Monument record 7221 - Romano-British 'ladder' enclosure, Milton Ham

Archaeological excavation investigated part of a Roman enclosure that had been identified during the evaluation stage of the project. The geophysical survey had shown an irregular enclosure, part of which had been divided into a number of roughly square or rectangular sub-enclosures. The enclosure dated to the 2nd to 4th centuries AD. Geophysical survey has indicated that the settlement continues to the north of the excavated area.

{1} An interconnecting series of linear and curvilinear anomalies, indicative of infilled ditches, forming a 'ladder' enclosure. This system of enclosures is aligned north to south and follows very closely the natural contours of the land. The strength of the anomalies is thought to reflect both the size of the outer enclosure ditches and the shallow soil near the top of the slope. The 'ladder' enclosure has a maximum width of approx 35m at the southern end but constricts towards the centre and is 150m long. The strength of response from the internal ditched divisions is very variable but there are at least eight main sub-divisions.

To the east of the main part of the 'ladder' enclosure, but still linked to it, are several other linear and curvilinear ditch type anomalies, which suggest further enclosure and sub-divison. These are much weaker in strength and may reflect a deeper soil cover. Several discrete areas of enhancement are identified in this area and it may be that these are caused by features indicative of occupation, with the main body of the enclosure serving to protect the occupied areas.

{2} Trial trench excavation investigated various sections of the enclosure.

{3} The excavation investigated part of a Roman enclosure that had been identified during the evaluation stage of the project. The geophysical survey had shown an irregular enclosure, part of which had been divided into a number of roughly square or rectangular sub-enclosures. Trial excavation dated the enclosure to the Roman period, between the C2nd and C4th AD.
The excavation area (based on the footprint of a proposed building) covered the western and northern sides of the enclosure and a narrow strip extended to its eastern edge. A significant part of the enclosure, on the south, east and north-east sides, lay beyond the limits of the excavation, so interpretation here is conjectural. It is likely that the settlement extends further to the north and north-east, beyond the bounds of the development area.

Three sherds of residual late Iron Age grog-tempered pottery, dateable to the late C1st BC to the middle of the C1st AD, indicate some activity in the area at this time. The nature of this activity is uncertain, although a fairly substantial ditch, possibly an Iron Age land boundary, was encountered to the south of the Roman settlement during evaluation and was found to contain abraded sherds of Iron Age pottery.

In the second half of the C2nd AD an enclosure was constructed on the shallow east-facing slope overlooking the floodplain of Wootton Brook. This comprised a substantial enclosure ditch 150m long north to south, with a less substantial ditch enclosing the northern end of the settlement, and the internal area was divided into a number of sub-enclosures. The main ditch was c.1.2 to 2.2m wide x 0.48 to 1.4m deep and had been re-cut several times.
The interior of the enclosure was divided into three sub-enclosures by two principal east to west ditches.

Sub-enclosure SE1 covered an area of c.0.04ha at the northern end of the main enclosure. Its slightly curving northern boundary ditch contained late C2nd/early C3rd pottery, and defined a roughly triangular enclosed area. The southern enclosure ditch did not quite meet the main north-south enclosure ditch along the west side, thus probably forming an entrance from sub-enclosure SE2 at this point.
The interior of the sub-enclosure contained a small pit near the centre, and a larger pit at its eastern edge. The small pit was 0.9m in diameter x 0.16m deep, with almost vertical sides and an uneven base. It contained two sherds of C2nd pottery. The largere pit was c.3m long x 2m wide x up to 0.45m deep. It contained several burnt river cobbles and pottery dating to the C2nd and C3rd AD. It may originally have been two separate pits.

The central sub-enclosure SE2 was rectangular in plan and measured c.60m x 25m. The arrangement of its eastern boundary is not known as the only features dating to this period were two shallow gullies and a ditch terminal indicating that the boundary was fairly insubstantial, possibly formed by wattle fences and hedges.
Parallel and c.3m north of its southern boundary ditch was a length of gully with a rounded terminal at its western end. It was at least 10m long x 0.5m wide x 0.06m deep, and contained C2nd/C3rd AD pottery.
Within SE2 and running parallel and c.8m to the east of the principal western enclosure ditch was a small gully with a V-shaped profile, c.0.3m wide x 0.12m deep. It could be traced over a distance of c.26m before petering out at either end.
Lying between the gully and the main enclosure ditch was an elongated, shallow, oval hollow 7m long x up to 1.9m wide x 0.09m deep. This may have been formed by trampling along a pathway defined by the main enclosure ditch and the north-south gully.
Other internal features included three pits and two short linear slots, suggesting some form of agricultural or domestic activity in this area. The two slots were positioned parallel to and c.1.5m from the south side of the northern ditch to the enclosure. One slot contained C2nd AD pottery. Two pits lay to the south of the easternmost slot c. 0.3m apart. One was 0.7m diameter x 0.18m deep, the other 0.5m diameter x 0.40m deep. Both contained C2nd AD pottery. The third pit lay c.4m to the south of the westernmost slot. It was 1.3m long x 1m wide x 0.18m deep. There were no finds to date it, but it is probably associated with the other features here.
A shallow L-shaped ditch and a short length of gully on the eastern side of SE2 may be the remains of features used to control access to the central enclosed area. The L-shaped ditch was aligned mainly east-west and was 0.85m wide x 0.06m deep, it had a short return to the south. The gully was 0.6m wide x 0.12m deep and contained a small quantity of animal bone and sherds of late C2nd pottery.

{6} Geophysical survey of a parcel of land to the north-east of the earlier excavations identified the northerly continuation of the settlement. The settlement remains occupy the south-east of the survey area, covering a little under 0.5ha of ground. It seems likely that the remains will extend eastwards into the adjacent, unsurveyed, aplying fields.

<1> Bonsall, J. & Webb, A., 2002, Land at Milton Ham, M1 junction 15a, Northamptonshire: Geophysical Survey, (checked) (Report). SNN102130.

<2> Carlyle S.; Thorne A., 2002, Archaeological evaluation at Milton Ham, Northampton, p.6 (checked) (Report). SNN102366.

<3> Carlyle, S., 2008, A Romano-British 'ladder' enclosure at Milton Ham, Northampton: Assessment report and updated project design, (unchecked) (Report). SNN106724.

<4> Carlyle S., 2010, Neolithic Cremations And A Romano-British Enclosure at Milton Ham, Northampton, February and March 2008, (unchecked) (Report). SNN107968.

<5> Carlyle, S. & Chapman, A., 2012, Neolithic Cremation Burials at Milton Ham, Northampton, (unchecked) (Article). SNN108360.

<6> John Walford, 2024, Archaeological geophysical survey at Milton Ham, Northampton, March
2024
Archaeological geophysical survey at Milton Ham, Northampton, March 2024 (Report). SNN116304.

Record last edited

Sep 2 2024 12:09PM