Monument record 3380 - Iron Age & Romano-British Settlement, Nat's Barn

Extensive area of Iron Age and Roman settlement including the site of a possible Roman villa. Fieldwalking surveys have recovered large quantities of artefacts from this location including Roman pottery, coins and bronze objects. The presence of building stone, roof and flue tiles and tesserae indicate a substantial building. Four inhumations were found in 1959. Cropmarks of enclosures have been identified on aerial photographs over much of the area.

{1} Iron Age and Roman settlement immediately south of The Firs. Air photographs show a series of enclosures and linear ditches forming no coherent pattern and clearly representing a number of different periods. Fieldwalking here has led to the discovery of Iron Age pottery and iron slag, centred SP837600. In this area also four burials, two of them children, were found during ploughing in 1959. One of the latter had two pewter dishes associated with it. Further east Roman pottery building stone, roof and flue tiles and tesserae indicate a substantial building, while other less pretentious buildings seem to surround it. Other finds from the general area include animal bones, oyster shells, bronze, iron and lead objects, fragments of glass and worked flints. A large number of 4th century coins have also been found.

{2} In 1959 the site of a Roman building or buildings found by R Hollowell in ploughed field. Lists finds including coins.

{3} Lists further coins found on the site during late 1967 and 1968.

{4} Roman coins found during 1969 (and small number of other finds).

{5} Area of SP 839600. Nat's Barn. This extensive Iron Age and Roman site was discovered by fieldwalking in 1959. Air photographs show enclosures and disjointed ditches. Large amount of Iron Age pottery and remains of a substantial Roman building. Four human burials were ploughed out at SP 387600; two were of children and one had two pewter dishes with it. Iron working is suggested by slag patches. Other finds are animal bones, oyster shells, bronze objects (Brooches, flat ring, bracelets, pins, twisted strip, bowl fitting, hook, tweezers, chain), iron objects (nails, knife, lock), a pierced lead disc, pieces of lead, a bone comb, saddle and rotary querns (including one of pudding stone), fragments of glass, glass beads, numerous worked flints and abundant coins.

{8} The site is at present under crop. Mr Hollowell confirmed the description and location of the finds.

{9} SP839600. Coin found in December 1971: Fel Temp Rep Galley type 348-350 AD.

{10} Sketch plans of find spots, along with drawings. Field name: Nat's Barn.

{11} SP 839 599. Three 4th century Roman coins found during 1976-7. AE4 Constantinopolis, AE3/4 Gloria Exercitus, centenionalis of Magnentius.

{12} Fieldwalking recovered Iron Age pottery sherds.

{13} A stone flake of the Group VI type was found on the Roman site. The find is in Northampton Museum.

{14} Nat's Barn. Fieldwalking by R.Hollowell and A.Chubb in 1959 recovered iron slag and Iron Age pot sherds.

{15} SP 8408600 Cropmarks recorded in 1981. Enclosure and ditch recorded, possibly associated with the Iron Age/Romano-British complex within SP85NW.

{16} Fieldwalking on 21/05/1961. A Roman C3rd brass of Valens, inscribed: D.N.VALENS.P.F.AUG.

{17} Roman coins and other artefacts recovered during metal detecting. Identified by Mark Curteis, Northampton Museum.

{18} Plan of area surveyed showing locations of finds. Finds included Roman sherds and tile fragments, and a coin of Constantine I.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1979, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.19/Site 4 (checked) (Series). SNN77380.

<2> Brown, A.E. (Ed.), 1967, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1966/67 (Roman), 2/20-1 (checked) (Article). SNN58197.

<3> Brown A.E. (Ed.), 1969, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1967/68 (Roman), 3/18 (checked) (Article). SNN58198.

<4> Brown, A.E. (Ed.), 1970, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1969 (Roman), 4/13 (checked) (Article). SNN100535.

<5> HOLLOWELL R., 1971, Aerial Photography and Fieldwork in the Upper Nene Valley, Cogenhoe site 8 (checked) (Journal). SNN106546.

<6> Northampton Museum Records, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN126.

<7> Moore W.R.G., 1968, Roman Settlement in the Upper and Middle Nene Valley, p.51 (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN15188.

<8> Seaman, B H, 1970, Field Investigator's Comments (Notes). SNN111541.

<9> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1972, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1971, 7/19 (checked) (Journal). SNN59984.

<10> Mr Hensman, Wiston Oct 1959-Nov 1959, (checked) (Notes). SNN51620.

<11> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1978, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1977, 13/180 (checked) (Journal). SNN2192.

<12> HALL D.N., 1977, CBA GROUP 9 NEWSLETTER, 8/23 (checked) (Journal). SNN33000.

<13> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.196/Site 4 (checked) (Series). SNN77382.

<14> Northampton Museum Topographical Index, Site List (unchecked) (Index). SNN1470.

<15> 1982, Aerial Photography in Northamptonshire 1981, 17/108 (checked) (Journal). SNN104561.

<16> 1961, Site Records, (unchecked) (Notes). SNN57343.

<17> Curteis M., 1995, Finds Catalogue, (unchecked) (SMR Report Form). SNN49228.

<18> BROWN A.E., 1967, Field Near Whiston, Northamptonshire, (checked) (Plan). SNN105107.

<19> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP85NW20 (checked) (Index). SNN443.

<20> Young S., 1994, Fieldwalking Survey of Romano-British Sites, (checked) (Gazetteer). SNN54726.

<21> RCHME, 1993, National Archaeological Record Recording Form, (unchecked) (Note). SNN48125.

Record last edited

Sep 8 2025 2:53PM