Monument record 3141/1 - Romano-British Road Route: Dungee Corner to Irchester (V.170)

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Summary

This road enters the area from the south, at Dungee Corner, in the extreme west of Bozeat parish. [SMR note 02/05/2007: The extension of the road northwards from Irchester Roman Town to Kettering Roman Town and beyond is unlikely to be part of Viatores 170, and requires separate classification/clarification.]

Map

Type and Period (1)

Full Description

{1} The main route is typical of major Roman roads in Britain, constructed as part of a province wide network of communications routes linking major and minor centres. Traditionally these are seen as being constructed by the Roman army during or shortly after their main phases of military campaigning during the C1st AD, a view now increasingly coming under question. To the north of the river this route survives as an earthwork and was partially excavated during quarrying in 1989 and 1994 (Keevill and Williams 1997). The date of construction of the road could not be established with certainty but the little evidence available suggests it may have been constructed, and was certainly in use, by the first half of the C2nd AD. It then continued in use well into the C4th and probably beyond. Evidence for the dating of the other roads and track ways is largely reliant upon the results of trial trenching to the west of the town and the salvage excavations of the 1960s and is consequently less reliable. It is still impossible to be sure of the route of the main north to south road when it runs through the town, though current evidence would suggest that it runs alongside, and unusually, outside the eastern defences of the later Roman town.

{2} Roman road, Irchester to Kempston, Viatores route 170A. Irchester to Dungee Corner, near Bozeat.

{3} Route given SP91906540 to 92906000.

{5} A Roman road appears to follow the county boundary between Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire through to Dungee Corner, where it joins the Harrold-Irchester road.

{6} This road enters the county from the south at Dungee Corner, in the extreme west of Bozeat parish. Its original source is not known with certainty though it is alleged to have been traced as far as Kempston in Bedfordshire. On the evidence of its last known alignment to the south-east in Harrold parish it is said to run through Dungee Wood, entering the county at SP93045951. Viatores claimed that two other roads meet near here, although the evidence is unsatisfactory and no clear indications have been noted.

{8} Geophysical survey was undertaken on land south of Grange Farm (SP 915 678). The Roman road to Irchester passes centrally through the survey area on a heading slightly east of due south. Its line is indicated by three positive linear magnetic anomalies, two following closely-spaced parallel alignments and third, also parallel, approximately 7m to their east. These are likely to represent the drainage ditches flanking the edges of the road. Whilst there is no evidence of the road having been superimposed across any earlier archaeological features, it is clearly crossed by medieval or early post-medieval ridge and furrow, indicating that it has ceased to be a significant landscape feature by that time.

{9} Archaeological monitoring of pits excavated for the insertion of electric cables along a short of the green lane known as the 'Roman Road' along the eastern parish boundary of Wollaston found no evidence of the road.

{10} At SP 915 678 the roadside ditches were examined during trial trench excavation. The upper edges of both ditches were highly eroded indicative of being open and in use for an extended period of time.

{12} Geophysical survey of an extensive area of land to the east of Wellingborough identified sets of parallel anomalies, consistent with roadside ditches closely following the expected line of the road from Irchester, from c SP 915 678 north to SP 910 699.

{13} Trial trench excavation in 2019 located either side of the A510. The Roman road was identified in trenches on either side of the modern road, broadly following its projected course and marked by two parallel ditches without a visible agger or metalled surface between. There were two phases of ditch. A single piece of flint and small amount of Roman shelly tempered ware were recovered from one of the second phase ditches.

{17} Geophysical survey identified the Roman road at SP91406845.A short length was traced by the survey, almost precisely on the expected line, but much of its course was inaccessible beneath spoilheaps and overgrown ground.

{18} A road runs south from the Roman town at Irchester represented by hedgerows, modern roads and the county boundary, with traces of an earthwork agger. Possibly visible as a cropmark south of the Roman town. Margary records Dungee Corner as the southern extent, though the Viatores in 1964 traced a possible line south and east as far as Kempston. [See OS Linear Archive for bibiography to 1967, field reports for 1970 and 1974 and air photographs].

{19} Trial trench excavation west of Finedonhill Farm found a ditch in one of the trenches which may relate to the road, however, other trenches which crossed its course were blank.

