Barnwell North Lodge Farm
Five seasons of work were undertaken at a Roman site at Barnwell near Oundle during 1973 and 1985 to 1988 by the Middle Nene Archaeological Group.
The site features an aisled building which had undergone several phases of development, including a late bath suite. Surrounding the building was a series of gated yards.
Of particular note were three very large pits, up to 1.5m deep, which were dug close to the building, one of which produced a remarkable collection of lead objects and a large, column-like piece of limestone. One pit, which was close to the later bath extension added to the aisled building, had a revetment of timber posts with planking, behind which hard core material had been dumped to provide a walkway around the extended building.
Occupation extended from the late 1st century, through the Hadrianic period and into the late Roman period. A series of four postholes was associated with Saxon occupation.
The excavations at the site are crucial for understanding how the exploitation of the clay-lands developed during the Roman period with the animal bone in the later periods suggesting a broad-based animal economy with cattle being exploited for a variety of purposes including traction. In addition, the site provided well dated finds and pottery which help to refine the dating of other Nene Valley assemblages.
Nene Valley colour-coat vessels from stone-lined cist F66
The excavation report was published in the Northamptonshire Archaeology, Vol. 38 (2015).