Monument record 2276 - Romano-British Settlement or villa, south of Lowick Road

Roman pottery, including Nene Valley types and Samian, and limestone building rubble scatter have been recovered from the area. The presence of painted wall plaster, roof and flue tiles may indicate the site of a Roman villa. There is speculation over the previous existence of a timber building in the vicinity. Cropmarks which have previously been recorded as archaeological are now thought to be geological. A Roman road, possibly a branch road of Margary's RR 57a, runs from the southwest towards this general area (see TL 08 SW 81). A flint scraper, now in Kettering Museum, has also been found in the area.

{1} Air photographs show a highly complex pattern of enclosures and ditches forming no coherent plan. On the ground there is a considerable quantity of limestone rubble scattered over the north part of the area, together with large amounts of Roman pottery including Nene Valley types and samian. Roof and flue tiles and painted wall-plaster have been found here. More Roman pottery, tiles and limestone rubble were discovered in the field to the west of the crop-marks (TL 002812) when it was ploughed in 1964, and other pottery has been noted north of the modern road (TL 004813). A barbed-and-tanged arrowhead and a scraper have also come from the site. NCCAP:TL0081/001+2+4-6+24-27.

{2} Aerial photography 1981 suggests that the ditches and timber buildings previously recorded appear to be geological in nature.

{4} Fieldwalking has identified a stone area with Romano-British pot sherds, including samian, colour-coated and coarse wares. Also Romano-British roof and flue tiles, painted wall plaster and oyster shells. Also found was a fragment of colour-coated beaker with a moulded gladiator. Kettering Museum records give TL00058119 as the approximate location.

{5} Cropmarks of enclosure ditches are known from air photographs. Fieldwalking has discovered surface scatter of Roman pottery, stone, roof and flue tiles, painted wall plaster and a coin of the C4th.

{6} NH 1 Listed as the possible site of a Roman villa.

{7} TL 00308110. Cropmarks. Perambulation in 1964 produced RB sherds, stone scatter, tiles, pit/ditch; also found 1960 a flint implement (Kettering Museum), and in 1962 a 4c Roman coin (Northampton Museum).

{8} Site under crop. The "flint implement" at Kettering Museum is a scraper.

{9} TL 004813 Roman pottery found north of the road.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1975, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.5/Site 13 (checked) (Series). SNN77379.

<2> 1982, Aerial Photography in Northamptonshire 1981, p.107 Aldwincle (checked) (Journal). SNN104561.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, TL08SW38 (unchecked) (Index). SNN443.

<4> Jackson D., 1970, Fieldwork and Excavation in North Eastern Northamptonshire, p.38-9 (unchecked) (Article). SNN4821.

<5> WHITWELL J.B., 1982, The Coritani: Some Aspects of the Iron Age Tribe and the Roman Civitas, p.182 (unchecked) (Monograph). SNN58533.

<6> Scott, E., 1993, A gazetteer of Roman villas in Britain, p. 139, NH 1 (Monograph). SNN110345.

<7> Northampton Museum 6 Inch Map, Northampton Mus 6" (PGC) (Map). SNN10162.

<8> Baird, J, 1969, Field Investigators Comments, F1 JB 30-SEP-69 (Note). SNN111452.

<9> Moore W.R.G., 1968, Roman Settlement in the Upper and Middle Nene Valley, p. 45 (Uncertain). SNN15188.

<10> RCHME, Undated, RCHME Inventory: Northamptonshire I (North-East), 890164 (Archive). SNN113295.

Record last edited

Jan 31 2025 3:48PM