Monument record 3991/2 - Probable Iron Age and/or Roman field sytem, west of Rothwell

Archaeological investigation undertaken in 2025 ahead of residential development identified a small number of ditches that were dated by their proximity to nearby Iron Age and Roman settlement and probably represent a boundary or trackway aligned approximately east to west and an associated field system.

{1, 2, 3} The survey identified a number of linear ditches which, although not conclusively dated, may form part of a field system linked to Iron Age settlements previously identified on land to the north and south.

{4} Archaeological trial trenching and a subsequent, targeted area of excavation identified a small number of ditches, tentatively dated by spatial association to the Iron Age–early Roman period, in the central and north-east parts of the site. The uncovered remains are likely to represent a maintained field boundary or a redefined trackway, with adjacent smaller ditches forming field systems immediately to the north. The remains appear to constitute peripheral activity of an agricultural nature, at some distance away from settlement foci. Similar field systems have been identified close-by, although they are based on a different alignment.

<1> Meadows, A & Manktelow, C, 2023, Archaeological geophysical survey of 'Rothwell Central', Rothwell, Northamptonshire, March 2023 (Report). SNN115303.

<2> MOLA Northampton, 2023, Digital Archive from a Geophysical Survey at Rothwell Central, Rothwell, Northamptonshire 2023 (Digital archive). SNN115684.

<3> Crank, N. (Editor), 2024, South Midlands Archaeology (54), p. 59-60 (Journal). SNN116886.

<4> Catie Watts, 2026, ROTHWELL CENTRAL (LAND TO THE WEST), ROTHWELL, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE: ARCHAEOLOGICAL TRIAL TRENCHING AND MITIGATION WORKS (Report). SNN116997.

Record last edited

Aug 28 2026 9:31AM