Late Prehistoric Boundaries and Iron Age and Roman Settlements at Airfield Farm, Market Harborough, Leicestershire

Housebuilding on the edge of Market Harborough provided the opportunity in 2018 to explore the site’s archaeological past, uncovering the remains of human activity dating primarily from the Bronze Age to the Roman period, on a site of approximately six hectares.

The earliest firm evidence for human activity comprised a pit alignment and c.120m to the east, a small unenclosed settlement. These were assigned to the middle–late Bronze Age, although firm dating evidence is limited. The pit alignment was traced for c.260m across the excavation areas. It is presumed that the alignment ended to the north; however, to the south, truncation by later features means that it is uncertain whether the alignment continued after a gap within excavation area. The majority of the pits were c.0.5–1.0m in diameter, up to c.0.3m deep, and set 0.9–1.1m apart. There is no evidence that any of the pits ever held posts, and it is, therefore presumed that they were open features. The settlement contained two roundhouses, and an adjacent activity focus contained a small number of pits, postholes, and two cremation burials. The latter were un-urned and dated to the middle Bronze Age on the basis of radiocarbon determinations.

Two extensive ditched boundaries were created in the early Iron Age, extending for at least 100m; one of these was located perpendicular to the pit alignment in the north, but otherwise there was no clear association between the boundaries and the earlier pit alignment. The boundary ditches were c.1.2–3m wide, up to c.1.5m deep, and were recut multiple times indicating they were long lived features. An enclosure was constructed, utilising the pit alignment for one of its sides, perhaps representing a small settlement. Evidence for internal activity was limited to three pits, including a large water-pit, but attached to the outside of enclosure was a C-shaped gully, c.9m in diameter, which may have defined a roundhouse.

 The first extensive settlement was established in the middle–late Iron Age; it was c.6ha in extent. The settlement appeared to have been arranged mainly in-between the two early Iron Age extensive boundaries. One of the latter, which had been redug during this phase, appeared to act as the divide between the settlement and enclosure system. The settlement included nine areas of inter-linked enclosures and although there was no standard layout, each comprised at least one roundhouse and up to three auxiliary enclosures. Twenty-nine roundhouses were identified, both in clusters and more isolated locations. It seems likely that the inter-linked enclosures and clusters of roundhouses represent the domestic foci for extended families or households living and working together, with auxiliary enclosures used for small animal management. Dispersed across the settlement were nine post-built structures. As is so often the case with large middle Iron Age settlements, the limited dating evidence makes it impossible to determine exactly how many of the domestic foci, enclosures, and buildings were contemporaneous.

After a hiatus in activity of c.150 years, a Roman settlement was established, probably in the mid-2nd century AD. This was located to the south and east of the Iron Age settlement, on land which had not previously been utilised. The Roman settlement extended over c.2ha and comprised a rectangular area defined on three sides by outer boundary ditches, which were inter-linked with multiple, mainly rectilinear, internal enclosures. The initial settlement only contained the northern enclosures which extended over c.0.8ha, before it was extended southwards by c.0.7ha. The only Roman structure firmly identified was an aisled building, but the rectangular plan of many of the other enclosures, could suggest that other buildings may have been present. Other features present included one possible drying oven, four water-pits, numerous quarry pits, and other pits and postholes. The settlement appears to have been occupied throughout the 3rd century AD, before going out of use in the first half of the 4th century AD.

The inhabitants of the settlements, like others in the region, probably practised a mixed-farming economy, with a focus on animal husbandry. The inhabitants of the Roman settlement had the desire and ability to purchase regional and continental ceramics, but only in low numbers. Only a small quantity of metal artefacts was recovered. These included a possible stylus or toiletry implement, a copper alloy hair pin, a lead alloy spoon and six copper alloy Roman coins. 

Based on the archaeological evidence, there is nothing to suggest that the local population were anything other than farmers of British origin.

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