Monument record 1641/3/1 - Romano-British Shrine, Irchester Roman Town

A square Romano-Celtic shrine, partially explored in the 19th-century and re-investigated in 2011 with the aim of recovering a ground plan of the structure rather than full excavation. It comprised a small square walled cella with an enclosing ambulatory. To the south of the shrine was a large courtyard where a possible statue base was identified. Defining the southern extent of the shrine courtyard, and forming a boundary with the road, was a precinct/temenos wall.

{1} Possible shrine within a small enclosure; sculpted stone found elsewhere may have originated from here.

{2} Outer yard to south-east of temple itself; gate into it on south side.

{5} Romano-British Temple (Morphed Aerial Archaeology Interpretation). Crop/soilmark: Good quality photography.

{6} A building to the north of the possible public open space comprises two concentric square walls, and is surrounded by further buildings, including a small circular building to the south-west and a larger circular building to the north-east (Fig 4, TC1). The form of this building is normally characteristic of a temple/shrine comprising a square room, cella, surrounded by a walkway, ambulatory. In the Irchester example, the cella is 5m square and the ambulatory 11m square, slightly larger than an excavated example at Sheepen, Essex (Hull 1958).

{9} Geophysical survey of the town identified a building to the north of the possible public open space. It comprises two concentric square walls, and is surrounded by further buildings, including a small circular building to the south-west and a larger circular building to the north-east. The form of this building is normally characteristic of a temple/shrine comprising a square room, cella, surrounded by a walkway, ambulatory. In the Irchester example, the cella is 5m square and the ambulatory 11m square, slightly larger than an excavated example at Sheepen, Essex.

{10} Excavation of the Romano-British shrine to provide a ground plan; no detailed investigation was undertaken. It comprised a small square walled cella with an enclosing ambulatory. To the south of the shrine was a large courtyard where a possible statue base was identified. Defining the southern extent of the shrine courtyard, and forming a boundary with the road, was a precinct/temenos wall.

<1> Doubleday H A (ed), 1902, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.179-80 (checked) (Series). SNN100368.

<2> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1979, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.94 (unchecked) (Series). SNN77380.

<3> Baker R.S., 1879, Associated Architectural Societies Reports, p.49-59 (unchecked) (Series). SNN55475.

<4> 1879, The Archaeological Journal (36), p99-100 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN59348.

<5> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, Used with NMR & CUCAP collections (Photographs). SNN104822.

<6> Butler A.; Meadows I.; Fisher I., 2010, Archaeological Geophysical Survey at Chester Farm, Irchester, Northamptonshire, p.9+Fig.4 (checked) (Report). SNN107215.

<7> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, Used with NMR & CUCAP collections (Photographs). SNN104822.

<8> Baker R.S., 1875, Associated Architectural Societies Reports, p.88-118 (unchecked) (Series). SNN59403.

<9> Butler A.; Meadows I.; Fisher I., 2010, Archaeological Geophysical Survey at Chester Farm, Irchester, Northamptonshire, p.9+Fig.4 (checked) (Report). SNN107215.

<10> Meadows I., 2012, Targeted Archaeological Excavations at Chester Farm, Irchester, Northamptonshire September 2011 (Report). SNN108094.

Record last edited

Jun 7 2021 3:08PM