Archaeological Mitigation at Magna Park, Lutterworth, Leicestershire

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.

Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) carried out a programme of archaeological investigations at Magna Park, Lutterworth, Leicestershire between June 2020 and March 2021. The archaeological works comprised the excavation of eight separate mitigation areas with a total of just over 12ha examined. 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, as well as two contemporary cremation burials found 0.5km away. The development site is located along the present A5 (Watling Street). This routeway greatly influenced the locations and development of settlements at the site dating from the middle/late Iron Age, Roman and medieval periods. Four separate farmsteads were established in the 1st century BC, three of these were located adjacent to the present A5. A further two farmsteads started from the early Roman period, one of which was next to the A5. Of note, one of the settlements may have contained a shrine, with nine silver coins dating from the 1st and early 2nd century (Treasure Number 2020T597) as well as brooches and other objects recovered. The farmsteads were abandoned at different periods with none extending into the late 4th century AD. Two small excavation areas examined peripheral areas of the deserted village of Bittesby. Minor Saxon features were recovered, but a small routeway, plots as well as enclosures were found dating to the 11th-14th centuries and minor activity recorded up to the mid-16th century.

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,

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

• By (author) Stephen Morris