Monument record 1790 - Romano-British Settlement (With Possible Iron Age Origins), Red Lodge and Debdale

Two apparently distinct areas of occupation identified as cropmarks. Fieldwalking survey of both areas has not identified any Iron Age pottery. Roman pottery forms two concentrations 390m apart.

{1} Romano-British settlement and associated field system appears to extend throughout the Roman period. The settlement would appear to be broadly contemporary on either side of the road. All features appear to respect each other and may represent one constructional phase or successive development of the site. The southern cropmark complex is arranged along a series of parallel ditches with rectangular enclosures connected to them. The most prominent enclosure has broad surrounding ditches and contains ring ditch which presumably indicates the presence of a round house. Two small enclosures to the north and east may have formed annexes. The northern cropmarks form a series of incomplete ditched enclosures arranged either side of a ditch. The enclosures are sub-rectangular in shape and cover between 0.24ha and 0.62ha. The central boundary may continue to the north as triple ditches for a distance of almost 600m.

{2} The site covers several acres.

{3} Fieldname: The Blacks.

{4} Air photographs show a complex pattern of ditches and ditched enclosures at the S.W. end of the site with a triple linear-ditch system extending N.E. towards a spring (air photographs in NMR). The Roman settlement (11) lies a little to the S.W

{5} Possibly three sides of a rectangular enclosure and other possible ditches. The features are indistinct and some are possibly non-archaeological. Also 3 parallel ditches.

{6} Previous investigations have revealed a Roman pottery scatter adjacent to Red Lodge, with a linear series of ditched enclosures in cropmark to the north overlooking Debdale which the survey has shown to be associated with a further pottery concentration. In addition recent aerial photography has not only provided greater detail of the known cropmarks but also recorded a virtually continuous spread of cropmarks extending to the southern scatter.
The cropmarks perhaps form two distinct groups, differing in the size of their individual enclosures and separated by some 145m wherein there is a single small enclosure. The two sets however occupy a common alignment and the individual elements appear to respect one another possibly indicating a single constructional phase or consecutive development. More detailed description of two sets of cropmarks given.
No Iron Age pottery was recovered from either of the cropmarks or the surrounding area. Roman pottery forms two concentrations about 392m apart, suggesting the presence of two distinct areas of settlement. The intervening area is largely barren, while the slopes of the gentle ridge on which the settlement is constructed have a light but even scatter of pottery suggesting manuring.
The broad, ditched enclosure and its two annexes yielded only a single sherd, so dating is uncertain and an Iron Age origin cannot be discounted. Both the concentrations and surrounding scatters contain early Roman pottery but there is a marked decline in later material from Debdale, suggesting that settlement concentrated in the south. More detailed descriptions of pottery scatters given.

{7-9} A Roman settlement site of ditched enclosures and boundary ditches is visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs and was mapped as part of the Bedford Borough NMP project. Located over two fields immediately E and NE of Red Lodge and centred at TL 02265 71982, a complex of ditched enclosures extends over an area 677 metres SW-NE and 180 metres NW-SE, with a possibly contemporaneous triple ditched alignment extending beyond the ditched enclosures a further 580 metres SW-NE. A Roman date is established from the association with finds on the site near Red Lodge of Romano-British pottery remains.

The settlement cropmarks comprises a linear complex of enclosures of various size and shape, with a D-shaped enclosure, curvilinear enclosure, as well as accreted rectilinear enclosures and subrectangular enclosures, along with pits and maculae.

At the N end of the settlement, three parallel curvilinear ditches extend 330 metres NE beyond the former railway line. Their function is uncertain, as is their association with the Roman settlement. Located within former medieval or post-medieval ridge and furrow cultivation blocks, there is no evidence of these features in the historic aerial photographs assessed until the ridge and furrow earthworks had been plough levelled in the post-war period. It is possible that these features are the result of modern agricultural practices, as similar curvilinear marks on the same alignment are visible faintly in the field to the SE and seem to closely respect the boundary of some modern ploughing soil marks on that alignment recorded on aerial photographs taken in 1968.

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

<2> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, TL07SW11 (checked) (Index). SNN443.

<3> 1861, MAP, (unchecked) (Map). SNN40032.

<4> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1975, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.79 (checked) (Series). SNN77379.

<5> FOARD G.R., ORAL REPORT TO SMR, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN50812.

<6> Parry S. et al, 2006, Raunds Area Survey: An Archaeological Study of The Landscape of Raunds, Northamptonshire 1985-94, p.256-258 (part checked) (Book). SNN105780.

<7> Oblique Aerial Photograph, NHC SF3061 28-JUL-1986 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN111738.

<8> Oblique Aerial Photograph, NHC SF3061/7 28-JUL-1986 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN111738.

<9> Oblique Aerial Photograph, NMR 405/66 26-JUL-1972 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN111738.

<10> Bedford Borough Council HER, Undated, Bedford Borough NMP (Archive). SNN113023.

<11> RCHME, Undated, RCHME Inventory: Northamptonshire I (North-East), 890474 (Archive). SNN113295.

Record last edited

Jan 18 2023 3:55PM