Radstone Technology Site, Towcester, Northamptonshire

In July and October 2004 Oxford Archaeology (OA) carried out a two phased field evaluation at the Radstone Technology Site, Water Lane, Towcester, Northamptonshire (NGR: SP 691 485) on behalf of John Samuels Archaeological Consultants. The site was divided into 2 areas by Water Lane; Block A to the west and Block B to the east.
Block B was situated over the projected course of the Roman road from Towcester to Alchester and revealed extensive evidence of 1st-2nd century boundary ditches, pits and a limestone wall footing, although there was no conclusive evidence of the Alchester road. Evidence of 3rd-4th century ditches and gullies was also recovered.
Evaluation to the north of Block A revealed evidence of 1st-2nd century plot boundaries and gullies and a possible limestone wall footing. Three 3rd-4th century inhumations were also excavated and the western extent of the burials appeared to be defined by a re-cut of a section of one of the earlier plot boundaries. As a result of the preliminary results of the evaluation in this area, a subsequent excavation was undertaken which revealed a further 25 burials, a possible southern boundary to the cemetery and evidence of 1st-2nd century activity to the extreme north of Block A. Although the results of the excavation will be the subject of a forthcoming report, they are relevant here in that they informed the post-excavation interpretation of a number of features revealed within Block A during the evaluation
The trenches excavated to the south of Block A were subject to flooding and features observed were therefore not fully characterised. However, a sequence of alluvial deposits overlying the natural geology was recorded, together with a number of features of Roman date.

Excavation
Oxford Archaeology carried out an archaeological excavation on land at
the Radstone Technology Site, Towcester, Northamptonshire (NGR: SP
691 485). The work was commissioned by David Wilson Homes in
advance of development for housing. The excavation revealed a mid- late
Roman inhumation cemetery lying to the west of the Alchester Road on
the south-western periphery of the Roman town. The cemetery, consisting
of 28 graves, was situated in a subrectangular plot defined by ditches
originating in the second century. The area had been heavily truncated by
groundworks for a car park in 1968, when two skeletons were discovered.
As a result many of the skeletons exposed in the present excavations were
damaged and incomplete. Twenty-six adults were identified of which 12
were male and 2 were female. Two sub-adults, both probably adolescents,
could not be sexed and whilst the grave goods of jet bead necklace and
bronze bracelets accompanying one of them may suggest the individual
was probably female, similar items have been found elsewhere on
occasion to be associated with young men. Two decapitation burials and
six prone burials were found and possibly eight individuals had been
buried within coffins. Grave goods or associated artefacts were found in
six graves and though dating evidence was limited, this suggests burials
may have commenced as early as the mid-2nd century and continued
through to the 4th century AD.