RG94 – RUBGY GROUND, MALTON, NORTH YORKSHIRE

Ceramic, and other, building materials

S Garside-Neville

Roman Material

The Roman material consists of ceramic roofing tile (imbrex and tegula), brick, stone, daub and plaster. The whole sample is very fragmentary and abraded. There are hints of reuse, where one piece of Roman brick from 198 has mortar along a broken edge. There is alot of sandstone (probably Elland flag-type), which in at least one case (context 66) has definitely been used as roofing material at some point. Oolitic limestone is a favourite Roman building material, and at least one fragment (context 134) had mortar adhering. There is one fragment of plain white

plaster (context 198), and a possible tile tessera (context 158).

From the fragmentary nature of the sample, it is unlikely that

the buildings on the site were roofed with tegula and imbrex or stone unless the buildings were comprehensively robbed at a later date. Perhaps the presence of the stone and tile was to serve in rough walling.

Unfortunately, as with much ceramic building material in the county, the dating of form and fabric is not fully developed, so it is difficult to suggest any more accurate dating for the Roman material. The stone samples would benefit from being identified by a geologist, who could indicate how far the stone has come. In particular, the possible piece of haematite (context 66) needs proper identification and research as it may have been used for a particular purpose.

Medieval and post medieval material

There is little later material in the sample. There are examples of medieval plain roofing tile (context 1), pantile and brick.

Context Form Date

1 Plain tile Med

2 Roman brick, Tegula, Sandstone,

Daub, Pantile, Modern brick 19th+

12 Imbrex Roman

13 Pantile, Roman brick, Modern brick,

Limestone roof tile 19th+

14 Roman brick, Tegula Roman

16 Roman brick, Oolitic limestone,

?Modern brick 19th+

20 Oolitic limestone ?Roman

32 Imbrex Roman

40 Limestone, Roman brick, Tegula Roman

41 Oolitic limestone ?Roman

49 Roman brick Roman

53 Roman brick Roman

59 Tegula, Imbrex Roman

66 Sandstone, Oolitic limestone, Roman

brick, Tegula, Limestone, ?Haematite,

Sandstone, Daub, Sandstone roof tile Roman

70 ?Modern brick ?19th+

78 Sandstone, Limestone, Imbrex Roman

80 Tegula, Roman brick, Sandstone Roman

91 Limestone ?Roman

92 Roman brick Roman

95 Roman brick Roman

112 Roman brick, Sandstone Roman

119 Roman brick Roman

134 Oolitic limestone Roman

146 Roman brick Roman

158 Imbrex (?tessera) Roman

183 Roman brick, Sandstone, Oolitic

limestone Roman

185 Imbrex, Roman brick, ?Limestone Roman

187 Roman brick Roman

198 Sandstone, Roman brick, Plaster,

Limestone Roman