Dig site offers 'window' into Roman life

An archaeological dig at a new housing development has provided a "remarkable window into life in the area during the Roman period".

The Museum of London Archaeology (Mola) has been excavating a nine-hectare (22.2-acre) site at Stanton Cross in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire.

The location is close to Chester House Estate, a known ancient Roman town where a number of artefacts had previously been uncovered.

Tony Walsh, project manager at Mola, said it was "particularly exciting" that "these discoveries tell the story of an established agricultural community that fed into the main Roman town nearby".

Mola said its project at Stanton Cross had uncovered "a series of historical insights", including intricate decorative pottery.

The main dig took place between March and December 2024, with some of the key findings now being published.

The majority were from the Roman and Iron age periods (400 BC onwards), and Mola said they painted a "vivid picture of what life was like for agricultural communities living in the shadow of the Roman town".

Excavations uncovered field systems, ditches and enclosures, including horse paddocks, as well as the remains of farm buildings and storage structures.

Walsah said: "The personal items uncovered, like the imported Samian pottery and the decorative head-shaped flagons, offer a glimpse into the lives of the people who lived there, while also revealing a level of artistry and craftsmanship that we had not expected from the period."

"There's also the sword mould, which is a complete puzzle, given that it dates from the Bronze Age and is around 1,500 years older than the Roman finds. It is an intriguing mystery, and one our team is determined to solve."

The artefacts are now being cleaned and assessed by specialists, with detailed analysis expected to conclude within the next year.

All finds will eventually be housed at the county archive store – located in the old Roman town itself – where they will be preserved for research and form the basis for public displays of the discoveries.

In the meantime, temporary displays were being organised for the community.

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