Monument record 1245/2 - Romano-British Shrine & Temple, east of Cosgrove Villa

A timber shrine was established at the same time as the villa in the mid-2nd century AD. In the late 2nd century a temple of Romano-British Celtic plan was constructed, after the villa buildings had been demolished. Around 280 AD there were alterations to the temple and it may still have been standing after 400AD.

{1} Around 300 AD, a small temple was built, possibly succeeding similar earlier buildings, and this continued in use until the early fifth century. A large enclosure wall, with a substantial lean-to structure, appears to belong to this period, as does a large, stone-floored building which was partly excavated. The latter building was preceeded by a post-holed structure of the second century AD. The finding of the temple throws into question the whole nature of the site; it is possible that it either should be regarded as a temple complex throughout its history, or that an ordinary villa developed into such c 300 AD.

{2} Nymphaeum was built c.300AD and may have replaced earlier temple/shrine structures.

{3} The shrine comprised a group of postholes forming a slightly irregular square. Finds associated with the features suggest that it was built at the same time as the main house in the mid-2nd century. A stone-built temple of Romano-British Celtic plan was subsequently constructed in the later 2nd century AD. The cella was about 6.15m internally. Just north of the entrance parts of two human skulls had been set in the wall foundation. A possible ambulatory was found; if its circuit was complete than the temple would have 11m in diameter. A single large posthole was set in the centre of the cella. Three coins from the post-packing indicate a date in the late 3rd century indicating it was an addition. Tegulae and imbrices suggest a tiled roof for both the timber shrine and the temple. Both may have also have been glazed, although only the temple appears to have had wall plaster.

<1> Brown, A.E. (Ed.), 1970, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1969 (Roman), 4/7-8 (checked) (Article). SNN100535.

<2> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.34/Site 2 (checked) (Series). SNN77382.

<3> Quinnell H., 1991, The Villa and Temple at Cosgrove, Northampton, 23/p.19-21 (checked) (Article). SNN104527.

<4> 1970, Britannia, 1/288 (checked) (Journal). SNN47014.

<5> Burrow A., 2006, Archaeological Fieldwalking Survey at Cosgrove Roman Villa, Cosgrove, Northamptonshire, December 2006, (unchecked) (Report). SNN109688.

<6> Miranda J Aldhouse-Green, 1976, A corpus of religious material from the civilian areas of Roman Britain, p. 179 (Series). SNN7045.

Record last edited

Feb 5 2025 7:20PM