Monument record 1896/1/7 - Bridge on Gartree Road

A Roman timber bridge excavated in 1968-69 in advance of gravel extraction at Aldwincle. The bridge appears to have carried the Roman road RR57a (in Margary's scheme) across a former course of the River Nene. Three main structural phases were discerned, indicated by three adjacent rows of vertical piles near the bridge abutment and by three distinct layers of road metalling visible in the silted up river bed. Two samian sherds and sherds of an early 2nd century vessel were associated with first phase timbers; pottery associated with the second phase suggests it was in use throughout the Hadrianic and Antonine periods, and appears to have collapsed no later than the early 3rd century. Following rebuilding, it continued in use during the third century but there is no clear evidence for a date by which it had become disused. Road metalling survived in the approaches to the bridge and appears to have continued across the wooden framework of the bridge. The remains of four human burials were found near the approaches to the bridge. One was found in a trench which had been dug into the river bank to take the side timbers of the bridge abutment. Described as supine with arms and legs extended, it can safely be regarded as contemporary with one of the construction phases. The other three are all regarded as possibly post-Roman (see SP 98 SE 26 for Saxon activity in the vicinity). One was within the road metalling just northwest of the bridge abutment, and had a small iron knife in its ribs. A second was northeast of the abutment, and lay within a narrow grave. The third was to the northwest of the abutment, on the edge of the gravel quarry. Only the legs survived.

{1} Roman bridge (SP 99958012) was excavated in 1967-8. The bridge carried the Roman Road 57a across the River Nene which then flowed along the course now taken by Harper's Brook. The timber remains of three successive bridges and the north west abutment were found

{3} Evidence about the immediate landscape environment of the town and evidence for agricultural practice is equally scarce. Limited molluscan and pedological analysis from the excavations on the Roman bridge at Aldwincle (Jackson 1976) along with surface indications suggest that the lowest reaches of Harpers Brook today may have been the main channel for the Nene in the Roman period. Evidence that the channel was clear flowing might indicate that the river’s course was partly managed and some of the molluscan remains indicated that some land on the floodplain in the vicinity was used as pasture.

{5} Of this bridge only one timber upright is now in Situ, and that is only visible for 0.1m above the present ground level (see photograph). According to a quarry worker who was present at the time the remainder of the bridge was removed by the excavations and the hole filled by machine. It was also stated that a skeleton (with knife in ribs) was found against the bridge. Surveyed at 1/2500 to SP 99948015.
Site visited with Dennis Jackson Sept '69, who pointed out 12 wooden piers (occupying an area c 2.0m x 2.0m) forming no coherent pattern -the majority being flush with the ground surface. Jackson stated that the excavated bridge timbers were forwarded to the BM for analysis, no report as yet to hand - See photograph. The site is scheduled but the quarry owners have objected to the scheduling and the working face is now quite near.

{7} Foundations and part of the superstructure of a Roman bridge, excavated by D Jackson on behalf of the MOPBW, in a gravel pit, where the Roman road, RR 57 (a), crossed the former course of the R Nene (at SP 999801) now represented by Harper's Brook. the left bank of the brook is now 35 to 40 yds from the right bank in Roman times.

The bridge had three periods of construction, the first probably first cent dated by Samian ware found in a Stratified position. (Description of construction with illustrations).

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1975, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.5/Site 11 (unchecked) (Series). SNN77379.

<2> 1976, Britannia, 7/39-72 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN5242.

<3> Taylor J., 2000, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Titchmarsh (Roman), Section 3.6 Land Use (checked) (Digital archive). SNN100748.

<4> Jordan, D, Haddon-Reece, D, and Bayliss, A, 1994, Radiocarbon Dates from samples funded by English Heritage and dated before 1981, p. 3 (Monograph). SNN112521.

<5> Colquhoun, FD, 1969, Field investigators comments, F1 FDC 13-OCT-1969 (Notes). SNN112950.

<6> JACKSON D.A.; AMBROSE T.M., 1976, A ROMAN TIMBER BRIDGE AT ALDWINCLE IN NORTHANTS, p. 39-72 (Article). SNN76834.

<7> 1968, Current Archaeology, p. 229-30 (Journal). SNN57830.

Record last edited

Jan 11 2023 1:04PM