Although there was never a Roman settlement in Stevenage, archaeological finds in the area suggest that a wealthy family may have lived at a farmstead or villa located in Chells Manor around this time. A number of Samian-ware vessels, a do-decahedron toy and a hoard of silver coins were found in a dig here. The coins included a rare example from the reign of the Emperor Pacatian, who ruled for only a couple of months during AD249.

The trackways laid down by prehistoric man were developed by the Romans into surfaced roads. One of these is now the road that runs alongside the ‘Six Hills’, or six barrows, whose origin still remains a mystery.