Maylands Gateway, Hemel Hempstead Archaeological Evaluation Report

Oxford Archaeology was commissioned by CgMs on behalf of Prologis to undertake an archaeological evaluation at Maylands Gateway, Hemel Hempstead, in July 2017. The work was designed to help define the limit of Roman settlement activity discovered during a previous evaluation. This will be used to inform the extent of the mitigation area. The present evaluation uncovered a small number of Roman ditches, pits, a possible oven and other features dating from 1st to early 2nd century AD. Archaeological features from other periods were not discovered, although a number of features remain undated. Finds included Roman pottery, tile and bricks. In common with the earlier evaluation, modern landscaping works and quarry pits were revealed, leading to the burial and truncation of archaeological features in some cases. Extensive landscaping appears to have taken place to level a dry valley and create a running track and sports ground that previously stood at the site.
The nature of the Roman activity appears to be rural and domestic or agricultural in nature. This is in keeping with the evidence from the earlier evaluation. The presence of a scheduled Roman temple complex immediately to the north of the site is of particular interest, but no evidence of any religious or ritual activity was identified. The area of Roman activity extends to the south and west of the current proposed mitigation area.