Monument record 3957/0/2 - Romano-British Quarry Pits Re-Used as Rubbish Pits

Excavation of a plot at 32-34 Kipling Rd identified a number of Romano-British rubbish pits

{1}Excavation of plot measuring 28ft x 20ft at 32-34 Kipling Rd; excavated by B.Dix;

{2} Dix quotes ngr SP87358025 but his mss notes/records/maps show more accurate location at SP87348028;

{3} Plan of trial holes;

{5} Pattern of ancient quarrying similar to that observed in 1971; part of large quarry pit revealed with series of smaller contemporary scoops around it; pit at least 12m wide; northern edge was near vertical face; detail of how quarry might have been worked; area subsequently infilled with 2 layers of black ash & sealed by further layer containing pottery dated to C3rd & C4th AD; other finds included 2 early C3rd brooches; 1 identified as T-shaped brooch with long crossbar; group of 17 coins also recovered;

{6} Excavation 1968/9; 13 refuse pits of later Romano-British date; sealed by thick occupation debris of max. 3ft deep; finds of AD C3rd brooches & Romano-British pot sherds; mainly "upper Nene wares" & colour-coated wares; also animal bones with butchery marks & a saddle quern & 17 Romano-British coins of later AD C3rd including coins of Tetricus I & Victorinus & Claudius II & Tetricus II & Gallienus & Hadrian; all material suggests date of early AD C3rd for pits;

{15} Evidence for craft production is perhaps surprisingly, reasonably good at Kettering. Reports of a clay lined oven or furnace and possible kiln furniture from the earlier quarries and excavations by Kettering Grammar School in the 1960s (3957/0/2; 3957/0/14) possibly suggest small-scale pottery manufacture. In the absence of significant sized modern excavations there is no quantitative guide from artefactual evidence to provide insights into other aspects of the town's possible trading role but the sheer numbers of coin finds and their general chronological bias fits the pattern seen on other small towns and noted by Reece (1991).

<1> Dix B.N., Roman Discoveries at Kettering, (part checked) (Manuscript). SNN30224.

<2> DIX B N, DIX B N RECORD CARDS, (unchecked) (Notes). SNN44487.

<3> Kettering Museum Records, (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN28658.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP88SE1 (unchecked) (Index). SNN443.

<5> Dix, B., 1986-7, The Roman Settlement at Kettering, Northants: Excavations at Kipling Road, 1968 and 1971, p95-105 (Article). SNN39530.

<6> DIX B N, 1970, Untitled Source, (unchecked) (Interim Report). SNN44376.

<7> Kettering Museum Records, Coin List (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN28658.

<8> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1979, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.102 (unchecked) (Series). SNN77380.

<9> Rowley R.T.; Fowler W.J. (Editors), 1972, CBA Group 9 Newsletter: South Midlands Archaeology (2), 14 (Newsletter). SNN10022.

<10> Brown A.E. (Ed.), 1969, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1967/68 (Roman), 14 (Article). SNN58198.

<11> Brown, A.E. (Ed.), 1970, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1969 (Roman), 9 (Article). SNN100535.

<12> 1972, Northamptonshire Archaeology, 21 (Journal). SNN58992.

<13> 1972, Britannia, 3/359 (Journal). SNN47361.

<14> 1972, Archaeological Excavations (Various Years), p.21 (unchecked) (Series). SNN55389.

<15> Taylor, J., 2000, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Kettering (Roman), Section3.4 Commerce and Industry (Digital archive). SNN100751.

Record last edited

Jul 28 2022 1:45PM