Monument record 726/4/22 - Romano-British Town Defences

{1} The road was cut into on its southern side by a vertical construction trench 0.33m deep which the wall foundations abutted. The wall was orientated NE - SW and was up to 2.8m wide, only the bottom two foundation courses had survived to a height of 0.35m. Both were courses of limestone blocks with a mean size of 0.2m long by 0.15m wide and 50mm thick. The largest of the blocks measured 0.2m long x 0.24m wide and 0.1m thick. There were no faced stones on either side of the foundations but the blocks were mostly well cut. These blocks were mortared together in a yellow clay with lime mortar.
On the north eastern side the wall was cut by a robber trench, the pottery from its fill was contemporary and was therefore possibly residual. A small and irregular possible gully cut both the robber trench and the wall aligned EW and measuring 0.8m wide x 0.2m deep. On the north side of the road side ditch there was a layer of redeposited natural, this may have formed part of the rampart, its fill contained 14 sherds of pottery dating to 160-180AD. Pits were uncovered in the centre of Meeting Lane, pottery from the fill of Pit 33 was dated by Samian pottery to 160-180AD.

{2} A Watching Brief along Meeting Lane now suggests that the defences ran broadly along the line of the northern side of the present Richmond Road. Excavation in advance of development on the Meeting Lane/ Richmond Road corner in 2001 & 2002 also seems to suggest that east of this location the line of the defences may gradually curve slightly to the north. If true this would suggest that the defences crossed the course of Watling Street some 30-40m further north than has traditionally been considered the case.

<1> Chapman A.; Chapman P., 2000-01, Towcester, Meeting Lane, (unchecked) (Note). SNN103987.

<2> Atkins R.; Woodfield C., 1999, Archaeological Watching Brief Meeting Lane, Towcester, Northamptonshire, May-June 1999, Section 4.2.6 (unchecked) (Report). SNN100241.

Record last edited

Jan 13 2015 6:43PM