Rare Roman coin hoard discovered on south Bristol site

Coins found at a south Bristol site could provide important evidence for the political and financial fortunes of this part of Roman Britain in the later 350s.

Dubbed the Hengrove hoard, the unusual cache dates from the mid-fourth century and includes a significant number of coins struck by the usurpers Magnentius and Decentius, who ruled the western provinces of the Roman Empire between AD 350 and 353.

While the reasons for burying and not recovering the hoard are unknown, archaeologists suggest it is possible that the coins were deposited in the political aftermath of the usurpers’ defeat.

It was in the summer of 2019 that contractors for Bellway Homes stumbled upon the historical cache of coins in the grounds of a new housing development.

Planning permission for the site had been granted by Bristol City Council and, after a heritage assessment judged the archaeological potential of the site as being low, no further archaeological work was deemed to be warranted.

A copper alloy scale pan lid and greyware pottery container were found along with the Hengrove coin hoard – photo: Cotswold Archaeology

Following the discovery of the unusual coins, experts at Cotswold Archaeology were contacted, leading to liaison with Bristol City Council that resulted in emergency site attendance to record the exposed archaeological find and to monitor groundworks in the area.

Further careful excavation and a metal-detector survey recovered a total of 309 bronze and silvered-bronze coins, along with a copper alloy scale pan lid and greyware pottery container.

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The items were cleaned and sent to Dr Peter Guest at Vianova Archaeology & Heritage Services for detailed analysis and reporting.

The most recently struck coin within the hoard was dated to between 355 and 358 and it is unlikely that the hoard was buried any later than AD 360. This makes it one of a comparatively small number of coin hoards from Britain dating to the later 350s and archaeologists say the unusually large quantities of coins of Magnentius and Decentius mean that it is unlike most contemporary finds.

It is believed the scale-pan lid appears to have been associated with the hoard and may have functioned as a covering over the pottery container that was secured in place with suspension fixings. Scale pans are rare finds from Roman Britain, and none have been recorded as coming from coin hoards, although examples are known from metalwork hoards.

Experts say the purpose of the pan depends on whether the hoard itself was intended for retrieval or as a votive deposit. If the former, the pan may have served simply as a protective cover. If a ritual motive lay behind the hoard’s deposition, the associations of scale pans with commerce, agriculture, or even concepts of justice or judgement, might have been significant.

Cotswold Archaeology experts say it is notable that the area around Bristol has produced a number of coin hoards dating to the 350s, including Wraxall, Blaise Castle, Gatcombe and Hanham Abbots.

“This concentration of contemporary finds suggests the Hengrove hoard is an important piece of evidence for the political and financial fortunes of this part of Roman Britain in the later 350s,” states Costwold Archaeology.

Construction workers in Hengrove came across the rare coin hoard in 2019 – photo: Cotswold Archaeology

A total of 309 bronze and silvered-bronze coins – photo: Cotswold Archaeology

Given the size and age of the hoard, it has been declared as treasure and will be donated to Bristol Museums, Galleries and Archives.

Main photo: Cotswold Archaeology 

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