Monument record 447/1/21 - Disused Section of Watling Street Surviving as Earthworks

{2} Extending north-north-west to south-south-east of the by-way from Kilsby to Crick, lying between the Northampton to Rugby railway line and the M1 motorway. A surprisingly substantial and intact section of earthworks marking the course of the London to Holyhead road prior to its C19th realignment. (Also comments on views out over the 1990s DIRFT development.)

{4} Field survey of 2.6km stretch of Watling St, from SP5796 7125 to SP5682 7339. Description and plan.

{5} The linear featureless area shaded on fig. 10 is probably either the road itself or possibly a verge with the road itself being beneath the modern hedge.

{8} A metalled road surface was found, comprised of large rounded pebbles and fragments of limestone compacted into a sandy clay. The surface ran north west by south east. At the east side a possible earthern bank was removed by machine but no layers or cuts were seen to confirm its identification.

{9} Photos.

{10} Photographic survey and details of condition on 22/4/2012. From the rapis observations made, the impression is that the majority of this stretch of the old Watling Street in currently in good condition. However, some long term threats to the monument remains, the most serious being from encroaching vegetation.

<1> RPS CLOUSTON, 1995, DIRFT Planning Submission: Watling Street Conservation Brief, (checked) (Full Report). SNN105134.

<2> Northamptonshire Industrial Archaeology Group, 2001, A Guide To The Industrial Heritage Of Northamptonshire, p.24 (checked) (Gazetteer). SNN104759.

<3> RPS CLOUSTON, 1995, DIRFT Watling Street: Conditions Survey, (checked) (Full Report). SNN105133.

<4> Brown A.E.; Hannan A., 1978, Watling Street & the Gartee Road: some work on two Roman roads in Northamptonshire (Kilsby and Corby), 13/87 (checked) (Journal). SNN30174.

<5> RPS CLOUSTON, 1994, Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal: Archaeological Evaluation (Appendices), App. 1, Sec. 1 (checked) (Report). SNN70454.

<6> RPS CLOUSTON, 1994, Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal: Archaeological Evaluation, (checked) (Report). SNN106052.

<7> Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 1998, Guardianship and Watling Street, Northants, unchecked) (Letter). SNN107734.

<8> JONES C., 2005, An Archaeological Excavation, Watling Street Byway, Northamptonshire, (checked) (Report). SNN105998.

<9> Cadman, G., 2005, File Notes on Watling Street Byway Site Meeting, (checked) (Note). SNN108540.

<10> Cadman G., 2012, Watling Street at DIRFT - Note on Condition, (checked) (Note). SNN108539.

Record last edited

May 20 2014 10:04AM