Monument record 1245/1 - Cosgrove Roman Villa

Evidence of Roman settlement in this area had been found during the construction of the canal. Excavations in 1959 revealed a well-preserved bath house and in 1969 the main buildings of the villa were investigated. The main building, a double-corridor villa, was built around the mid-2nd century AD. Another less sophisticated double-winged building was occupied about 100–150.

{1} Excavation in 1957 revealed masonry. Detailed description of rooms uncovered and drawings. The bath house was preserved within a covered building.

{2} The site was discovered in 1957 when pottery was ploughed up. Investigation with a probe indicated masonry near the surface. Subsequent excavation revealed the bath house, with standard features, and rooms of the villa. A nymphaeum was found on the other side of the Grand Union Canal, which probably covers much of the Roman building.

{4} Pottery, glass and coins showed occupation from the 1st century to the late 3rd/ early 4th century. Description of evidence of abandonment of bath house.

{9} Excavations in the 1950s revealed a well-preserved bath house and in 1969 the main buildings of a villa were investigated. These covered more than I hectare and were arranged around a large courtyard. The main building, a double-corridor villa, was built in about AD 100 and survived for about 200 years. The bath buildings constructed in about 150 went out of use before 300. Another less sophisticated double-winged building was occupied about 100–150. A small temple built in about 300 may have replaced earlier ones [HER 1245/2]. Other walls and buildings were also found.

{16} All finds with Northampton Museum?

{17} Following the clearance of a villa bath house by Mr C Green and the Wolverton and District Archaeological Society [in 1959]), large scale excavations were carried out by the Ministry of Public Building and Works in September-October 1969. The buildings of the villa proved to be spread around a large, irregular courtyard and to cover an area of c 3 acres. The main domestic building, a variant in plan of a double corridor villa, was constructed c 100 AD, had good mortar floors and was decorated with wall plaster. The bath building was added to it around 150 AD. This building survived until c 300 AD, when it appears to have gone out of use, with little alteration; the bath building
became disused a little before this date. A double winged building, much less sophisticated, appears to have been occupied also c 100- 150 AD.

{18} An unknown Roman villa in house recently discovered by excavation. Buildings so far revealed are the hot bath with adjacent plunge. It is evident from surface indications that buildings are extensive.
The northern part of this site is in the undisturbed parkland of Cosgrove Hall grazed by sheep, the southern pasture is arable.

{19} The main villa house, incorporating a bath suite, was built during the mid-second century, together with a timber shrine and various agricultural buildings. There may have been an earlier phase, represented in the area excavated, by a single-roomed house which was extended in the mid-second century building phase.

The earlier, simple building (X) had been badly plough damaged, the initial structure was a simple rectangle 4.5x10.1m internally. The only remaining feature being limestone and clay foundations. The flooring consisted of a disturbed spread of limestone and pebbles. The building may originally have been intended as only one room. The possibly later subdividing walls butted the outer walls. The building has been interpreted as a simple residence, of a domestic function.

The main house extended at least 18m south west of the Bath House, and was 12m wide externally. It was tripartite in plan, the central rooms were roughly twice the width of those on the exterior. The foundations were trench built of limestone set in brown clay, plough damage was greater towards the south-east side of the house. The house was built of limestone. The comparatively slight foundations suggested a timber framed house. Tile, tufa fragments, small pieces of wall plaster, and window glass were found.

The bath house seems to have been built as an integral part of the main house but with subsequent alterations. The frigidarium, tepidarium and caldarium were built as one unit with walls of limestone set with pink gravelly mortar, set symmetrically within the main house. The subsoil beneath it had been dug out to a depth of 0.85m to accommodate the hypocaust and plunge bath, and also the praefurnium which in its surviving form was a structural addition. It is possible that the bath house was built first and then the main house closely butted up.

The baths, and probably the main house, fell into disuse in the late second century and were demolished. The site was reorganised with the construction of a temple of Romano-Celtic plan and of a new agricultural building late in the second century, the original simple house may now have been the only residence. Around AD 280 there were alterations to the temple, possibly related to a large pit group of pottery and coins of this date. The simple house and agricultural buildings fell into progressive disuse during the third and fourth centuries, but the temple may have been standing after AD 400

{20} Geophysical survey was undertaken over the site in 1992. Contrary to the expectation that any recorded remains would have been destroyed by deep ploughing, several wall alignments relating to excavated features can still be detected. They comprise the southern limits of the main house incorporating rooms I, IV and VI, possibly also with part of the ensuite baths. Dense readings to the west indicate the probable rubble nature of the building itself.
Two parallel linear anomalies could be connected with the building to the east and may be interpreted as an aqueduct or similar leat, especially in view of their proximity to a former stream channel to the north.

