Monument record 5091 - Romano-British and Anglo-Saxon Settlement, Pineham

A substantial multi-phase Romano-British settlement. Settlement originated in the Iron Age, although much of the activity occurred in the Roman period. During the earlier Roman period, the settlement comprised field boundaries and enclosures, although activity intensified in the later Roman period with the addition of numerous paddocks and enclosures with evidence of extensive agricultural activity, including a large water hole, a possible 'smoke' house, kilns, ovens and cobble surfaces. Clusters of burials were also found. Extensive Anglo-Saxon activity was also identified including buildings and finds.

{1} Fieldwalking recovered Romano-British pot sherds from a "small Roman site" at SP716587.

{3} Scanning in the western half of field 2 did not yield any significant archaeological anomalies. It is possible that features lying some distance from the main activity areas would produce weaker responses so it is likely that features do exist within this area but their responses are below the detectable limits for scanning.

{6} Archaeological excavation was undertaken prior to development. The majority of the evidence consisted of a substantial Roman rural settlement, much of which date to the late Roman period. A late Roman farmstead appears to have been added to an earlier E-W field boundary. This consisted of lots of field boundaries / paddocks, a large water hole (containing surviving timber revetment and fragments of a leather shoe), cobble surfaces, ovens/kilns, and a small stone-built rectangular building. This intriguing structure was discovered set within a small enclosure. It contained an internal vent/flue that ran the perimeter of the building, with a fire pit located at the southwest corner of the building. Possibly for processing of agricultural resources.

The site has produced many great finds but one of the best and least expected came directly from a metal detector signal within a narrow ditch forming part of the southern boundary of the enclosure complex. Four fragments of a circular lead tank were recovered that have been interpreted as parts of an early Christian baptismal font.

{7} ULAS undertook large-scale excavation over 12ha in size and focused on two fields. In the east field the majority of the evidence consisted of a substantial multi-phase Roman rural settlement; the early Roman phases consisted of some field boundaries and enclosures. In the later Roman period activity intensified, with numerous enclosures and paddocks added to a pre-existing linear ditch, forming a gridded arrangement. These fields contained evidence of a variety of agricultural activities, including a large water hole ( containing surviving timber revetment and fragments of a leather shoe), cobble surfaces, ovens/kilns and wells. A small stone-built rectangular structure was set within one small enclosure. The structure was square-shaped with a stone flue running around the internal perimeter and stoke hole on one comer, it may have been a 'smoke' house or drying oven.
Clusters of human burials were located on the edge of the activity areas, some lying within the enclosures, others overlying the enclosure ditches, and one within a ditch. Pieces of a circular lead tank (which had been cut up into flattened pieces) were laid individually along a short section of a ditch forming the southern boundary of the enclosure. The excavations in the east field also revealed evidence for significant Anglo-Saxon settlement activity - this included buildings of various forms and sizes, along with pottery and other Saxon objects.

{10} The early to middle first century AD marked a period of intensification in this area. A large rectilinear enclosure was attached to the east-west boundary with a D-shaped enclosure on its western side. 'Belgic' pottery discovered in later features suggests some degree of domestic activity during this period. A complete horse burial was located against the souther side of the east-west boundary and dated to the late 1st century cal BC to the mid 1st century cal AD. A second horse burial also appeared to be associated with the boundary.
From the mid-2nd century, the ditch-system was extended further east and large enclosures were established.
In the 4th century AD the settlement activity significantly intensified, with several large enclosures and paddocks added to, and replacing, the pre-existing ditches. Three major droveways formed the key access routes through the settlement, surrounded by six sub-rectangular enclosures. Within the enclosures there was evidence of various activities, including livestock pens and an enclosed cemetery. Within one enclosure was a large cobbled area probably used as hardstanding for a timber structure. Pieces of lead tank were found in the enclosure ditch. There was a large waterhole, probably dating to the 4th century, with a sequence of waterlogged deposits.
At least six buildings and structures of various forms and sizes (five sunken-featured buildings and two post-hole structures) dated to the early middle Anglo-Saxon period; some of the structures were located within the late Roman field enclosures others close to the Roman droveways.

<1> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1974, Archaeology In Northamptonshire 1973, p.91 (checked) (Article). SNN9109.

<2> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.311/Site 4 (checked) (Series). SNN77383.

<3> GSB Prospection, 1999, Geophysical Survey: Upton, Northamptonshire, p.4 (checked) (Report). SNN102494.

<4> Buteux S.; Jones L., 2000, Archaeological Evaluation Excavation At Pineham Barn, Upton, Northamptonshire (Report). SNN100405.

<5> ULASNews, 2015, Archaeologists return to Pineham, Northamptonshire (Website). SNN110987.

<6> ULASNews, 2014, Roman 'smoke-house' found at Pineham, Northamptonshire (Website). SNN110988.

<7> Carlyle S., 2010, Neolithic Cremations And A Romano-British Enclosure at Milton Ham, Northampton, February and March 2008, p.4 (part checked) (Report). SNN107968.

<8> Horne, B (editor), 2015, South Midlands Archaeology (45), p. 54-6 (Journal). SNN111358.

<9> Harvey, J and Speed, Dr G, 2020, Archaeological Excavations at Pineham North (residential Area), Upton, Northampton, Volume 1: Excavation Report (Report). SNN112354.

<10> Harvey, J and Speed, Dr G (eds), 2020, Archaeological Excavations at Pineham North (Residential Area), Upton, Northampton, Volume 2: Specialist Reports (Report). SNN112355.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 7:45PM