Monument record 2409/0/6 - Roman gravel and possible ironworking workshop, Ashton

In October 1971 two small areas were excavated to investigate anomalies revealed by geophysical survey. In Area I, a large Roman gravel pit had been backfilled with rubbish. The pottery dated from the late 1st to the late 3rd centuries. In Area II, a cobbled working floor was found, but despite large quantities of building stone a structure was not identified. Large quantities of slag were recovered and hammerscale was also found. Some of the slag had fragments of smithing hearth adhering to it. [specific location of features not known]

{1}Cobbled working floor with building material but no structure. Evidence of iron smelting. Pit dug for gravel extraction contained much rubbish including building material & hippo sandal & over 200 fragments of Samian.

{3}Cobbled working floor with gravel & mortar base; considerable amount of building stone deposited on surface but as yet position of any structure not located; hearth identified on cobbled surface & set in floor base beneath cobbles was large calcite gritted pot. Large quantities of iron slag recovered from beneath cobbled floor; deposits showed evidence of burning ash & charcoal; in northern part of area shallow depression filled with slag & ash was found; hammer scale was also found; some slag had adhereing to it fragments of furnace lining later identified by Mr Tylecote as remains of smithing hearth; in same layer was also found small 'dolphin' type brooch complete with pin; 1.25ins long & silver-washed; typical of C1st/2nd AD.

Pit 12.5ft diameter revealed in Area 1; originally dug for gravel extraction but subsequently used as rubbish pit; fill was rich in bones & pottery & nails & glass & building material; late C1st to late C3rd AD pottery was in wide range of styles & fabrics including over 200 sherds of Samian from 1 layer; other finds included hippo sandal & penanular brooch & coin of Valens;

{4}The large number of excavated pits towards the southern end of the town, most were of which were dug for posts or for quarried sand and gravel and rapidly back filled after use.

<1> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, TL08NW35 (checked) (Index). SNN443.

<2> Brown, A E (ed), 1971, Bulletin of the Northamptonshire Federation of Archaeological Societies, 6 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN13960.

<3> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1972, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1971, p.12 (checked) (Journal). SNN59984.

<4> Taylor J., 2002, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Ashton (Roman), Section 3.6 (unchecked) (Digital archive). SNN103116.

Record last edited

Sep 30 2026 8:37AM