SNN108056 - Iron Age and Roman Landscapes at Victoria Park, Irchester, Northamptonshire: Excavations September 2004 to May 2005

Northamptonshire Archaeology carried out archaeological work ahead of and during development at Victoria Business Park, adjacent to the Roman town of Irchester. The project recorded Iron Age and Roman landscapes, with some Anglo-Saxon and later activity. The Iron Age activity included two ditched enclosures, one of which was probably a small farmstead. The Roman remains were more extensive. The investigation of then south-western corner of the Roman town revealed substantial remains of the town wall, a corner turret and the defensive ditches. The Partial exposure of the western suburb revealed the remains of stone buildings and associated features in a row of rectangular plots adjacent to a metalled road. The majority of the Roman pottery appears to date from the 1st to the 2rd centuries AD, with a focus on the 2nd century. No late Roman deposits were found, and there was a single early/middle Saxon sunken-featured building. Later activity included the remains of the medieval and post-medieval ridge and furrow cultivation system. The most recent events relate to the ironstone quarrying and a tramway system, of the 19th century, with the quarry backfilling during the 20th century returning the land to agriculture.