SNN104547 - Roman Settlement on Land West of Glapthorn Road, Oundle, Northamptonshire, 1999-2001

Archaeological excavation and a subsequent watching brief was undertaken by Northamptonshire Archaeology on land to the rear of the George Inn, Glapthorn Road, Oundle. The main excavation area, c. 0.8 ha in extent, contained activity from the Iron Age to the post-medieval periods, including a small Roman farmstead identified in previous evaluation. Two postholes and a single pit represented the Iron Age phase. A dispersed group of roundhouse ring ditches, a small number of pits and a possible inhumation burial formed the initial phase of occupation dating to the 1st century AD. However, the main focus of activity occurred throughout the Roman period, which has been sub-divided into two broad phases. Firstly, by a series of fairly substantial ditched enclosures and boundaries during the 1st to 3rd centuries AD. Secondly, activity dating from the mid 3rd to 4th centuries AD represented by a preponderance of structural remains located in the south-west corner of the site. The excavated evidence suggests that the remains of substantial walls may have formed parts of an enclosure, encompassing a series f parallel posthole arrangements representing structural activity of unknown function. After the 4th century AD, the site appears to have been abandonned until sometime between the 5th and 7th centuries AD when part of the site was used as an inhumation cemetery. A total of nine burials were recovered in a tight cluster close to the northern limits of the site, which may have continued further to the north under the present housing estate. The last phase of activity on the site comprised ridge and furrow aligned north-south and east-west along with a series of land drains. An additional watching brief was also undertaken further to the east during early 2001. However, the area was devoid of any archaeological deposits.