More information : SP 691480. Late first to fourth century Roman material, including coins, doll, bronze armlet, decorated Samian ware, coarse ware, roof tiles and late colour-coated ware were found during field walking by T Shirley. Hastings opined that these indicated an extensive Roman villa complex. "The existence of the site is confirmed by APs supplied by J Goff, County Architect, and is adjacent to the area excavated by D Maynard". (Maynard's excavation in 1967 showed that the cropmarks at SP 691482 were non-archaeological. See SP 64 NE 1, authority 7). (1)
(SP 690480). The line of the Towcester-Alchester road was explored for a length of 500m. The road was shown to be mainly 8-10m wide and 15cm thick with a varying number of side ditches, mostly 2 on the south side and 3 on the north side. No solid dating material was recovered but probably c.2nd century AD. Opposite the workshop discovered in 1974, on the northern side lay another ditch overlying a clay pit and silted up roadside ditch. Portions of the stone floor of the hut identified was found to incorporate reused stone. (2)
At (SP 690479) a further 600sq.m of this site was stripped during 1976, west of the area examined in 1975 and immediately north of Towcester-Alchester road. Three phases of roadside ditch were identified, over which a stone floor had been laid. The floor was probably of a turf walled building with which lead production may have been associated. To the north of this possible workshop was a yard containing up to 50 rubbish pits. This industrial activity is dated to c.4th century. (3)
(SP 690480). A watching brief produced the following features: Ditches and gullies of an Iron Age farmstead, around 3rd BC and ditches with channel bottoms early Roman date. A series of Roman ditches containing Constantinian coins of 3rd and early 4th century. Ditches associated with the Alchester road. Ephemeral stone buildings, early-mid 3rd century and mid 4th century, some with stone floors. In the later hut a collection of three coins (date 268-270 AD - Claudius), were found under a stylobate. Shallow features similar to corn driers, but perhaps associated with metal working in the mid 4th century. There were a lot of evidence for ironworking on the site. A number of huts were recovered, all undated but a least two contained evidence for an industrial function.
A vast amount of pottery was recovered during the excavation also a shale bead and a number of coins (date range 196-198 and perhaps as late as 375). (4)
(SP 690480). A flattened mound in the Abbey Hamsteads Estate was examined to establish whether it was a burial associated with the earlier findings of a Pagan Saxon Sword mound in the vicinity at
(SP 68974796, see: SP 64 NE 53) which was pyramid shaped with chip carving and inlay. Found in 1974. A ditch of the Roman period was uncovered but there was no evidence of a later burial. (5)
Full summary of excavations 1967-78, figures and plates. (6)
Lead bar found in 1974 at the end of the bar was a possible numeral, `V', proceeded by a single chisel stroke set at an angle and therefore probably not part of the same numeral. Also a piece of amphora with cursive grafitio at (SP 696488) appears to read ...]JEQVI[... (7) |