'Lucky' treasure find

19 January 2006

Archaeologists have discovered a cluster of ancient Roman coins in a trove of buried treasure.

A handful of bronze coins dating back to the 3rd and 4th century AD were unearthed by Thames Water as they carried out survey work in West Wickham last week.

Archaeologist Geoff Potter made the find, where the Roman road from London to Lewes once crossed over a stream near the river Ravensbourne, and he believes the coins show Bromley's former residents were a superstitious bunch.

He said: "This cluster of coins suggests that travellers along the road used to throw their loose change into the stream to bestow their journeys with good luck or, perhaps, as an offering to the gods."

The low-denomination coppers, two of which clearly depict the Roman emperors Constantine and Diocletian, were discovered along with two Georgian coins, a medieval silver penny and military badges from World War II.

Thames Water is carrying out an archaeological study at the Sparrow's Den playing fields, Addington Road, while working on a £4 million project to reduce the risk of floods from sewers.

The company is replacing 700 metres of its sewer near Addington Road with a larger pipe as well as installing two large overflow tanks in a bid to prevent foul water returning to 72 properties in the area that have been previously affected.

Thames Water project manager Steve Thomas said: "Whenever we dig in an area of archaeological interest such as Bromley, famed for its Roman past, we make sure a survey is carried out to ensure we are not disturbing any historic artefacts.

"We are delighted to have discovered these precious coins and hope that they brought the owners who threw them into the stream all that they wished for.

"The coins will now be cleaned up and we hope to hand them over to Bromley Museum."

The borough is no stranger to Roman history. At the same time the recently discovered coins were in circulation, a large farming estate, now known as Crofton Roman Villa, was enjoying its heyday in Orpington.

The only Roman home open to the public in London, the villa, on Crofton Road, was inhabited from AD 140 to 400 and the remains of 10 rooms can still be seen.