Monument record 1737 - Iron Age, Romano-British & Early Middle Saxon Settlement, Stanwick

The presence of a substantial Roman settlement had been recognised since at least the C18. More recently, aerial photographic evidence identified cropmarks of groups of buildings and enclosures as well as significant quantities of finds from the Iron Age and Roman periods from fieldwalking surveys. Excavations, which covered over 30ha, were undertaken ahead of quarrying between 1984 and 1991 revealing an extensive area of occupation which originated in an unenclosed settlement dating to the middle Iron Age. Trackways and enclosures established in the 1st century AD formed a framework for the development of an agricultural village during the late 1st century to 3rd centuries AD. During 1st century AD, a Bronze Age barrow became the focus of a temple or shrine. More complex building types appeared from the mid-3rd century AD and included both circular and rectangular forms with a variety of functions, including at least one temple. One aisled building was eventually incorporated into a winged corridor villa (HER no 1737/2).

{2} Reconnaissance and intensive fieldwalking carried out over area of Roman Villa. Results showed area occupied throughout Romano-British period though more so in middle and late periods. Finds show utilitarian activities at the expense of the more high level and essentially domestic.
Iron age pottery found during fieldwalking concentrated over area where excavation later identified round houses. Less pottery over area of graneries - difficult to tell whether this was due to nature of settlement, later Roman activity or alluvial cover. Report by D.Jackson and V Denham identified 72 sherds of pottery of 5 different fabrics. Not yet known whether material discovered by fieldwalking is indicative of pottery below ground. It is possible that overburden provided by Roman occupation and alluvium may have served to protect Iron Age deposits from disturbance.
Dense concentrations of early and late Roman pottery over area of rectangular enclosures. Stone scatters were also identified. Tile and tesserae from the villa found at a considerable distance from the site - demolition of villa spread over a wide area. Settlement extended onto Northamptonshire sand and ironstone and Gt Oolitic limestone. The Romano-British settlement developed in the C2nd on the site of a previous late Iron Age complex. This appeared to be a planned settlement with a new system of enclosures being established over previous boundaries. A system of tracks divided and separated individual enclosures. By the end of the C2nd up to five round houses and accompanying yards were built. One of the circular buildings was provided with a donkey mill. A villa was added to the complex during the C3rd and C4th.
Light concentration of early-middle Saxon pottery to the north-east of the excavated area - no settlement remains found, pottery may relate to stone robbing of the Roman buildings or merely be a manuring scatter.

{5} The presence of a substantial Roman settlement has been known since at least the C18th, when Bridges recorded the discovery of fragments of tessellated pavement. In more recent times cropmark evidence identified groups of buildings and enclosures, together with Iron Age and Roman pottery, tile ans stone from fieldwalking. The plan to extract gravel from the area led to an evaluation by D.Jackson, and from 1984 large-scale open excavation by the Central Archaeology Service of English Heritage as part of the Raunds Area Project. The results of this work will form the major part of the Iron Age and Roman volume in the present series of monograph reports (Crosby and Neal in preparation). In addition a series of early prehistoric monuments was discovered. Only a summary of the results is included here together with an initial discussion of the patterning of material collected from the ploughsoil.
The excavation of remains at Stanwick extends over some 28ha within extensive evidence of both Iron Age and Roman occupation occur. The Iron Age material which includes elements of early, middle and late date comprises discrete areas which were dominated by particular classes of remains. In the northern part of the excavation a series of four-post structures was recorded. Further south were the remains of a settlement of circular houses within individual drainage gullies. The gullies were between 8m and 15m in diameter, with entrances usually on the east or south-east side, but nowhere do they appear to have enclosed more than one structure. Concentrations of rubbish pits have also been identified.
The layout of the settlement began to change in the C1st AD. During this period a Bronze Age barrow was enclosed by a polygonal wall which overlay an earlier cobbled path circuit. The site of the barrow clearly served as a ritual focus and was associated with about 500 C1st and C2nd coins and two copper alloy leaves. Ritual practice may have continued throughout the Roman period though the numbers of coins had declined by the mid C4th.
By the mid C2nd a new system of enclosures had gradually evolved utilising some of the earlier trackways and boundaries. These enclosures were maintained until the end of the C4th, with some expansion of individual plots and the subdivision of others. The range of structures included both circular and rectangular forms, fulfilling a variety of functions from domestic to agricultural and including at least one temple.
During the C3rd an aisled hall was built within on of the complexes. It was later enlarged by the addition of a cross-range and bath-suite. Around AD 375 this building was further enlarged into a corridor villa with polychrome mosaics. Elsewhere within the settlement the number of farmsteads appears to have fluctuated through time but may have comprised up to 12 separate holdings, some provided with ancillary buildings while other structures may have formed individual homes.
Early middle Saxon p[ottery was found to the north-east of the excavated area and coincides with a low density Roman concentration. It may represent limited occupation and stone-robbing of Roman buildings. Two buildings of possible C5th or C6th date were identified, together with late modifications to the villa. Six late Roman or early Saxon burials were also found adjacent to the villa.

{6} Probably not taken forward for assessment as a Romano-British urban settlement.

Description from record 1737/0/0:
{1} Fieldwalking undertaken in 1984-5 by J. Johnston; Roman pottery was found at SP971718 and SP972719.

Description from record 1737/0/0:
{9} Roman pot sherds were found

{10} Cropmark; enclosures, 2 parallel ditches and a rectangular building; indicate a villa complex. Finds; there was an area of Roman stone, pottery, tiles, tesserae and oyster shells, Iron Age pottery was also found.

