SNN110079 - Radstone Technology Park, Towcester, Northamptonshire: Archaeological excavation report

Oxford Archaeology carried out an archaeological excavation on land at the Radstone Technology site, Towcester, Northamptonshire. The work was commissioned by David Wilson Homes in advance of development for housing. The excavation revealed a mid-late Roman inhumation cemetery lying to the west of the Alchester Road on the south-western periphery of the Roman town. The cemetery, consisting of 28 graves, was situated in a subrectangular plot defined by ditches originating in the 2nd century. The area had been heavily truncated by groundworks for a car-park in 1968, when two skeletons were discovered. As a result many of the skeletons exposed in the present excavations were damaged and incomplete. Twenty-six adults were identified of which 12 were male and 2 were female. Two sub-adults, probably both adolescents, could not be sexed and whilst the grave goods of jet bead necklace and bronze bracelets accompanying one of them may suggest the individual was probably female, similar items have been found elsewhere on occasion to be associated with young men. Two decapitation burials and six prone burials were found and possibly eight individuals had been buried within coffins. Grave goods or associated artefacts were found in six graves and though dating evidence was limited, this suggests burials may have commenced as early as the mid-2nd century and continued through to the 4th century AD.