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THE MIDLANDS
A1(M) Alconbury to Peterborough
Breeding Horses
This road follows the route of another Roman Ermine Street, which ran from London (Londinium) to York (Eboracum). The road, which was primarily for military use, was named after Earna, leader of a tribe of Germanic settlers. It became the Great North Road and then the A1(M).
The stretch which was examined lay to the south of the Roman industrial areas of the Nene valley and the town of Water Newton (Durobrivae) and skirted the edge of the fens, which were drained during the Roman period and became a rich natural resource.
Seven settlements of late Iron Age or Roman periods were investigated by Birmingham University field archaeological unit before work began on the new road.
The largest settlement was at Tort Hill, on both sides of the road. To the west, a number of Iron Age ditches were found and small enclosures with circular gullies, which were presumably the site of houses.
The beginning of Roman period appears to mark a shift to the other side of the road - perhaps to allow for the building of Ermine Street, though no trace of this was found during the investigations. There was evidence of enclosures, set at right angles to the Street and some evidence of rich .buildings with remains of painted plaster.
The abandoned area to the west was used as a graveyard and several hearths showed evidence of industrial activity.
Other sites produced evidence of Roman settlement at Norman Cross, Vinegar Hill and Alconbury. They all produced a higher than usual number of horse bones, which could imply horse-breeding, for which the open areas of the Fens would be very suitable.
At Connington, an early post-medieval bridge was recorded in detail and the fields along the route showed evidence of ridge and furrow up to the early 1950s.
Finds are examined and catalogued
A564 Derby Southern Bypass
Three reports have been prepared by Trent and Peak Archaeological Trust for sites excavated .within the Trent Valley in Derbyshire. They cover the prehistoric sites at Swarkestone Lowes and Hickens Bridge, Aston-on-Trent and the important Neolithic ritual site of long parallel ditches at Potlock to the south-west of Derby. The finds will be deposited in Derby Museum.
