:17

[admin]

These are hig res images of some of the findings in Bakers Field and may take a moment to load fully...

Please click on the links to view as they do not display correctly when included directly in the forum.

http://www.stgeorgesonline.co.uk/bakers/004.jpg

http://www.stgeorgesonline.co.uk/bakers/005.jpg

http://www.stgeorgesonline.co.uk/bakers/006.jpg

http://www.stgeorgesonline.co.uk/bakers/009.jpg

http://www.stgeorgesonline.co.uk/bakers/010.jpg

http://www.stgeorgesonline.co.uk/bakers/011.jpg

[Jeff]

I am not surprised with the going ons about the Roman archaeology finds under Bakers Field. In fact, I can remember how City Hall played down the huge Roman remains found in the Monks Road area. Due to development the archaeology was only documented then finally concreted over. This happened as well on St Benedicts Square where the former Echo's building was. The workers who found Roman archaeology were told to keep it underwraps or face losing their jobs. Gone forever!
What has been said in today's Echo that "two Roman corn drying flues have been uncovered. These could could have been used for malting before beer making." What has not been reported is other remains of a wall which had paint work of the Roman period on it. A significant building. Also other remains. The settlement is believed to go across the Long Leys Road into the farmers field opposite. A lot of Roman findings have been found in this field some years ago. This is together what was found while building the nearby bypass but was destroyed and not reported. For the sake of using Bakers Field for the new cemetery, I feel that City Hall will not excavate the field properly nor it intends to do so. Also it won't approach the farmer about his field. It will only accept the limited report made by the private archaeology company. I find this appalling as what has happened to the so called urban village first thought of in the 1990s for Long Leys Road area. We have and are being duped, I am sorry to say.
What are our councillors going to do about the comments made by residents? Is silence that golden!

[tonyandcarol]

latest on roman remains.as at 7.50pm tonight four youths left the field at speed after high speed joy riding with 2 earth moving machines,ran one into excavator and other dumped further up the site.the site has been filled today except for the lovely remains of the building in middle.it does look as if it going to be kept hopefully exposed.maybe somebody has taken notice of the feelings of residents that it should be kept and what could now be used as a feature for the new cemetry.the louts luckily did not run over that part of site.the entrance gate was smashed and police did come to investigate. tony