SNN117090 - Land adjacent to Tesco Old Tiffield Road Towcester Northamptonshire: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design

A programme of archaeological investigation was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology in December 2024 at the request of AA Macfarlane Associates (on behalf of Buccleuch Property (Towcester) Ltd.) at land adjacent to Tesco, Old Tiffield Road, Towcester, Northamptonshire. An area of 1.16ha was excavated within the site. The fieldwork revealed evidence for intensive activity during the Middle to Late Roman period, comprising a series of conjoined and individual enclosures, human inhumation and cremation burials, wells and pits, which together represented at least four distinct phases of activity (Period 1 Phases 1.1–1.3.2). Medieval plough furrows and post-medieval to modern quarry pits and ditches were also revealed, including ditches associated with an avenue leading to Easton Neston House. A moderate assemblage of pottery, ceramic building material (CBM) and metalwork, alongside smaller quantities of fired/burnt clay, worked flint, industrial waste, worked stone, glass, worked bone and clay tobacco pipe were recovered from the site. The majority of the pottery dates to the Late Iron Age (transitional)/Roman period, with a small amount of early medieval, medieval and post-medieval/modern sherds also recovered. Other artefacts of note include two worked bone items, four worked stone items and a large assemblage of Roman metalwork including 58 coins (13 of which comprise a small early 4th century hoard (Treasure case number 2024 T1373) deposited within a ditch). Notable finds amongst the assemblage include two stone dwarf column bases and a copper-alloy figurine in the form of a cockerel. This document presents a quantification and assessment of the evidence recovered from the excavation. It considers the evidence collectively in its local, regional and national contexts, and presents an updated project design for a programme of post-excavation analysis to bring the results to appropriate publication.