Monument record 4025/1 - Possible Early Roman Settlement

A Romano-British barn of aisled construction with 2 rows of 14 posts excavated in 1965-6. Probably timber framed but had stone foundations and was occupied about AD 100-150. In the second half of the century a roughly circular hut with six post holes was built over the south west corner of the barn.

{1, 2} SP 887 869: A Romano-British barn measuring 112 feet x 41 feet of aisled construction with 2 rows of 14 posts was excavated in 1965-6. It was probably timber framed but had stone foundations and was occupied about AD 100-150. In the second half of the century a roughly circular hut measuring 16 feet diameter with six post holes was built over the south west corner of the barn. The heavy limestone metalling of the floor contained broken millstones as well as pottery and ironwork. Three infant burials probably belong to this phase.

{5} The building was only partially revealed during the excavation, the exposed portion was mainly at the east end. It was represented by a shallowly preserved stone wall 2x2in thick built of roughly squared limestone rag which survived to a maximum of one course high, with no recorded bonding material. Some of the stones showed signs of scorching and as a result had probably been reused. Only the east wall was completely exposed and a wide double doorway was observed. The entrance was marked by an increase in the size of wall masonry and also by two opposing arcs which extend from the first posthole in each row to join at the approximate mid point ot the east wall.

{6} The indicated site is now under crop.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1979, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.24 (checked) (Series). SNN77380.

<2> UNCERTAIN, 1965, DOE Excavations (Various Years), Exc 1966 MPBW 11 (E Greenfield) (Series). SNN29211.

<3> 1966, Roman Britain in 1965, p.207 (unchecked) (Chapter). SNN28996.

<4> Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies, 1967, The Journal of Roman Studies, p.186 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN29213.

<5> Meadows I., 1992, Three Roman Sites in Northamptonshire: Bozeat, Higham Ferrers & Great Oakley, p.91 (checked) (Article). SNN40363.

<6> Baird, J, 1969, Field Investigators Comments, F1 JB 22-JUL-1969 (Note). SNN111452.

<7> Scott, E., 1993, A gazetteer of Roman villas in Britain, p. 143-4, NH 54 (Monograph). SNN110345.

Record last edited

Feb 7 2025 2:55PM