Archaeologists discover two Roman wells during Black Cat upgrade

The team from MOLA (Museum of London Archaeology) uncovered the wooden remains of two Roman wells which contained wood off-cuts from a carpentry workshop and the remains of an almost 2,000-year-old ladder.

The wells also featured astonishingly preserved wooden elements revealing the secrets of their construction. These helped fuel the expansion of a settlement that began as a quiet farmstead in the Middle Iron Age (around 350 BC) but was transformed into a hive of industrial activity during the early Roman period (AD 43-150).

There is evidence of Romano-British metalworking, carpentry, and woodworking all taking place here, inside a large, gated enclosure. The people living and working here needed an easy-to-access water supply, so naturally they dug a well. The first well was constructed just outside the enclosure. At 8.5 metres deep, this well was as deep as the average modern two-storey house is high.

Although a serious piece of Roman engineering and human endeavor, as MOLA project manager, Simon Markus, explained, not everything went to plan.

He said: “Despite containing the remains of a wooden ladder, this first well collapsed before they could use it. As we discovered when we first started our excavations here, the clay literally peels away from the more compacted earth and stone. We’ve all done a bit of DIY that hasn’t quite gone to plan, but this was a failure of Roman engineering on an industrial scale. A lot of effort would have gone into digging this well which they then had to completely abandon.”

The settlement’s residents learned from their mistakes. The second well, built inside the enclosure, shows the additional steps they took to prevent another collapse. It was lined with wooden boards to support the wells’ structure and stop it caving in. It was also slightly smaller at 6.5 metres.

Gareth Moores, A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet programme manager, said: "This archaeological work has been a fascinating and integral part of the A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet improvements. Without this major road scheme, these invaluable discoveries about Roman engineering and daily life might have remained hidden forever.

"The latest findings from the excavations offer a unique glimpse into the past, highlighting the incredible craftsmanship and resilience of those who lived here nearly 2,000 years ago. We are proud to support such important work that connects us with our history while building for the future."