Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) carried out a programme of archaeological investigations at Magna Park, Lutterworth, Leicestershire between June 2020 and March 2021. A total of just over 12ha was examined as part of the archaeological works, which were separated into eight mitigation areas.
The archaeological works revealed the second largest middle Bronze Age cemetery yet found in the county, comprising a group of 30 cremation burials. A further two contemporary cremation burials located 500m away were likely part of the extended funerary landscape.
The area of investigation is located along the present A5 which follows the Roman road of Watling Street. This major routeway was hugely influential to the development of the settlements at the site from the middle/ late Iron Age throughout the Roman period and into the medieval period. The site saw four separate farmsteads established in the 1st century BC, and two additional settlement sites established in the early Roman period. These were all gradually abandoned before the late 4th century AD. The presence of a possible shrine attached to one of the settlement areas is suggested by finds of nine silver coins dating from the 1st and early 2nd centuries, as well as brooches and other objects.
Two smaller excavation areas examined parts of the periphery of the deserted village of Bittesby. Limited Saxon features along with a small routeway, plots and enclosures dating to the 11th–14th centuries were identified. Minor activity in these areas was recorded up to the mid-16th century.
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MOLA carried out a programme of archaeological investigations at Magna Park, Lutterworth, Leicestershire (June 2020-March 2021). This work included the recovery of 30 middle Bronze Age cremations at one location, the second largest cemetery of this period yet found in the county.
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1: Introduction
Project background
Topography and geology along the route
Historical and archaeological background
Archaeological work in the area
Approach to the archaeological investigation
Summary and site phasing
Planning application and 106 agreement
2: The archaeological evidence
Period 1, Areas A13 and A15, middle Bronze Age funerary sites (1500-1000BC)
Period 2a, Areas A2, A15 and X25, middle-late Iron Age settlements
Period 2b, Areas A1, A10, A13 and A15, late Iron Age/early Roman transition (late 1st century BC- middle 1st century AD)
Periods 3a-3e, Roman occupation, Areas A1, A2, A10, A13 and X25 (AD43-AD350+)
Period 3a, Areas A1, A10, A13 and X25, early-middle Roman (AD43-AD150)
Period 3ai, Areas A2, A10 and A13 early Roman (early-middle 2nd century AD) (AD100-AD150)
Periods 3b-3d, Area A1, A2, A10 and A13, middle-late Roman, (AD150-AD350)
Period 3d, Areas A1 and A2, late Roman activity (AD250–350)
Period 3e, Area A1, Roman quarrying activity (AD350+)
Periods 4, 5 and 6: Medieval to post-medieval (Early-middle Saxon to the late 17th – 18th century)
Periods 4a-4aii, 5a-5e, Areas A 15, A18, X24 and X25, Saxon and medieval activity
Period 5a, Areas A15, A18 and X25, medieval settlement activity (11th–12th century)
Periods 5a, 5ai, 5aii and 5b, Area X25, 11th-12th century medieval settlement
Periods 5a-5b, Areas X25, 12th century medieval settlement
Period 5c, Areas A18 and X25, 12th-middle 13th century medieval activity
Period 5d, middle 13th-14th century medieval activity, Areas A18 and X25
Period 5e, Area A18, late 14th-middle 16th century activity
Period 6a, Area X24, post-medieval track
3: Finds
Worked Flint – Ann Bojko
Middle Bronze Age pottery cremation vessels – Nicholas J Cooper
Iron Age and Roman pottery – Nicholas J. Cooper
Saxon to post-medieval pottery – Paul Blinkhorn
Fired clay loomweights and oven plates – Pat Chapman
The slag – Andy Chapman
The stone – Andy Chapman
Ceramic building material and fired clay – Rob Atkins
Metal and non-metallic small finds – Nina Crummy
4: Human remains
Human bone – Chris Chinnock
5: The faunal and environmental evidence
The animal bone – Adam Reid
Charred plant remains – Wendy Smith
Wood-Charcoal Analysis – Marvin Demicoli
6: Discussion by Rob Atkins and Stephen Morris
Landscape characterisation
Early prehistoric activity
Middle Bronze Age burials
Late Bronze Age and early Iron Age
Roman occupation (AD43-middle 4th century)
Area Trench X24, medieval/post-medieval track
Bibliography
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Produktdetaljer
ISBN
9781803277851
Publisert
2024-07-04
Utgiver
Vendor
Archaeopress Archaeology
Høyde
290 mm
Bredde
205 mm
Aldersnivå
P, 06
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Heftet
Antall sider
290
Forfatter