{12} Roman coins found during metal detecting - identified by Mark Curteis, Northampton Museum.

{15} Corridor mosaic photos.

{16}"Celtic" style free standing limestone head (height 132mm) of uncertain date found in topsoil scraped up from the area of Stanwick villa.

{17} Late Iron Age occupation attested by several huts and a palimpsest of pits and drainage gullies appears to have been confined to high points. A major phase of Roman settlement began in the 2nd century AD with planned enclosures linked by trackways. A series of circular and rectangular stone buildings of the 2nd-4th centuries lay to the north of the villa and other masonry structures lay to the west where there was also a cemetery. Further groups of stone buildings have been identified 250m away in some of the enclosures. Several of the original circular buildings were eventually replaced by rectangular buildings.

{18} Trial trenching was carried out over the site of the villa and surrounding settlement to test the soil strata and degree of archaeological preservation.

{22} Finds made in 1956; Iron Age and Roman pot sherds and a Roman coin were found.

{23} Fieldwalking was undertaken in the spring of 1978; 24 Roman pot sherds were found during the random fieldwalking of the villa site.

{30} SP972719; a minor rescue excavation was undertaken in April 1992 by T.Sharman; numerous ditches, pits, gullies and ring ditches were found; mostly Iron Age in date or Roman but also possibly Bronze Age as well; the majority of the features were already recorded by D. Neal <Fields 2 & 3>; 1: & 1:500 plans made of new features only.

<1> Young S., 1994, Fieldwalking Survey of Romano-British Sites, (checked) (Gazetteer). SNN54726.

<2> Parry S., 1993, Raunds Area Survey Report, p.76-84 (unchecked) (Draft). SNN1175.

<3> SHAW R., 1989, The Quest For The Past: Archaeologists at Work: Archaeology in Education Resource Pack, (unchecked) (Educational Resource Pack). SNN69968.

<4> Perrin R.; Neal D., 1994, Stanwick, Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Extract). SNN102709.

<5> Parry S. et al, 2006, Raunds Area Survey: An Archaeological Study of The Landscape of Raunds, Northamptonshire 1985-94, p.167-172 (part checked) (Book). SNN105780.

<6> Crosby, V and Muldowney, L, 2011, Stanwick Quarry, Northamptonshire. Raunds Area Project: Phasing the Iron Age and Romano-British settlement at Stanwick, Northamptonshire (Excavations 1984-1992). Archaeological report: Volume 2 (Report). SNN112128.

<7> Crosby, V and Muldowney, L, 2011, Stanwick Quarry, Northamptonshire. Raunds Area Project: Phasing the Iron Age and Romano-British settlement at Stanwick, Northamptonshire (Excavations 1984-1992). Archaeological report: Volume 1 (Report). SNN110902.

<8> Dungworth, D, 2016, Stanwick, Northamptonshire: assessment of industrial debris (Report). SNN115554.

<9> Northampton Museum Topographical Index, (unchecked) (Index). SNN1470.

<10> Moore W.R.G., 1968, Roman Settlement in the Upper and Middle Nene Valley, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN15188.

<11> 1986, Dig Reveals First Signs of Feudalism, (unchecked) (Note). SNN36691.

<12> CURTEIS M, 1994, SMR REPORT FORM, (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN53907.

<14> 1961, THE JOURNAL OF ROMAN STUDIES, 51/134 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN30612.

<15> Neal, D., Excavations at Stanwick (various years), (unchecked) (Note). SNN51767.

<16> Curteis M., 1992, Archaeology in Northamptonshire: Notes From Northampton Museum, P115 (Chapter). SNN106204.

<17> Dix B. (editor), 1986-7, The Raunds Area Project: Second Interim Report, p13-16 (Article). SNN76070.

<18> JACKSON D., 1981, Trial Trenching at Stanwick (Report). SNN1766.

<19> 1956, KETTERING LEADER & GUARDIAN, 3/8/1956 (Uncertain). SNN59102.

<20> FOARD G.R.; PEARSON T., 1985, The Raunds Area Project: First Interim Report, p5 (Checked) (Article). SNN69970.

<21> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.194 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77326.

<22> 1956, CHRONICLE & ECHO, (unchecked) (Journal). SNN36665.

<23> Northampton Museum Archive Index, (unchecked) (Index). SNN36250.

<24> Ryland, W, Adkins, D, and Serjeantson, R M, 1902, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.194 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100368.

<25> HBMCE, 1986, STANWICK, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN59104.

<26> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP97SE7 (unchecked) (Index). SNN443.

<27> NEAL D., 1985, STANWICK ROMAN VILLA: INTERIM REPORT FOR THE 1985 SEASON, (unchecked) (Interim Report). SNN56944.

<29> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1975, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.79/Site 13 (checked) (Series). SNN77379.

<30> Sharman, T, 1992, Stanwick Quarry, 1992 (minor excavation), (unchecked) (Note). SNN48840.

<31> Coombe, P, Hayward, K, & Henig, M, 2021, The Sculpted and Architectural Stonework from Stanwick Roman Villa, Northamptonshire (Article). SNN115590.

<32> Henig, M & Crosby, V, 2021, Gods and Goddesses, Heroes and Heroines in the Nene Valley: Roman Sculpture from Stanwick, Northamptonshire (Article). SNN115997.

Record last edited

Feb 7 2024 11:16AM