Roman shops unearthed under Corn Hall

Take this with a pinch of salt - the paragraph;

"A series of walls were discovered 10 feet below the level of the floorboards in the main room of the 19th Century building along with evidence the site used to house shops over 2,000 years ago."

rather suggests that the Roman shops would have been up and running when Claudius was a toddler.

From the Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard

THE remains of an ancient Roman shopping parade, hidden for centuries under the floorboards of Cirencester's historic Corn Hall have been unearthed this week.

Workers came across the remains of what archaeologists claim is the most significant Roman discovery in the town in the last 50 years while carrying out refurbishment work.

A series of walls were discovered 10 feet below the level of the floorboards in the main room of the 19th Century building along with evidence the site used to house shops over 2,000 years ago.

And alongside the remains evidence of Ermine Street, the famous Roman road which ran from Silchester to Gloucester.

Laurie Coleman of Cotswold Archaeology, project manager for the dig, said it was no surprise to make the discovery in a town with such a rich Roman history.

"There is always the expectation there will be some archaeology but the features that we found were completely new to us.

Full story here.