the fields to the north,
called Blackminster, between Blackbanks and the present line of the
Great Western Railway, aggregating about a hundred acres, there were
found large quantities of fragments of pottery of several kinds,
including black, grey, and red, and among the latter the smoothly
glazed Samian. Many pieces are ornamented with patterns, some very
primitive, others geometrical; others are in texture like Wedgwood
basalt ware, and similar in colour and decoration. The Samian is
mostly plain, but a few pieces have patterns and representations of
human figures.

The fields, but especially Blackbanks, contained quantities of bones,
the horns of sheep or goats, pieces of stags, horns, iron spear and
arrow-heads, horses' molar teeth, and flint pebbles worn flat on one
side by the passage of innumerable feet for many years. A millstone
showing marks of rotation on the surface, a bronze clasp or brooch
with fragments of enamel inlay, the ornamental bronze handle of an
important key, a glass lacrymatory (tear-bottle), numerous
coins--referred to below--and other objects in bronze and iron, were
also found.

Only centuries of habitation and cultivation could have changed the
three feet of surface soil in Blackbanks from a stiff unworkable clay
to a black friable garden mould, and it is probable that the British
occupation had lasted for a very long period before the Romans took
possession. The settlement must have been a place of importance,
because it was approached from the north by a track, still existing
though practically disused, probably British, from a ford over the
Avon, near the present Fish and Anchor Inn. This track passes to the
west of South Littleton, on through the middle of the Blackminster
land, and immediately to the east of Blackbanks, joining what I
believe to be the Ryknield Street at the bridge over the stream on the
South Littleton road. Near the present Royal Oak Inn it formerly
crossed the present Evesham-Bretforton road, and became what is still
called Salter Street. It appears to have given access to two more
sites on which Roman coins and relics are found--Foxhill about 9-1/2
acres, and Blackground about 4 acres--and passing east of the present
Badsey church, proceeded through Wickhamford, and by a well-defined
track to Hinton-on-the-Green, and on to Tewkesbury and Gloucester.

The occurrence of the name Salter Street gives a clue to one of the
original uses of the road, at any rate in