SNN103984 - Northampton, Wootton Fields, Roman Villa

A previously unknown Roman villa was located by Dennis Jackson during groundworks on a new housing development. The exposed building remains were cleaned and planned before they were backfilled for log term preservation. An adjacent area of cut features of both Iron Age and Roman date were excavated prior to road construction. The main villa building was probably a simple strip building wih front and rear corridors. A room at the northern end contaiend a channelled hypocaust and had been decorated with wall plaster. At the oppostie end a pillared hypocaust supported the opus signinium floor of a hot room. The pottery and coins spanned the later 1st-4th centuries AD. 2nd and 3rd century predominated the assemblage. Geophysical survey demonstrated that the main building stood within a 70m square ditched enclosure.