Monument record 1641/3/3 - Possible Romano-British Temple/Shrine Building

{1} A building to the north of the possible public open space comprises two concentric square walls, is normally characteristic of a temple/shrine comprising a square room, cella, surrounded by a walkway, ambulatory. It is surrounded by further buildings, including a small circular building to the south-west and a larger circular building to the north-east. The circular structure attached to the north-east end of the building contains four negative anomalies, c1m diameter, which may be column bases. This type of building can also be interpreted as a possible shrine-type structure, although in Northamptonshire there is also a local tradition of erecting circular domestic structures with low stone walls, as seen at Bozeat and Stanwick, and the square arrangement of possible column bases is paralleled by large post-pads in the circular domestic structure at Bozeat (Meadows 1992). These structures at Irchester were partially explored by Baker in the 19th century, but he made no reference to recovering finds such as might be anticipated at a shrine. However, this may reflect either a real absence of such material or simply the quality of excavation and reporting at that time, which was more concerned with the recovery of a plan.

<1> Butler A.; Meadows I.; Fisher I., 2010, Archaeological Geophysical Survey at Chester Farm, Irchester, Northamptonshire, p.9-10 Fig.4 (checked) (Report). SNN107215.

Record last edited

Jun 7 2021 3:08PM