Monument record 726/0/50 - Roman boundary ditches, east of Northampton Road

Archaeological investigation has identified probable 'backyard' activity comprising property boundaries, pits and postholes with a reorientation around the mid 2nd century. In the later 2nd century, land-use changed with the construction of the defences immediately to the north-east and subsequent Roman features include pits and infant burials.

{1} A north-east to south-west alignment of five circular postholes were revealed within Trench 4. They were steep to vertically-sided, with slightly curved bases and their diameters ranged from 0.6-0.7m, x 0.28-0.46m deep. Distances between the postholes ranged from 1.3m to 2.4m. Only two of the postholes produced finds, comprising Roman pottery, tile and animal bone. Cutting the alluvium at the base of Trench 4 and at its south-west end, were three parallel ditches. The central ditch was U-shaped, 3m wide x more than 0.5m deep. Its fill contained Roman pottery, roof tile, animal bone and oyster shell. On its south-west side a re-cut on the same alignment had a steeper profile and was more than 3m wide and 0.86m deep. It also contained Roman pottery, animal bone and oyster shell.
This feature may be a continuation of the line of the defences observed in the 1984 evaluation and the evidence noted within Trench 8 (2010).
A V-shaped ditch 3m to the north and on the same alignment was 1.1m wide x 0.76m deep. It cut one of the postholes also revealed. The ditch contained Roman pottery and animal bone.

{2} Area 2 of the wider Moat Lane regeneration excavations was adjacent to the earlier 2010 trial trench and similar property boundaries and postholes were recorded. A re-orientation of the early boundary ditches occurred around the mid 2nd century. The ditch recorded during the earlier trial trenching was confirmed not to be part of the defences as it lay too far to the south. A levelling layer laid down at the end of the early Roman period in the later 2nd century may have been to prepare the ground for the wall and rampart.
Abandonment of the area in this period provides evidence for a change in land-use and subsequent Roman features comprised poorly-dated pits and two infant burials, one of which returned a radiocarbon date with a wide calibrated date range of between the 2nd and 4th centuries (SUERC-54218).

<1> Upson-Smith T.; Foard-Colby A., 2010, Archaeological Evaluation at Moat Lane, Towcester, Northamptonshire 2006 and 2010, p.5 (checked) (Report). SNN107907.

<2> Cobain, S and Mudd, A, 2017, Moat Lane Regeneration, Towcester, Northamptonshire: Excavation Report (Report). SNN112323.

Record last edited

Jun 23 2021 1:07PM