Monument record 1187/2 - Probable Late Romano-British Cemetery, Laxton Lodge

A cemetery comprising at least 85 graves was revealed during road improvements on the A45. Only a small number were investigated.

{1} An inhumation cemetery containing at least 87 graves was exposed, although the number of graves probably exceeded 100. There was only time to examine a limited number of burials along the west side of the stripped area, and to plot the position of the others exposed by soil stripping. Only 19 graves were examined, and many of these were very shallow, with bones either shattered, decayed, or destroyed. The depth of the excavated graves ranged from those barely penetrating the surface of the bedrock to others cut up to 0.6m below this level. The bones within the deeper graves were better preserved and several graves had been roughly lined with standing stones around their edges.
A coin of Valentinian was found in the filling of Grave 7, and a small number of pot sherds from other grave fills indicate a late Roman date.

A number of pits and ditches were found in the area of the cemetery as well as two ovens similar to those found on the nearby settlement at Wakerley. A small amount of pottery recovered dates the features to AD C2nd-C4th, within which one oven probably dates to the later C3rd/C4th.

{2} Excavated graves contained residual lumps of raw and roasted iron ore. Presumed to be of Romano-British date.

<1> JACKSON D.A.; TYLECOTE R.F., 1988, Two New Romano-British Ironworking Sites in Northamptonshire: A New Type of Furnace?, 19/275-298 (checked) (Article). SNN43553.

<2> Dix B.(ed), 1986-7, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1985-6, p.155 Laxton (checked) (Report). SNN100334.

<3> Tylecote R.F., 1985, A New Type of Iron Bloomery Furnace in Great Britain, (part checked) (Typescript Report). SNN43716.

Record last edited

Feb 26 2024 12:57PM