SNN110623 - Geophysical survey of the north-east corner of the walled Roman posting station of Bannaventa (Whilton Lodge) Norton Northamptonshire

CLASP commissioned and conducted a geophysical (fluxgate gradio-meter) survey on part of the site of the Roman Posting Station of Bannaventa, Whilton Lodge, Northamptonshire. The archaeology of the area, currently a camping site, immediately to the west of Whilton Lodge, suffered serious damage archaeologically through soil stripping and clearance in 1970. A small scale rescue excavation at the time identified the defenses of the Posting Station and partially investigated some of the interior structures. Subsequently the large scale ground works is thought to have totally destroyed any surviving archaeological stratigraphy for the north-east sector of the walled site of Bannaventa. Therefore the fieldwork (centred on OS SP 641234) was conceived with a dual purpose rationale, as a training exercise for CLASP volunteers to further their understanding of geophysical survey and to confirm through further exploration the extent of destruction or survival of residual remains. The purpose of the gradiometer survey would then be to establish and characterize the extent and nature of any remaining archaeology. In the event, geophysical anomalies indicating features of the Roman period were located particularly in the eastern half of the survey area. The geophysical survey area covered approximately 1.5 hectares was surveyed with a series of linear and rectilinear magnetic anomalies was detected. These findings taken together indicate that the area still contains, although heavily eroded elements of its Roman landscape. These anomalies are sufficiently consistent to assist interpretation of the overall layout of this quarter of the posting station, reflecting the relative importance and prominence of the site on Watling Street and in the neighbouring wider Roman landscape.