Towcester Roman Town - Northamptonshire, UK - Ancient Roman Civilization on Waymarking.com

There is little evidence of the Romans visible here today but as various new buildings were erected excavations produced Roman finds. One such site is the Waitrose supermarket where there is an information board describing the artifacts.

In spring 1998 the Northamptonshire Archeology society excavated the area before Waitrose was built. The old Roman wall used to go through what is now the car park area. Food fragments, bones and personal items were found giving an insight into Roman life. Items such as hairpins, gaming counters, fragments of pottery jars and bowls, glass jars and coins were found and recorded. There was the stone foundation of an oven discovered which had been used for malt production.

Towcester has a central road running through the town which is an original Roman Road called the Watling Street. This is the main A5 road which runs from Alchester in the south to Leicester in the north. Of course, nowadays it is a tarmac surface!

John Sunderland has some more details: visit link

'Roman Towcester (Lactodorum) was a garrison town on the Watling Street, and the street has played a major role in its history ever since. The Roman town was encompassed with an impressive wall strengthened at strategic points by brick towers. Indeed the substantial remains of one of these lasted right up until the 1960s when it was unfortunately demolished to make way for the telephone exchange. The wall was surrounded by an extensive ditch and earthworks and within its circumference were four gates; two bestriding the Watling Street, an Eastern gate, possibly now surrounded by Bury Mount, and a Western gate guarding the Roman road to Alchester. All this suggests that the town contained within was something worth preserving. Nothing of it can now be found above ground but recent excavations suggest that much still remains. St. Lawrence Church for instance is thought to occupy the site of a substantial Roman public building and by the steps leading down to the church's boiler room can be glimpsed a small area of neat Roman tessellated pavement. The church is well worth a visit with its fine monument to Archdeacon Sponne, the town's first benefactor.

With the departure of the Romans at the beginning of the 5th century A.D. also went their structure of government.'

Most Relevant Historical Period: Roman Empire > 27 B.C. Admission Fee: 0.00 Opening days/times: Anytime Web Site: [Web Link] Condition: Some remaining traces (ruins) or pieces

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Date Logged Log User Rating   10/08/2010 greysman visited it