The Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) has identified a 4,000-year-old Roman ritual center built around a natural spring in Overstone, England, as part of their excavation efforts preceding a nearby housing development.

Artifacts from both the Bronze Age and Roman periods have been discovered on the site, which has been continuously used for over 2,000 years. Among the findings is a Bronze Age barrow dating between 2,000–1,500 BCE, containing five empty burial urns that suggest a symbolic rather than practical purpose, according to MOLA project manager Simon Markus.

Markus suggests that pre-existing cultural connections may have influenced the selection of this site for ritual purposes during the Bronze Age. Additionally, a Roman-era stone building with an underground room adorned with intricate plasterwork and possibly a painted ceiling was unearthed, likely serving as a shrine due to its lack of utilitarian features.

In addition to these discoveries, water tanks yielding organic remains dating back 2,000 years, including willow tree blossoms, pinecones, walnut shells, and a leather shoe, have been uncovered.

Excavation work will continue, with a particular emphasis on studying environmental remains preserved by the spring.