Monument record 3546 - Romano-British Settlement, including probable villa, west of Hardwater Mill

Air photographs show a rectangular stone building containing five rooms on the N.E. side of a courtyard with slight traces of other buildings on its S.W. side. Three circular buildings are also visible. A considerable amount of building debris, including limestone, tile and tesserae, as well as much 4th-century pottery, has been found in the area. The villa appears to stand within a large outer rectangular enclosure bounded by parallel ditches, with a possible entrance on the N.E. side. Further cropmarks of rectilinear enclosures have been recorded to the south-west.

{1} A 1959 St Joseph air photos revealed a Roman villa consisting of three circular houses and a small rectangular house on two sides of a walled yard. One of the round houses had an entrance on the side facing away from the farmyard. The rectangular house, one end of which appears to overlie an earlier structure of unknown age and purpose, originally consisting of a single row of three rooms, was later extended to four rooms.

{3} "No less than 5 examples of Villas have come to light in the Nene Valley. That farthest upstream lies near Doddington (SP 873636) on the north side of the river, where part of a stone building comprising four rooms has been recorded.
A wealth of building-debris is visible after fresh ploughing and Roman pottery has been found at the site". (Nothing visible on available APs. (RAF 1947).

{4} Building debris containing 4th c pottery and tesserae.

{5} Mr Moore said the amount and type of debris probably indicated a villa site. It has not been excavated.

{6} Roman villa (SP 873636) in the SW of the parish on gravel at 48 m. above OD. The villa appears to stand within a large outer rectangularentrance on the NE side

{7} Listed in gazetteer of Roman villas.

<1> 1974, Britannia, 5/251-261 (Journal). SNN58444.

<2> Young S., 1994, Fieldwalking Survey of Romano-British Sites, (unchecked) (Gazetteer). SNN54726.

<3> 1961, The Journal of Roman Studies, P. 134 (Journal). SNN11345.

<4> Moore W.R.G., 1968, Roman Settlement in the Upper and Middle Nene Valley, P. 56 (Uncertain). SNN15188.

<5> Seaman, B H, 1970, Field Investigator's Comments, 03-SEP-70 (Notes). SNN111541.

<6> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1979, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, P. 38 (Series). SNN77380.

<7> Scott, E., 1993, A gazetteer of Roman villas in Britain, P. 143 (Monograph). SNN110345.

<8> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, CUAP ZE 18-21 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

Record last edited

Feb 3 2025 7:46PM