Monument record 1673/1 - Iron Age and Roman settlement including a villa and early Saxon activity, Piddington

The site of significant Roman building was first identified here in 1781 with the discovery of a mosaic by limestone quarrymen. The site was 'rediscovered' in 1968 and in 1979 a research excavation began which is still ongoing. Excavations suggest the site was occupied from the 1st century BC to the mid-4th century AD and in its later phases was used for industrial purposes including iron working.

{1} In 1781, a tessellated pavement was discovered at Piddington, near the road to Newport Pagnell, during the digging of stone for repairing the roads of the parish. It was much damaged by the labourer's pick before it was noticed, and the tesserae mainly black and white, were soon taken away by visitors.

{2} The tessellated pavement, 50 feet square, was found in 1781 in some stone pits near Preston Wood (SP 7954). Fragments of large tiles, pottery etc were found, together with several coins and a large part of a skeleton, with a gold ring attached to it and a spear by its side.

{3} Villa was found in Stone Pits near Preston Wood.

{4} Black and white mosaic discovered in perfect condition. Also a skeleton buried with gold ring and spear.

{5} SP 79785414. Remains of a substantial Roman building together with 1st to 4th century pottery, roof tiles, wall plaster, bricks, tesserae and a piece of marble were found in 1968 by G Scott. Finds deposited in Northampton Museum. The museum confirmed the classification and dating of the finds and were of the opinion that this was probably the building discovered at Piddington in 1781. (See SP 75 SE 16);

{7} The supplementary file contains two plans of different phases of the villa.

{8} The end of the 2nd century saw the linking of two formerly separate buildings and the development of the whole into a true winged corridor villa. The simple east-west structure became the core of a wing with front and rear corridors, by now the south apse had disapeared and additions to the north end of the remaining apse a less conspicuous feature.
A major fire in the 2nd century, which may have started in the bath house between the two ranges and destroyed much of the villa, (evidence of the fire in burnt plasterwork). Following the fire a major rebuilding took place where a back range of rooms was added. (See article for plans of building phases).

{10} Recently the farm on which the villa stood changed hands. Until 1978 the field had been under grass for as long as can be remembered. With the change of ownership, hedgerows have been removed to create large fields. One of these hedgerows bisected the remaining parts of the Piddington villa. On removal of the hedge, tile and pottery were noticed by the farmer who started digging the site.An east-west running wall c.22m long with projecting walls on either side and remains of a tesselated pavement were found. Forms part of the main range of villa.

{13} Article has plan of the main villa building

{17}Romano-British pot sherds & glass & roof tiles found alongside building foundations;

{19} It is now clear that between the Iron Age settlement and subsequent early (invasion period) military establishment and the first stone buildings of around 100 AD, there was a small 'proto-villa', constructed of timber. Six rooms have so far been found, all with beaten earth and clay floors. This timber building phase lasted for about three decades until 100 AD, when the earliest 'cottage-type' stone-built structures were put up to the west, later to form the core of the main villa.

{20} The four circular buildings were occupied from c.50BC until c.80AD.

{27} Two early latrine pits had been cut into by the foundations of the south-west corner of the phase 1b proto-villa dated to c AD70-75.

{30} Extensive excavation by amateur society. A 1st to 4th century villa. Finds include marble, tesserae and tiles.

{39} Iron Age settlement developing into Romano-British industrial villa; fieldwalking & geophysical survey indicate activity in 100m diameter & considerably deep; trial trenching carried out; slag analysis suggests slag-tapping & non-slag-tapping furnaces;

{45} Detailed analysis of 17 perinates/infants found during the excavations. At Piddington, the death of the infants is not associated with the cultural practice of infanticide, but occurred due to poor health, highlighting the precarious nature of infant survival in the past.

<1> Reynolds T., 1749, Iter Britanniarum, p.458 (unchecked) (Document). SNN14799.

<2> Whellan, 1874, History, Topography & Directory of Northamptonshire, p.277 (unchecked) (Book). SNN1002.

<3> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1979, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p. 63/Site 11 (Series). SNN77380.

<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> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP75SE1 (unchecked) (Index). SNN443.

<6> George T.J., 1904, An Archaeological Survey of Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Index). SNN10170.

<7> Unknown, 1991, Piddington Villa Site Plans, (unchecked) (Drawing). SNN57914.

<8> Brown A.E. (ed.), 1981, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1980, p.202 Piddington (checked) (Article). SNN100418.

<9> Friendship-Taylor R.; Jackson R., 2001, A New Roman Gladiator Find From Piddington, Northants., p.27-28 (unchecked) (Article). SNN101190.

<10> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1979, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1978, p.106 (unchecked) (Article). SNN45225.

<11> 1990, Roman Britain in 1989: Sites explored (Note). SNN110379.

<12> Grew, F O., Hassall, M W C., and Tomlin, R S O., 1981, Roman Britain in 1980: Sites explored, (unchecked) (Note). SNN110378.

<13> Friendship-Taylor D. And R., 1989, Piddington, (unchecked) (Article). SNN110377.

<14> Uncertain, 1982, Piddington, (unchecked) (Article). SNN110376.