{22} Fieldwalking survey was undertaken on the Roman villa and bath house site at Cosgrove, to identify how the archaeological resource had altered since the field was last surveyed in 1992. There were 169 finds recorded, mostly relating to the Roman period, with background amounts of prehistoric, Saxon and medieval finds. The distribution patterns were judged to have altered slightly in the intervening 14 years, probably due to ploughing.

{26} Excavated again September-October 1969 under the direction of Mrs Miles for MOW. Two areas of building exposed, one at the published site where the bath house stood and one to the NE at
SP 79514214.

{27} Geophysical survey and field-walking at the villa indicated the existence of further buildings and a possible water-leat.

<1> 1958, Wolverton and District Archaeological Newsletter, p. 3-5 (checked) (Newsletter). SNN26389.

<2> GREEN C., 1959, Wolverton and District Archaeological Newsletter, p.7-9 and illustration on back page (checked) (Newsletter). SNN26547.

<3> 1969, CBA 'EXCAVATION SUMMARY', p.11 (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN26369.

<4> 1962, Wolverton and District Archaeological Newsletter, p.2- 4(checked) (Newsletter). SNN26368.

<5> Ministry of Public Buildings & Works, 1970, Archaeological Excavations, 1969, p.21 (unchecked) (Report). SNN47013.

<6> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1966, Bulletin of the Northamptonshire Federation of Archaeological Societies (Roman), 1/7 (checked) (Article). SNN107200.

<7> 1958, The Journal of Roman Studies, p.140 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN26346.

<8> 1959, The Journal of Roman Studies, p.115 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN26347.

<9> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.34/Site 2 (checked) (Series). SNN77382.

<10> 1957, Chronicle and Echo, (unchecked) (Article). SNN47021.

<11> Ordnance Survey, 1958, OS 6 Inch Map, (checked) (Map). SNN47022.

<12> MYNARD D.C., 1970, Wolverton Historical Journal, p.9+60 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN19512.

<13> 1970, Archaeological Excavations (Various Years), p.21 (unchecked) (Series). SNN38107.

<14> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP74SE8 (checked) (Index). SNN443.

<15> 1970, Britannia, 1/288 (checked) (Journal). SNN47014.

<16> Northampton Museum Records, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN126.

<17> Brown, A.E. (Ed.), 1970, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1969 (Roman), 4/7-8 (checked) (Article). SNN100535.

<18> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 1986, DOE Scheduled Ancient Monuments: Northamptonshire (Parts 5-8) (Schedule). SNN104787.

<19> Quinnell H., 1991, The Villa and Temple at Cosgrove, Northampton, 23/18-19 (checked) (Article). SNN104527.

<20> DIX B., 1992, Archaeological Survey at Cosgrove in Northamptonshire, January-February 1992, (checked) (Report). SNN55134.

<21> Masters, P., 1993, SMR Report Form, (checked) (SMR Report Form). SNN48719.

<22> Burrow A., 2006, Archaeological Fieldwalking Survey at Cosgrove Roman Villa, Cosgrove, Northamptonshire, December 2006, (unchecked) (Report). SNN109688.

<23> Historic England, 2016, Heritage at Risk: East Midlands Register 2016, p. 56 (Report). SNN110747.

<24> Historic England, 2018, Heritage at Risk: East Midlands Register 2018, p. 64 (Report). SNN111434.

<25> Historic England, 2017, Heritage at Risk: East Midlands Register 2017, p. 64 (Report). SNN111090.

<26> Seaman, BH, 1969, Field investigators comments, F1 BHS 21-OCT-69 (Notes). SNN111907.

<27> Burnham, B C, Keppie, L J F, Esmonde Cleary, A S, Hassall, M W C, and Tomlin, R S O, 1993, Roman Britain in 1992, p. 293 (Notes). SNN113735.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 8:01PM