Monument record 9103 - Iron Age/Early Romano-British Settlement, south-west of Swinneyford Farm

Archaeological investigation of a late Iron Age/Roman settlement prior to the A43 Dualling project.

{1} SP 68173 46696 Field 8 (Site 3). 24 Iron Age sherds and 2 worked flints. A further, slightly larger concentration of Iron Age sherds was discovered around 300m to the north of the concentration in Fields 6/10. A scatter of stone in the same area may mark the position of a feature.
SP 6822 4662 Small concentration of Romano-British pottery also found in Field 8. Possibly part of Site 3. All sherds were small and well abraded however, and may represent nothing more than manuring scatters associated with fields around the Roman villa at Wood Burcote.

{3} A number of features were observable throughout trench 2. Most features were linear but two possible pits were recorded. Towards the south east end of the trench a large linear feature was present and partially excavated. The pottery recovered dated to the Late Iron Age. This feature was truncated through its centre by a substantial 19th century ditch and on its eastern edge by another post medieval linear feature.
In Trench 3: A fairly shallow undated linear feature cut into the limestone. This feature ran north - south, oblique to the trench and was located within the south west end of the trench. Towards the north east end of the trench a substantial Iron Age ditch was recorded, reaching a depth of 1m with a width of 5m. This ditch was cut into the clay.

{4} Archaeological excavation of a late Iron Age settlement comprising a series of ditched enclosures representing several phases of activity. The enclosures contained probable house gullies and pits, and these extended outside the excavation area. The ditch of the largest enclosure was in excess of 2.Om deep. Occupation on the site appears to have extended into the Roman period

{7} Site SL3. Several elements of the site could be recognised, including intercutting enclosure ditches and gullies in the northern area and an enclosure and two house gullies in the central area. In the central area the earliest feature may have been the alignment of pits along the NE edge of Enclosure 2051. In the southern area there was a pit alignment, a large, deep-ditched enclosure and a series of house gullies.
Iron-working slag was found, comprising fuel ash slag and iron slag. The material cannot be used to discriminate between smelting and smithing, while the small quantity is indicative of a low level of iron-working.

<1> MASTERS P.; SHAW M., 1997, A43 Silverstone Bypass Evaluation: Stage 2, Fieldwalking and Geophysical Surveys, November 1996-January 1997, pp.3-6 (unchecked) (Report). SNN63077.

<2> Chapman A., 1996-97, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1996-7, 27/215 (checked) (Notes). SNN104580.

<3> Hallam T., 2000, A43 Road Improvement Silverstone:- Sites - SL1 And SL3 Archaeological Evaluations: Stage 3, pp 2 (checked) (Report). SNN100584.

<4> 2000-01, A43 Dualling Project, Silverstone, Site 3, (unchecked) (Note). SNN103974.

<5> Mudd A.; Burgess C., 2001, A43 Towcester To M40 Dualling Project, Soil Disposal And Landscaping Areas: Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment, (part checked) (Report). SNN100863.

<6> Northamptonshire Archaeology, 2001, A43 Towcester To M40 Dualling Project, Soil Disposal And Landscaping Areas: Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment (Vol.2 Illustrations), (part checked) (Report). SNN102665.

<7> MUDD A., 2002, A43 Towcester to M40 Dualling Project Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design, 2002, pp.10-12, 35-36, 55 (unchecked) (Report). SNN103239.

<8> MUDD A., 2007, Iron Age and Roman Settlement on The Northamptonshire Uplands, p.9-25 (unchecked) (Series). SNN106027.

Record last edited

Nov 9 2021 11:58AM