<15> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1973, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1972 (Journal). SNN8956.

<16> 1995, Piddington Villa Plans: Romano-British Phases, (unchecked) (Plan). SNN54627.

<17> Northampton Museum Topographical Index, Site List (unchecked) (Index). SNN1470.

<18> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1979, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1978, 106 (Article). SNN45225.

<19> Jackson R.; Friendship-Taylor R., 2002, Proto-Villa at Piddington, p.182 (unchecked) (Article). SNN103195.

<20> Friendship-Taylor R.M.; Friendship-Taylor D.E., 1992, Piddington Late Iron Age Settlement and Romano-British Villa, p.99 (checked) (Article). SNN62055.

<21> Pryce, J., 2004, Enter World of Tiberius, (checked) (Newspaper cuttings). SNN107538.

<22> Brown A.E. (ed.), 1981, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1980, p.202 Piddington (checked) (Article). SNN100418.

<23> Uncertain, 1982, Piddington, p.182 (unchecked) (Article). SNN110376.

<24> Brown A.E. (ed.), 1981, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1980, p.202 (Article). SNN100418.

<25> Brindle, T., 2008, Northamptonshire (Draft) (Chapter). SNN106263.

<26> Friendship-Taylor D. And R., 1989, Piddington, p.182 (unchecked) (Article). SNN110377.

<27> Friendship-Taylor, R & Greep, S., 2017, A Claudian pit group of bone hinges and box fittings from a 'military' latrine pit beneath the proto-villa at Piddington Roman villa (Article). SNN111041.

<28> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1973, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1972, p.14-15 (Journal). SNN8956.

<29> Brown A.E. (ed.), 1980, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1979, p.167 (Article). SNN56490.

<30> Scott, E., 1993, A gazetteer of Roman villas in Britain, p.144, NH 58 (Monograph). SNN110345.

<31> 1988, Roman Britain in 1987: Sites explored (Note). SNN110381.

<32> Frere, S S, Hassall, M W C, and Tomlin, R S O, 1989, Roman Britain in 1988 (Note). SNN113029.

<33> 1988, Roman Britain in 1987: Sites explored, (unchecked) (Note). SNN110381.

<34> FRIENDSHIP-TAYLOR R.M.; FRIENDSHIP-TAYLOR D.E., 2010, Iron Age and Roman Piddington: 8th interim report and phase descriptions of the late Iron Age settlement, military phase, Roman villas & Saxon phases at Piddington, Northants (Report). SNN110705.

<35> Frere, S S, Hassall, M W C, and Tomlin, R S O, 1989, Roman Britain in 1988, (unchecked) (Note). SNN113029.

<36> FRIENDSHIP-TAYLOR R.M.; FRIENDSHIP-TAYLOR D.E., 2013, Iron Age and Roman Piddington: 11th interim report and phase descriptions of the late Iron Age settlement, military phase, Roman villa complex & early Saxon phases at Piddington, Northants (Report). SNN111280.

<37> Selkirk, A., 2014, Piddington Uncovered: Beyond the Roman Villa (Article). SNN111282.

<38> FRIENDSHIP-TAYLOR R.M.; FRIENDSHIP-TAYLOR D.E., 2014/5, Iron Age and Roman Piddington: 12th interim report on the late Iron Age settlement, military phase, Roman villa complex & early Saxon phases at Piddington, Northants (Report). SNN111281.

<39> Crossley D., 1998, Monuments Protection Programme: Iron and Steel Industries (Site Assessments), 1.1 (unchecked) (Report). SNN106761.

<40> Wells, M, 2011, Iron Age and Roman Piddington: The Piddington painted wallplaster: an art historical viewpoint- Vol 1 (Report). SNN111330.

<41> Friendship-Taylor, RM, 1997, Settlement and Continuity? Two Late Iron Age Settlements & Roman Sites in Northamptonshire (Article). SNN111332.

<42> Powell, M A, Iron Age & Roman Piddington: Pottery from the 'Courtyard'. An interim report on pottery in a context from the Piddington Roman villa excavation 1989 (Report). SNN112194.

<43> Eds: Friendship-Taylor, R M & D E, 2002, Iron Age & Roman Piddington: The Faunal Remains: 1, 1979-1997 (Report). SNN112193.

<44> Friendship-Taylor, R M & Friendship-Taylor, D E, 2003, 2003/4 interim report on the Piddington Iron Age settlement and Romano-British villa (Article). SNN112180.

<45> Hodson, C M, 2017, Between Roundhouse and Villa: Assessing Perinatal and Infant Burials from Piddington, Northamptonshire (Article). SNN112462.

<46> 1998, Monuments Protection Programme: Bloomery Iron Industry (Provisional Step 2 Shortlist), p.25 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN46996.

<47> LatinNow, Roman Inscriptions of Britain online database, https://romaninscriptionsofbritain.org/inscriptions/Brit.23.38 (Website). SNN115998.

<48> LatinNow, Roman Inscriptions of Britain online database, https://romaninscriptionsofbritain.org/inscriptions/Brit.21.26 (Website). SNN115998.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 8:03PM