{2} Lidar survey undertaken along the route of the road between Irchester Roman Town to kettering Roman Town. To the north of the A510 no archaeological investigations have verified the course of the road, but lidar data shows a linear feature on the correct orientation from the A510 through Hillside Farm and onto Westfield Lodge SP 9088 7048 to SP 9037 7223. North of this point, the landscape has been affected by ironstone workings. The route through Burton Latimer is difficult to define but there is a subtle linear linear ridge running from SP 8938 7413 to SP 8972 7446 which may indicate the location.


<1> Taylor J., 2000, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Irchester (Roman), Section 3.1 Communications (checked) (Digital archive). SNN100749.

<2> 1964, The Viatores: Roman Roads in The South East Midlands, p.290-3 (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN5299.

<3> 1973, Margary 1973, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN4901.

<4> Walsh A.; Meadows I., Chester Farm, Irchester, Northamptonshire: Conservation Investigation Modules 1, 2, 5 and 6, (unchecked) (Report). SNN105976.

<5> Richmond A.; Blinkhorn P., 2006, Archaeological Evaluation Trial Trenching: Nun Wood Proposed Wind Farm, Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire & Milton Keynes, p.10 (checked) (Report). SNN105848.

<6> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1979, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.188 (checked) (Series). SNN77380.

<7> Walker C., 2013, Archaeological Desk-Based Heritage Assessment of Land at The Former Avondale School, Kettering, Northamptonshire, p.5 (checked) (Report). SNN109854.

<8> Walford, J, 2016, Archaeological geophysical survey of Area 3 of the Wellingborough East flood relief works Irthlingborough, Northamptonshire September 2016 (Report). SNN110834.

<9> Pascoe, A and Peachey, M, 2017, Archaeological monitoring and recording on Roman road (Cable route), Wollaston, Northamptonshire (Report). SNN111156.

<10> Muldowney, L., 2017, Trial trench evaluation at Wellingborough East Area 3, Northamptonshire: Interim Report (Report). SNN111179.

<11> Crank, N. (Editor), 2018, South Midlands Archaeology (48), p. 55 (Journal). SNN111393.

<12> Arkley, G. and Walford, J., 2018, Archaeological geophysical survey at Stanton Cross, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, October to November 2018, p. 5 (Report). SNN111534.

<13> Shipley, A., 2019, Archaeological trial trench evaluation on Stanton Cross, Area 3, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire: March 2019, p. 8-12 (Report). SNN111608.

<14> Preece, T, 2020, Archaeological excavation and analysis on land at Wellingborough East, Area 3, Northamptonshire, April to December 2017 (Report). SNN112349.

<15> Crank, N. (Editor), 2020, South Midlands Archaeology (50), p. 89 (Journal). SNN112426.

<16> Wolframm-Murray, Y, 2021, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 2019, p. 467-8 (Note). SNN113025.

<17> Arkley, G and Walford, J, 2020, Archaeological geophysical survey at Stanton Cross (Plot 17), Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, July 2020 (Report). SNN113146.

<18> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Linear Archive, (170) (Archive). SNN113264.

<19> Douthwaite, A, 2021, Archaeological trial trench evaluation at Stanton Cross, Areas 4, 5 and 58, Wellingborough, August-September 2021 (Report). SNN113800.

<20> 2024, Roman Roads in 2023- recent research and fieldwork on Roman roads in Britain, p. 346-351; Dr Wayne Kirk (Article). SNN116690.

Sources/Archives (20)

