Monument record 3910/1/1 - Probable Romano-British villa, Weekley

Remains of a probable Roman villa were found at 'Castle Hedges' in the 18th century.

{1} At 'Castle Hedges' several pavements and foundations have been turned up by ploughing and Romano British pottery and burnt stones have been found on the surface. "I believe some persons now have some of the cubes as many brought quantities away who visited the place from curiosity; it is situated about a mile south west of Geddington."

{2} Before 1720 a 'Roman pavement and foundations' were turned up by the plough in this area, and a 'long trench' stretching a considerable distance into Boughton Park was noted [the latter possibly Mon 3949/1/1].

{3} Between Weekley and Geddington, in a place called 'Castle Hedges' remains of a Romano-British pavement and foundations have been turned up by the plough.

{5} Near the village of Weekley, at 'Castle-Hedges', several pavements and foundations have been turned up by ploughing, and several Roman and Anglo Saxon coins have been found.

{7} Mosaic pavements were ploughed up in the C18th.

{8} A Roman villa at Weekley (SP885818) was first referred to by C18th antiquaries, who stated that 'pavements, foundations, pottery and a great deal of money' had been ploughed up in a field known as Castle Hedges.

{10} In 1970 a trial-trench was excavated to assess its degree of survival. Although a tightly-packed wall-foundation remained intact, no floor-levels had survived in the excavated trench and despite there being quantities of stone and tile tesserae in the ploughsoil, little certain dating evidence was recovered. Since the building was largely sited on sloping ground, it will have been particularly prone to plough-erosion.

{11}Enclosure and stone scatter, soilmark aerial photography 1981.

{13} "And in the vista near Castle-Hedges ..... a Roman Tessellated pavement was uncovered some years since, evidently marking the site of a Roman villa".

{14} "F.W Bull marked the approximate site of the pavement on the revised trace ..."

{15} Weekley Roman building (site of): "I have been over the field with the site marked on it several times in the last year or so, and so have the Museum Assistants at Kettering and Northampton, and we have never been able to find any pottery or other evidence of Romano-British occupation". The reference to "a Roman tessellated pavement" by Charles Wise {13}" is vague enough for the site actually to have been in a field nearer to the Geddington road or even on the other side of the road". (Nothing visible on Aps suggesting a site of building). 'Castle Hedges' is, according to an unsigned note on the old Record 6", the field centred at SP 888817. This is probably derived from Bridges (II 344) description of other antiquities associated with it.

<1> 1809, BROADSIDES, (unchecked) (Correspondence). SNN43454.

<2> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1979, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.152-3 (checked) (Series). SNN77380.

<3> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.344 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77326.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP88SE3 (unchecked) (Index). SNN443.

<5> Whellan, 1874, History, Topography & Directory of Northamptonshire, p.814 (unchecked) (Book). SNN1002.

<6> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.202 Site 2 (unchecked) (Series). SNN77382.

<7> Wilson D.R., 1971, Roman Britain in 1970, p.266-7 (checked) (Journal). SNN58458.

<8> JACKSON D.A., 1974, A Roman Lime Kiln at Weekley, Northants, p.128 (checked) (Article). SNN71561.

<9> Ryland, W, Adkins, D, and Serjeantson, R M, 1902, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.194 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100368.

<10> Jackson D.; Dix B., 1986-7, Late Iron Age and Roman Settlement at Weekley, Northants., (unchecked) (Article). SNN104539.

<11> 1982, Aerial Photography in Northamptonshire 1981, p110 Weekley (Journal). SNN104561.

<12> Scott, E., 1993, A gazetteer of Roman villas in Britain, p. 148, NH 114 (Monograph). SNN110345.

<13> WISE C., 1899, The Compotus of the Manor of Kettering For AD 1292, p. 82 (Extract). SNN76036.

<14> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Object Name Book reference, ONB 1924 of Letter (JA Banks 18.1.24) (Archive). SNN113537.

<15> Baird, J, 1969, Field Investigators Comments (Note). SNN111452.

Record last edited

Oct 9 2023 9:31AM