Monument record 1737/1/2 - Bronze Age Round Barrow Re-Used as late Iron Age/Romano-British temenos, Stanwick Villa

Bronze Age barrow which was constructed in turf and revetted with a ring of posts. In the 1st century AD the barrow was encircled by a ditch, later a walkway and finally a stone wall. An entranceway into the temenos may have been roofed and drainage channels suggest that there may have been a water feature inside. A thick layer of oyster shell spread outwards from the wall for up to 10m, forming a glistening surface around the temenos and alongside the approach road. The temenos declined during the second half of the 4th century. A total of 772 coins were recovered from within and around the temenos, many of which are likely to have been deliberately deposited as ritual offerings.

{1} During late Iron Age/Early Roman period a Bronze Age barrow was enclosed with a polygonal wall and used as a ritual focus point until the early 2nd century when it fell out of use. 500 1st and 2nd century coins and 2 copper alloy leaves were found in association with the site.

{6} The temenos was a ritual space, defined with a ditch, paths and walls. It enclosed a Bronze Age barrow, but since the top of the barrow was removed by later agricultural activity, any internal structures have been lost. The enclosure was initially defined by a ditch in the 1st century AD, replaced by a pathway in the 2nd century AD with a stone pier base set at its western side. A new metalled walkway was created in the later 2nd or early 3rd century, along with a second pier base; the two defining an entrance-way. Tiles found in the vicinity suggest it was roofed. An encircling stone wall was built in the later 3rd/early 4th century and three drainage channels suggest that there was a water feature inside the enclosure. A thick layer of oyster shells spread outwards from the wall for up to 10m. The temenos declined during the second half of the 4th century and coin deposition changed from the west to the east side of the enclosure.
In total, 772 coins were recovered from within and around the temenos, mostly from the plough soil due to agrcultural activity. The majority are copper alloy coins struck prior to AD 260. Most of the coins deposited here are likely to have been intentionally deposited as ritual offerings. A mutilated coin, where the reverse of the coin was deliberately gouged, was found. These have been recorded at other Roman temples and sites with a focus of ritual deposition. The number of third century dupondii is unusual and may indicate a connection with the wider military or imperial administration.

<1> Parry S., 1993, Raunds Area Survey Report, p.77 (unchecked) (Draft). SNN1175.

<2> Dungworth, D, 2016, Stanwick, Northamptonshire: assessment of industrial debris (Report). SNN115554.

<3> NEAL D., 1989, The Stanwick Villa, Northants: An Interim Report on the Excavations of 1984-88, p. 156-7 (Article). SNN69543.

<4> Crosby, V and Muldowney, L, 2011, Stanwick Quarry, Northamptonshire. Raunds Area Project: Phasing the Iron Age and Romano-British settlement at Stanwick, Northamptonshire (Excavations 1984-1992). Archaeological report: Volume 2 (Report). SNN112128.

<5> Crosby, V and Muldowney, L, 2011, Stanwick Quarry, Northamptonshire. Raunds Area Project: Phasing the Iron Age and Romano-British settlement at Stanwick, Northamptonshire (Excavations 1984-1992). Archaeological report: Volume 1 (Report). SNN110902.

<6> Henry, R, 2021, Coinage and Ritual Deposition at Stanwick, Northamptonshire (Article). SNN115999.

Record last edited

Feb 7 2024 12:38PM