Monument record 1610/1 - Gayton Roman Villa/Temple

Site of Roman building or villa discovered in 1840 during quarrying. A bronze figurine of cupid, Roman pottery and coins were also found in a field called the Warren in 1840. The site may be a possible temple.

{1} Features. Sections of stone walls were seen in the quarry face and Roman pot sherds were recovered. Probably part of a Roman building or possible Roman temple. The base of a Roman pot vessel was found in the quarry face 3 feet below the modern road. A Roman pot vessel was found "some years ago".

{2} Roman Villa lies in the extreme east of the parish in a field known as The Warren, on Northampton Sand at 130 m. above OD. Parts of a Roman building, including the bases of four columns of a portico with walls at right-angles on each side, were discovered in 1840; the resulting plan is difficult to interpret. Finds included a silver fibula, a small bronze figurine of Cupid, pottery including samian, tiles and 22 coins ranging from Marcus Aurelius to Gratian but mainly of the 4th century. In 1849 more pottery was dug up, 70 m. to the S. of the known building. Stone walls, together with more pottery and a 'road', are also recorded from the face of a sand-pit in the area {8}.

{3} 17 coins ranging from Quintillus to Theodosius I, a rosette brooch and a Colchester derivative brooch found in September 1991.

{7} On the SE of Gayton parish, close to the Blisworth boundary, traces of a Roman building were found in a field called the Warren in 1840. The foundations uncovered showed a portico with four column bases, 66' long, with a wall running at right angles to it on each side, and other walls, not followed, running in various directions. The small finds included a silver fibula, a bronze figurine of Cupid, much samian and other pottery, tiles, and 24 coins ranging from Marcus Aurelius (161-180) ('first brass') to Gratian (375-83), but principally of the 4th c. The site was not further explored, but in 1849 pottery was dug up 70 yds S of the foundations. (The plan is suggestive of a temple);

{10} A survey of this known site of a Roman building was carried out during 1980-81 by RFJ Kings using a metal detector. The finds, seen and listed at Northampton Museum, include: eleven coins of later 3rd and 4th century date; a bronze brooch with the bow expanded into a lozenge-shaped plate with insets for two triangular pieces of enamel, probably 2nd century; a brooch fragment of Collingwood's Group E, 1st century; a bronze finger ring and a perforated lead disc.

{11} Metal Detecting in 1980-81. Finds seen and listed by Northampton Museum.

{13} Copper alloy raven's head pendant found in 1992-3 and shown to Northampton Museum.

{14} Mr John Hackerby of Gayton Wood House recalls that "some years ago" one of his farmworkers found a large Roman pot at this site and donated it to the Northampton Museum.
The land on either side of the road has been quarried away and no remains of the building was seen in the exposed working face

<1> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP75SW2 (checked) (Index). SNN443.

<2> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.58/Site 1 (checked) (Series). SNN77382.

<3> Curteis M., 1992, Archaeology in Northamptonshire: Notes From Northampton Museum, p.114 (checked) (Chapter). SNN106204.

<4> Ryland, W, Adkins, D, and Serjeantson, R M, 1902, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.198 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100368.

<5> Wetton, 1849, Guidebook to Northampton and its Vicinity, p.187 (unchecked) (Book). SNN1032.

<6> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p. 223 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<7> Ryland, W, Adkins, D, and Serjeantson, R M, 1902, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.198 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100368.

<8> The Society of Antiquaries of London, 1844, Archaeologia (30), p.125 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN17207.

<9> Scott, E., 1993, A gazetteer of Roman villas in Britain, p.143, NH 45 (Monograph). SNN110345.

<10> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1983, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1982, p.173 Gayton (part checked) (Article). SNN24591.

<11> 1982, Unpublished Finds Report, (checked) (Unpublished Report). SNN55151.

<12> Woodfield P., 1978, Roman Architectural Masonry From Northamptonshire, p.85 (unchecked) (Article). SNN101140.

<13> Curteis M., 1993-4, Gayton, (checked) (Note). SNN104164.

<14> Baird, J., 1970, Gayton Roman villa/temple, unchecked (Note). SNN110344.

Record last edited

Apr 8 2025 4:19PM