Monument record 3200/0/21 - Roman roadside settlement, Kings Meadow Lane

Romano-British finds and evidence of buildings have been identified in this location since at least the 1960s. Excavations at Kings Meadow Lane in 2002-3 prior to residential development revealed part of a Roman roadside settlement and an adjacent shrine complex. Only the northern part of the settlement was excavated, with the possible core lying further to the south, now beneath a housing estate. Occupation in the excavated area lasted from the early 2nd century to the second half of the 4th century. The road originated in the early 2nd century with three roundhouses located to its east. In the late 2nd century a series of plots containing stone founded buildings were laid out along the eastern roadside and a shrine on the west. An enclosure system lay beyond the area of occupation to the north. The settlement declined in the mid 4th century.

{1} In September 1967 a gas pipe-line cut through part of the site revealing pitched stone footings, and areas of burning, possibly a hearth . A skeleton of a young adult male was unearthed and a skeleton of a child was destroyed by the mechanical digger.

{6} Unstratified finds, made between 1990-95 (not certain whether metal detecting or not). Location given is approximate.
AE unit Catuvellauni/Cunobelin Obv: CVNOB mounted warrior rt, Rev: Tasciiovantis Warrior stg. Mack 244
Trumpet brooch, pin missing. C1st-early C2nd AD.
Trumpet brooch, part of head only. C1st-early C2nd AD.
Lozenge plate brooch, half pin missing. C1st-early C2nd AD.
Nauheim derivate brooch x2), pins missing. C1st-early C2nd AD.
Langton Down brooch, top half, with pin. C1st-early C2nd AD.
Langton Down brooch, top half, pin missing? C1st-early C2nd AD.
Hod Hill brooch, top half, pin missing. C1st-early C2nd AD.
Copper alloy statuette, bare foot only, c.1.5cm across.

{8} Between August 2002 and March 2003 OA undertook a programme of archaeological work on part of an important Roman roadside settlement at Kings Meadow Lane, Higham Ferrers. The excavations revealed a substantial part of the settlement, including 18 buildings, which formed a ‘domestic core’, along with outlying enclosure systems and small cemeteries. In addition, a shrine defined by a temenos was comprehensively excavated, and produced large quantities of structured finds deposits, including a number of rare votive objects. This formed the second known religious component of the site, as a probable temple building had already been excavated further to the north during earlier excavations in 2001.

{12} In 2002-3, an excavation of part of a Roman roadside settlement was undertaken. Only the northern part of the settlement was excavated, with the possible core lying further to the south, now beneath a housing estate. Occupation in the excavated area at least lasted from the early 2nd century to the second half of the 4th century.

The earliest phase of settlement in the earlier 2nd century was confined to the southern part of the excavation area with three circular buildings, two of which were served by adjacent wells. One of the buildings lay within a rectangular enclosure. A small cemetery area was placed adjacent to the encloure. The settlement was bounded to the west by the road. The earliest surface of the road comprised a layer of limestone paving.

In the late 2nd to 3rd centuries, the settlement increased in size extending further north along the eastern side of the road, with many of the new buildings encroaching on the line of the former roadside ditch. The settlement can be divided into six similarly sized rectangular units or 'plots' fronting onto the road. Each of the plots contained at last one stone-founded building. Plot A appears to have ben associated with bone working. Neonate burials were associated with many of the buildings. To the north and east of the plots were a number of rectilinear ditched enclosures.

A gravel 'pavement' was constructed along the whole length of the roadside frontage of the settlement, representing a collective or 'municipal' project. The northern end remained largely empty aside from field boundaries.

On the west side of the road, a monumental shrine complex was constructed. The structural emphasis of the shrine was on a monumental façade fronting onto a trackway branching off the road. Between the southern façade wall and the shrine was an outer precinct. The shrine itself was demarcated by a five-sided walled precinct. No evidence for any internal structure was found. The greatest concentration of finds occurred towards the southern end of the precinct, just within the entrance. The small finds assemblage from the shrine area comprised 825 objects, including a number of overtly religious items including a cult spearhead and a possible miniature votive spear.

