Monument record 1760/1/6 - Part of Possible Roman Road Still In Use in Post Medieval Period

Two parallel undated ditches are seen on air photographs as cropmarks along with possible enclosures. A clear date is not certain. Some of the linear ditches could be from former mineral railways due to the adjacent quarrying activity in the area.

{1} Documentary references to a post medieval road which appears to have followed the possible Romano-British road route from SP92846927 to SP92306913. The map shows direction change and the point at which the post medieval road stops.

{2} Cropmark recorded in 1982. Two parallel ditches, possibly the Roman road, but could also be an ironstone tramway and/or hedge boundary.

{4} Cropmarks - 2 parallel ditches on AP in 1982.

{5} Possibly the same as SP96NW 57.

{6} The ditches referred to above (Sources 1-2) were visible on aerial photographs and mapped as part of the Bedford Borough NMP project. The ditches continue eastwards towards former quarrying areas (also visible on cropmarks) and may be the former line of mineral tramways. Though at SP 93069 69240 there appears to be a sub rectangular enclosure, with small circular enclosures, which could be much earlier in date. The record in Source 2 appears erroneous and likley should be SP96NW 37 (Monument Number 968680).

{10} It would appear that this is this a duplicate record for the features centred at SP 92995 69237. These features were also recorded as Monument Number 965110.

<1> 1801, MAP, (unchecked) (Map). SNN39197.

<2> FOARD G.R., 1982, Oral Report to SMR, (checked) (Oral Report). SNN50901.

<3> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, NCCAP:SP9269/023-25 (unchecked) (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<4> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1983, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1982, P. 180 (Article). SNN24591.

<5> Historic England, Unknown, Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments, Inf Northants SMR 1993 (Oral Report). SNN111577.

<6> Oblique Aerial Photograph, NHC 5264/21 30-JUN-1980 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN111738.

<7> Oblique Aerial Photograph, NHC 2486/12 14-JUL-1984 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN111738.

<8> Oblique Aerial Photograph, NMR 823/278 02-JUL-1975 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN111738.

<9> Bedford Borough Council HER, Undated, Bedford Borough NMP, MD003015 (Archive). SNN113023.

<10> 2018-2019, RCHME/EH/HE Aerial Photographers comment, Bedford Borough NMP project, Amanda Adams 25-MAR-2019 Bedford Borough NMP (Note). SNN111578.

Record last edited

Jul 9 2024 12:08PM