  • <1> Digital archive: Taylor J.. 2000. Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Irchester (Roman). Mapinfo\Archive\Extensive Survey\Irchester. Northants County Council. Section 3.1 Communications (checked).
  • <2> Uncertain: 1964. The Viatores: Roman Roads in The South East Midlands. p.290-3 (unchecked).
  • <3> Uncertain: 1973. Margary 1973. (unchecked).
  • <4> Report: Walsh A.; Meadows I.. Chester Farm, Irchester, Northamptonshire: Conservation Investigation Modules 1, 2, 5 and 6. Northamptonshire Archaeology Fieldwork Reports. 06/020. N.C.C.. (unchecked).
  • <5> Report: Richmond A.; Blinkhorn P.. 2006. Archaeological Evaluation Trial Trenching: Nun Wood Proposed Wind Farm, Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire & Milton Keynes. PC243c. Phoenix Consulting. p.10 (checked).
  • <6> Series: Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England. 1979. An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton. 2. HMSO. p.188 (checked).
  • <7> Report: Walker C.. 2013. Archaeological Desk-Based Heritage Assessment of Land at The Former Avondale School, Kettering, Northamptonshire. Northamptonshire Archaeology Fieldwork Reports. 13/131. N.C.C.. p.5 (checked).
  • <8> Report: Walford, J. 2016. Archaeological geophysical survey of Area 3 of the Wellingborough East flood relief works Irthlingborough, Northamptonshire September 2016. Museum of London Arch. (MOLA) Fieldwork Reports. 16/157. MOLA Northampton.
  • <9> Report: Pascoe, A and Peachey, M. 2017. Archaeological monitoring and recording on Roman road (Cable route), Wollaston, Northamptonshire. Archaeological Project Services Report. 3/17. ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROJECT SE.
  • <10> Report: Muldowney, L.. 2017. Trial trench evaluation at Wellingborough East Area 3, Northamptonshire: Interim Report. Museum of London Arch. (MOLA) Fieldwork Reports. 17/23. MOLA Northampton.
  • <11> Journal: Crank, N. (Editor). 2018. South Midlands Archaeology (48). South Midlands Archaeology: CBA Group 9 Newsletter. 48. C.B.A.. p. 55.
  • <12> Report: Arkley, G. and Walford, J.. 2018. Archaeological geophysical survey at Stanton Cross, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, October to November 2018. Museum of London Arch. (MOLA) Fieldwork Reports. 18/155. MOLA Northampton. p. 5.
  • <13> Report: Shipley, A.. 2019. Archaeological trial trench evaluation on Stanton Cross, Area 3, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire: March 2019. Museum of London Arch. (MOLA) Fieldwork Reports. 19/37. MOLA Northampton. p. 8-12.
  • <14> Report: Preece, T. 2020. Archaeological excavation and analysis on land at Wellingborough East, Area 3, Northamptonshire, April to December 2017. Museum of London Arch. (MOLA) Fieldwork Reports. 20/009. MOLA Northampton.
  • <15> Journal: Crank, N. (Editor). 2020. South Midlands Archaeology (50). South Midlands Archaeology: CBA Group 9 Newsletter. 50. C.B.A.. p. 89.
  • <16> Note: Wolframm-Murray, Y. 2021. Archaeology in Northamptonshire 2019. Northamptomshire Archaeology. 41. Northamptonshire Archaeological Society. p. 467-8.
  • <17> Report: Arkley, G and Walford, J. 2020. Archaeological geophysical survey at Stanton Cross (Plot 17), Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, July 2020. Museum of London Arch. (MOLA) Fieldwork Reports. 20/054. MOLA Northampton.
  • <18> Archive: Ordnance Survey. Ordnance Survey Linear Archive. (170).
  • <19> Report: Douthwaite, A. 2021. Archaeological trial trench evaluation at Stanton Cross, Areas 4, 5 and 58, Wellingborough, August-September 2021. Museum of London Arch. (MOLA) Fieldwork Reports. 20/095. MOLA Northampton.
  • <20> Article: 2024. Roman Roads in 2023- recent research and fieldwork on Roman roads in Britain. Itinera- Journal of the Roman Roads Research Association. IV. RRRA. p. 346-351; Dr Wayne Kirk.

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (13)

Related Events/Activities (19)

Location

Grid reference Centred SP 89866 73395 (7067m by 28408m) (3 map features)
Civil Parish IRCHESTER, North Northamptonshire (formerly Wellingborough District)
Civil Parish KETTERING, North Northamptonshire (formerly Kettering District)
Civil Parish NEWTON AND LITTLE OAKLEY, North Northamptonshire (formerly Kettering District)
Civil Parish BOZEAT, North Northamptonshire (formerly Wellingborough District)
Civil Parish WEEKLEY, North Northamptonshire (formerly Kettering District)
Civil Parish WELLINGBOROUGH, North Northamptonshire (formerly Wellingborough District)
Civil Parish WOLLASTON, North Northamptonshire (formerly Wellingborough District)
Civil Parish BARTON SEAGRAVE, North Northamptonshire (formerly Kettering District)
Civil Parish FINEDON, North Northamptonshire (formerly Wellingborough District)
Civil Parish BURTON LATIMER, North Northamptonshire (formerly Kettering District)
Civil Parish CORBY, North Northamptonshire (formerly Corby District)
Civil Parish GEDDINGTON, North Northamptonshire (formerly Kettering District)

Protected Status/Designation

Other Statuses/References

  • NRHE HOB UID: 1046249

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 8:07PM

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