In the late 3rd to 4th centuries the settlement continued to expand to the north with the addition of a further plot. However, the shrine fell into disuse after the late 3rd century. Subsequently, the settlement fell into decline from the mid 4th century.

{17} Cropmarks of rectilinear ditches noted on aerial photographs in 1982 (SP955690).

{12, 18, 19} The rectilinear ditches mentioned above (Source 1) were visible on aerial photographs and were mapped as part of the Bedford Borough NMP project. Not all aerial photographs of this site were available during the project and therefore some features were not visible. This area was extensively surveyed by geophysics and later excavated in advance of a new housing development from 2001-2003 and revealed a large Roman settlement dating to the 2nd century, in the 3rd century the layout changed to a linear settlement along a northeast-southwest road. A northeast-southwest gas pipeline cuts through the features and was not mapped.

The Roman settlement appears to be the northern end of an extensive settlement that includes the Roman building and other features recorded to the south and recorded in Monument Record 3200/0/6.

<1> Brown, A.E. (Ed.), 1967, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1966/67 (Roman), p.12+33 (unchecked) (Article). SNN58197.

<2> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP96NE11 (unchecked) (Index). SNN443.

<3> Northampton Museum 6 Inch Map, (unchecked) (Map). SNN10162.

<4> Shaw M.; Steadman S., 1991, Archaeological Evaluation on Duchy of Lancaster Land at Higham Ferrers, Northamptonshire, (part checked) (Report). SNN1366.

<5> Shaw M.; Steadman S., 1991, Archaeological Evaluation on Duchy of Lancaster Land at Higham Ferrers, Northamptonshire: Figures, (part checked) (Report). SNN105536.

<6> Curteis M., 1996, Northampton Museum Finds Recording Form, (checked) (Finds Recording Form). SNN107247.

<7> Dix B., 1992, Recent Work in Northamptonshire Archaeology, p.120 (part checked) (Article). SNN104441.

<8> Smith A.; Lawrence S., 2003, The Roman Settlement at Kings Meadow Lane, Higham Ferrers, Northamptonshire: Project Design for Post-excavation Assessment, (unchecked) (Report). SNN103138.

<9> Lawrence S.; Smith A., 2004, Higham Ferrers, King Meadow Lane, Prehistoric Activity and The Roman Roadside Settlement: Revised Post-Excavation Assessment & Updated Project Design, (unchecked) (Report). SNN104975.

<10> Lawrence S.; Smith A., 2004, Higham Ferrers, Kings Meadow Lane, Prehistoric Activity and The Roman Roadside Settlement: Revised Post-Excavation Assessment & Updated Project Design (Appendices), (unchecked) (Appendix). SNN104976.

<11> Brindle, T., 2008, Northamptonshire (Draft), (unchecked) (Chapter). SNN106263.

<12> Lawrence , S & Smith, A, 2009, Between Villa and Town: Excavations of a Roman roadside settlement and shrine at Higham Ferrers, Northamptonshire (Monograph). SNN111386.

<13> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, Used with NMR & CUCAP collections (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<14> Oxford Archaeology, 2009, The Nighthawking Survey, p. 17 (Report). SNN106427.

<15> Hatton, G, 2004, The identification of metalworking debris from Kings Meadow Lane, Higham Ferrers, Northamptonshire (Report). SNN115069.

<16> Hatton, G, 2003, King’s Meadow Lane, Higham Ferrers, Northamptonshire: Archaeomagnetic Dating Report 2003 (Report). SNN115070.

<17> Foard G.; Richardson D., 1983, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1982 (Aerial Photography), p. 180 (Notes). SNN100412.

<18> Oblique Aerial Photograph, NHC 13137/28 10-JUL-1990 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN111738.

<19> Oblique Aerial Photograph, NMR 21844/7 17-OCT-2002 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN111738.

<20> Bedford Borough Council HER, Undated, Bedford Borough NMP, MD003015 (Archive). SNN113023.

Record last edited

Feb 17 2025 6:54PM