Monument record 6004/0/1 - Probable Roman trackway and associated enclosures

Archaeological evaluation found evidence for a possible Roman trackway, aligned north-west to south-east, flanked by enclosures on either side. Pottery from the features dated to the 1st and 2nd century AD. Subsequent excavation clarified the layout of the settlement including the enclosures identified during the evaluation. as well as two roundhouses, several wells, a number of stone-built corn-driers, two stone-lined tanks and numerous pits and postholes. Most of the features were Roman.

{2} Trial trenching of the site was undertaken. It appears to comprise a trackway aligned north-west to south-east which is flanked to the north and south by a series of farmstead enclosures with smaller internal divisions. The pottery dates quite tightly to between the 1st and 2nd century AD, which would seem to suggest a relatively short-lived settlement on the site. The pottery assembalge is made up of largely fine wares and kitchen wares. A large pit, 5m wide and at least 0.95m deep, produced a significant quantity of finds including pottery, unabraded tegula, animal bone, three iron finds and glass. The pit was visible on the geophysical survey as a discrete anomaly and a further identical anomaly was identified some 30m to the south-east.
The large quantities of finds would imply a significant building of some sort in the immediate environs.

{3} Excavation areas were placed either side of the present course of the A6. The archaeology revealed to the north was not extensive and was the periphery of the main area of Roman activity. To the south a series of enclosures were recorded, as well as two roundhouses, several wells, a number of stone-built corn-driers, two stone-lined tanks and numerous pits and postholes. Most of the features were Roman.

<1> Richardson, T, 2015, A14 Junction 10, Kettering, Northamptonshire. Geophysical Survey Report (Report). SNN110466.

<2> Bush, L., 2016, Cranford Business Park, Kettering, February 2016 (Report). SNN110465.

<3> Gilmour, N., 2018, Cranford Business Park, Kettering: Post-excavation assessment and updated project design, August 2017 (Report). SNN111201.

<4> Horne, B (editor), 2016, South Midlands Archaeology (46), p. 46 (Journal). SNN111326.

<5> Crank, N. (Editor), 2017, South Midlands Archaeology (47), p. 45 (Journal). SNN111362.

<6> Oxford Archaeology (Cambridge), 2024, Data from Archaeological Excavations at Cranford Business Park, Kettering, Northamptonshire, 2016, https://doi.org/10.5284/1124302 (Digital archive). SNN116662.

Record last edited

Nov 26 2024 3:42PM