Monument record 89 - Romano-British Settlement

Cropmarks of a possible ditched enclosure and other features and a scatter of Roman pottery indicate a probable Roman settlement. Trial trench excavation undertaken in 2015 to the west of the cropmarks identified a scatter of plough-damaged features associated with 2nd-3rd century AD pottery and roof tiles.

{1} Roman settlement (SP 614438) W of Astwell Park, on Boulder Clay, at 155 m above OD. On air photographs a small rectangular ditched enclosure is visible, with other ditches joining and intersecting it, and an isolated ditch further south east. A scatter of Roman occupation debris has been noted.Aerial photo NCCAP: SP6143/5

{2} Three trial trenches were excavated to the south of the water tower. A scatter of plough-damaged features, including pits and probable ditches, were identified. Of the 74 sherds of pottery recovered from the site, 40 were unstratified. A single piece of Tegula and part of an Imbrex tile, both from the plough-soil, strongly suggest that the site contained at least one building.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.81/Site 2 (checked) (Series). SNN77382.

<2> Soden, I, 2015, Evaluation by trial trenching at two proposed develoment sites close to Astwell Castle, Northamptonshire (Report). SNN111938.

<3> Royal Air Force, Vertical Aerial Photography, Aerial Photographs (RAF VAP CPE/UK/1926, 3224-5) (Photographs). SNN104890.

<4> Council for British Archaeology, 1976, South Midlands Archaeology: CBA Group 9 Newsletter (34), p. 28 (Newsletter). SNN104928.

<5> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1976, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1975, p. 81-2 (Journal). SNN169.

Record last edited

Feb 3 2025 8:12PM