Monument record 4804/1 - Possible Romano-British Road Route (Viatores 172b)

Possible Romano-British road from Spinney Lodge to Ashton. Possibly the western fork of Viatores 172 (known as 172b) which is said to go to Ashton. The eastern fork heads to Piddington.

{1} Possible Romano-British road from Spinney Lodge to Ashton. Enters county at SP80004880 and has been traced to SP79454912.

{2} Possibly the same road.

{3} Although only a small section of the potential trackway was recorded, its alignment does match that of a postulated Roman road, suggesting it may date to that period. However the anomalies are quite weak and only the southern ditch is continuous across the survey area. The alignment of this ditch on existing field boundaries means that a more modern origin cannot be ruled out and historic maps record a field boundary here between 1881 and 1970. Moreover, although these linear anomalies are evident in survey area C there is no indication of their maintaining this alignment into adjacent area B. As the postulated course continues the same line north-westwards the lack of corresponding geophysical signals casts some doubt on the interpretation of the features as a Roman road.

{5} No evidence for this road was found within Trench 9 of the evaluation.

{6} Two parallel lines of ditch, presumably delimiting the line of this road, can be seen as cropmarks in the field north of Spinney Lodge Farm, running parallel to and east of the current road. These cropmarks are visible on aerial photographs taken during the annual English Heritage reconnaissance programme in June 2011. The cropmarks are visible from around SP 80564840 heading northwest. The eastern ditch turns northeastwards at circa SP 80424859, close to the point where road 172 is said to fork (above).

<1> 1964, The Viatores: Roman Roads in The South East Midlands, p.324-7 (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN5299.

<2> Wetton, 1849, Guidebook to Northampton and its Vicinity, p.204 (unchecked) (Book). SNN1032.

<3> Jefferson, N., 2013, Land at Hanslope Road, Hartwell, Northamptonshire: Geophysical Survey (Stage 1), p.3 (checked) (Report). SNN109460.

<4> Jefferson, N., 2013, Land at Hanslope Road, Hartwell, Northamptonshire: Geophysical Survey (Stage 2), p.4 (checked) (Report). SNN109459.

<5> Murray L., 2014, Archaeological Evaluation on Land at Hanslope Road, Hartwell, Northamptonshire, p.8 (checked) (Report). SNN109825.

<6> Oblique Aerial Photograph, NMR 270478_009-015 29-JUN-2011 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN111738.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 7:05PM