Site record MDR5031 - Ryknield Street Roman Road in Tupton parish
Type and Period (1)
- ROAD (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
Protected Status/Designation
- None recorded
Full Description
Ryknield Street Roman Road through Tupton (continuing north into Wingerworth as SMR 15328 and south into Clay Cross as SMR 4213). A mechanical section was excavated across Ryknield Street in May 1975 in connection with a pipe-laying operation by the National Coal Board. At least two road surfaces were revealed. The earlier surface consisted of small, loosely packed stones, and was 2.9m wide which had been laid directly on the natural clay. This was covered by a layer of coal dust (2-10cm thick) overlying which was a second road. This later road was made up to 20-30cm thick but had lost the surface through relatively recent ploughing. It consisted of irregularly sized blocks packed in earth, with a further amount of coal dust in the material. A single ditch, to the east of the second road, measured 1.3m wide and 40 cm. deep and filled with greyish-brown silt. No artefacts were recovered. (1, 2)
Work was carried out in 1991 by Creswell Heritage Trust on the line of a pipe trench just south of Readleadmill Brook in Tupton parish (approx. SK 39256651). A trench was excavated across the presumed alignment of the Roman road 8m from Redleadmill Brook. At this point there was no surface indication for the road. No archaeological features were observed during the mechanical excavation of the trench, although possible residual agger deposits were identified. However, during deeper excavations by the contractors prior to pipe laying, three timber piles were uncovered on an alignment approximating that of the road. Radiocarbon dating provided two dates: 1970 +/- 50 BP and 1950 +/- 50 BP. The evidence therefore suggests that the timber piles are the surviving remains of a late Iron Age/early Roman timber structure crossing Redleadmill Brook. This in turn suggests that the stream channel has migrated to the north since Roman times. (3)
North of Brassington Lane, immediately west of Packman's Cottages, is a stretch of well preserved agger (c. 90m) standing c.1.5m high (centred on SK39096521). Currently overgrown this is shown on some maps as a linear embankment. The site is probably one of the best preserved stretches of Ryknield Street in the county. (4)
In 2010 this section was scheduled - see SMR 14408. (5)
Some excavation carried out in 1954 on the Roman Road running through Tupton. Unknown location. (6)
Sources/Archives (7)
- <1> SDR11558 Index: North Derbyshire Archaeological Trust (NDAT). North Derbyshire Archaeological Trust Index: 3875. 3875.
- <2> SDR11699 Article in serial: O'Brien, C & Todd, M. 1976. 'A section across Ryknield Street at New Tupton', Derbyshire Archaeological Journal. Volume 96, pp 23-25.
- <3> SDR657 Unpublished document: Wall, I. 1993. Report on the Excavation of Ryknield Street between Tupton and Wingerworth in 1991. SMR Doc. No. 77.
- <4> SDR19177 Personal Observation: Myers, A. Site visit or other evidence. Site visit, 2002 (notes in parish file).
- <5> SDR20975 Scheduling record: English Heritage. 2010. Scheduling Notification: Section of Ryknield Street Roman Road 220m north east of Pear Tree Farm. List entry no. 1021444.
- <6> SDR22707 Photograph: Woodhead, K. 1954. Photo of excavation on the Roman Road in Tupton.
- <7> SDR22707 Photograph: Woodhead, K. 1954. Photo of excavation on the Roman Road in Tupton.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred SK 391 655 (200m by 1664m) (Centre) |
|---|---|
| Civil Parish | TUPTON, NORTH EAST DERBYSHIRE, DERBYSHIRE |
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (3)
- EDR3557
- EDR2156
- EDR274
Please contact the HER for details.
External Links (0)
Record last edited
Mar 2 2021 4:50PM