Monument record 6882 - Late Iron Age and early Roman Settlement, School Lane

A late Iron Age to early Roman settlement, occupied for a short period around the late 1st century BC to the middle 1st century AD, with abandonment shortly after the Conquest. Arcs of deep curvilinear ditch apparently formed facades to two enclosures but with no surviving features to define the remainder of the circuits.

{1} Ditches relating to two areas of enclosure in the east and west of the site. The ditches are substantial and represent considerable effore on the part of the inhabitants to construct. The eastern enclosure(s) appear more complex in nature with evidence for maintenance int eh form of recutting. The western enclosure(s) appear to represent a single phase of construction. Domestic waste is present in both, although the organic compenent is only present in the eastern enclosure. The evaluation did not identify any features associated with occupation within the enclosures themselves: it may be that such features, typically more ephemeral, have been lost through medieval ploughing. The economy of the site appears to have been mixed. The lack of occupation features, although not unusual within enclosures of this period, may indicate that they at least partly functioned as stock enclosures.

{2} There were two adjacent areas of activity, both in part defined by curvilinear ditches notable for their depth. Both ditches only partially enclosed areas and it is possible that other, non archaeologically visible, means were employed to form complete enclosures. Within the area defined by each ditch were less substantial gullies that may have served to sub-divide the enclosed areas. Scattered pits and short lengths of gully were concentrated within the enclosure areas. There was no definitive evidence of settlement, although the finds certainly suggested that it was located nearby. There was some evidence of light industrial/craft activities taking place nearby with the recovery of an iron block anvil and loomweight. A group of rotary querns indicate crop processing was also being undertaken. Activity began in the late C1st BC and continued until the mid C1st AD, shortly after the conquest.

<1> Burke J.; Yates A.; Fisher I., 2010, Archaeological Geophysical Survey and Trial Trench Evaluation on land Off School Lane, Hartwell, Northamptonshire, p.11-12 (checked) (Report). SNN107195.

<2> Walker C.; Burke J., 2012, Archaeological Excavation at School Lane, Hartwell, Northamptonshire: Assessment Report and Updated Project Design, p.8 (checked) (Report). SNN109201.

<3> Finn, C., Chapman, A., Walker C. And Burke J., 2015, Late Iron Age and early Roman settlement at School Lane, Hartwell, Northamptonshire 2015, p.8 (checked) (Report). SNN110428.

<4> Finn, C., Chapman, A., Burke, J., and Walker, C., 2019, Late Iron Age and early Roman settlement at School Lane, Hartwell, p. 119-144 (Article). SNN111730.

Record last edited

Nov 19 2020 1:10PM