Gwilym Hughes

This volume is the first of two reports on archaeological excavations undertaken ahead of the eastern expansion of Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal (DIRFT) which lies in the northern watershed region of Northamptonshire at its border with Warwickshire. The excavations, covering 178 hectares, recorded one of the most extensive Iron Age farming settlements yet discovered in the British Isles. It comprised at least five individual sites of house clusters and enclosures, spread around the rim of a shallow valley overlooking around 100 hectares of open pasture. At its peak between 400 BC and 100 BC the settlement would have contained up to 100 circular buildings. Volume 1 describes the excavation of the largest of these individual sites, that at Covert Farm, Crick, excavated by the Birmingham University Field Archaeology Unit. From the outset the excavations adopted an innovative approach to examine social themes in Iron Age studies, such as relationships with rubbish, fire and water, and the way life in the settlement may have been experienced by its inhabitants - themes that are presented and discussed in this book.

Birmingham University Field Archaeology Unit - Monograph Series 1Written by Peter Ellis, Gwilym Hughes, Peter Leach, Catharine Mould and Jon SterenbergDescribes the results of archaeological investigations at a number of sites undertaken by Birmingham University Field Archaeology Unit in 1996. New prehistoric sites were found along the length of the road corridor which, from Alconbury Hill to Norman Cross, coincides with Ermine Street. Here the major Roman road would have taken on additional importance where it skirted the fen edge. The book reports on a number of excavations along this section.

A report on the excavation of this multiperiod settlement which was undertaken prior to the development of the land into a residential housing estate. Evidence of prehistoric presence was found in the form of flints, sherds and a possible Iron Age structure: the Romano-British material is more extensive. Contains articles on the smallfinds and specialist reports on skeletal and environmental remains and the radiocarbon dates. The fieldwork was undertaken by Birmingham University Field Archaeology Unit.