10 September 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

HS2 archaeologists discover Romanization of Iron Age village in Britain

Archaeologists have uncovered a vast Roman trading town on Britain’s HS2 high-speed rail route.

Evidence found during a dig of the site near the village of Chipping Warden in Northamptonshire has shown how the settlement, believed to have been established in about 400 BC when it was made up of more than 30 roundhouses, expanded during the Roman era in the years around 300-400 AD, with new stone buildings and new roads emerging.

The site, known as Blackgrounds after the black soil found there, is one of more than 100 to have been examined by archaeologists between London and Birmingham since 2018, with experts saying it turned out to be “one of the most impressive.”

The archaeologists found more than 300 Roman coins along a wide road, suggesting that commerce in the area was significant as the village developed into a wealthy town.

The 10-metre wide road also indicated that the settlement would have been very busy with traffic.

A finding from Blackgrounds, Britain. (Twitter / @HS2ltd)
A finding from Blackgrounds, Britain. (Twitter / @HS2ltd)

The archaeologists found the settlement divided into domestic and industrial areas, with evidence of workshops, kilns, and well-preserved wells.

In one part of the site, the earth was bright red, suggesting the area would have been used for activities involving burning, such as bread-making, foundries for metalwork, or a kiln.

Other artifacts found during the dig highlighted the wealth of the inhabitants, such as glass vessels, highly decorative pottery, jewellery and even traces of the mineral galena – a substance that was crushed and mixed with oil to be used as make-up.

Half a set of shackles was also discovered, suggesting criminal activity or slave labour in the area.

Site manager James West, from MOLA Headland Infrastructure, which has been excavating the site, said: “This is certainly one of the most impressive sites MOLA Headland Infrastructure has discovered whilst working on the HS2 scheme.

“A particular highlight for me has been understanding the emerging story of Blackgrounds, which we now know spans multiple time periods.

“Uncovering such a well-preserved and large Roman road, as well as so many high quality finds, has been extraordinary and tells us so much about the people who lived here.

“The site really does have the potential to transform our understanding of the Roman landscape in the region and beyond.”

Mike Court, the lead archaeologist for HS2, added: “The opportunity to carefully examine a site such as Blackgrounds, and map out a long history of the site, brought to life through artifacts, building remains and roads, has enabled us to provide a more in-depth understanding of what life was like in rural South Northamptonshire in the Iron and Roman Age.”

hs2.org.uk

Related Articles

Great Wall Castle Remains Found in China’s Shaanxi

8 June 2021

8 June 2021

The remains of a Great Wall castle dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) were discovered in northwest China’s Shaanxi...

21 Copperplate Inscriptions discovered at Ghanta Matham in India

14 June 2021

14 June 2021

During excavations at Ghanta Matham in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh,  important 21 copper plates for the Mallikarjuna Swami...

Archaeologists have found seven pairs of Anglo-Saxon brooches in seven graves during an excavation in Gloucestershire

5 April 2022

5 April 2022

Archaeologists have found seven pairs of Anglo-Saxon saucer brooches, one pair in each of seven burials unearthed in an excavation...

Rare Piece Of Metal Armor Found At 17th-Century Fort In Maryland

1 March 2024

1 March 2024

A piece of body armor was unearthed during excavations at a 17th-century colonial fort in Maryland, a Mid-Atlantic state of...

Royal Shipwreck From 17th century Is discovered Off the Coast of England

11 June 2022

11 June 2022

Off the coast of England, a royal shipwreck has been unearthed. The Gloucester, one of the most renowned ships of...

Archaeologists Uncover Elegant Rare Blue Frescoes of an Ancient Sanctuary in Pompeii

10 June 2024

10 June 2024

Archaeologists digging away at ash covering the ancient city of Pompeii have uncovered a room with walls frescoed in an...

Dozens of unique bronze ornaments discovered in a drained peat bog in Poland

28 January 2023

28 January 2023

Numerous bronze ornaments have been discovered in Poland’s Chełmno region (Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship). Archaeologists report that dozens of bronze ornaments, including...

Female pharaoh’s temple reveals teamwork of Egypt’s ‘ancient masters’

18 November 2021

18 November 2021

Despite the widely acknowledged monumentality and durability of ancient Egyptian sculpture, carved reliefs, and paintings the makers of these works...

New ancient ape from Türkiye challenges the story of human origins

2 September 2023

2 September 2023

A recently discovered fossilized ape from a site in Turkey that is 8.7 million years old is inspiring scientists to...

Ancient Eco-Tech Uncovered in Lebanon: Phoenicians Used Recycled Pottery for Hydraulic Lime Plaster 2,700 Years Ago

23 July 2025

23 July 2025

Excavations at Tell el-Burak Reveal Technological Innovation and Early Sustainable Construction in Iron Age Lebanon In a major archaeological breakthrough,...

4,500-Year-Old Dog Teeth-Adorned Bags Found in Germany May Have Been Elite Baby Carriers

11 July 2025

11 July 2025

Archaeological excavations near Krauschwitz reveal rare decorated leather bags buried with women and infants—shining new light on Neolithic burial customs...

After 1,300 years, water to again flow from monumental fountain in the City of Gladiators in Turkey

30 December 2022

30 December 2022

The approximately 2,000-year-old monumental fountain in the ancient city of Kibyra in Golhisar, Burdur in southwestern Turkey will start flowing...

Polish researchers reveal what ancient Egyptian faience has to do with gold

31 December 2022

31 December 2022

Powdered quartz used to make faience vessels discovered by Polish archaeologists during excavations in the ancient city of Athribis in...

The Celts’ Astronomical Secrets: The Chão de Lamas Lunula and the Coligny Calendar Connection

2 March 2025

2 March 2025

A groundbreaking study published in the journal Palaeohispanica has shed light on the ancient timekeeping practices of the Celts, centering...

The 4,500-year-old Wisconsin canoe was built around the same time that Stonehenge was being constructed

31 May 2024

31 May 2024

Historians from Wisconsin have reported the amazing finding of at least eleven prehistoric canoes in Lake Mendota, which is close...