An Iron Age and early Roman farmstead at Calvestone Road, Cawston, near Rugby: excavations in 2012

Abstract

A programme of archaeological investigation was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology (CA) prior to housing development to the east of Calvestone Road, Cawston, on the outskirts of Rugby. The work comprised an archaeological excavation over three areas followed by a watching brief on parts of the site not subject to excavation. In Area 1 lay an Iron Age subrectangular enclosure whose ditch had been re-cut on at least three occasions. The enclosure contained evidence for an Iron Age farmstead, including a possible roundhouse. Areas 2 and 3 also revealed evidence of occupation during the Iron Age. Later, in the 1st century AD, the site was remodelled with the laying out of a series of larger enclosures and the development of a trackway. The site was abandoned during the Roman period with no evidence for continued occupation beyond c AD 200. Medieval and post-medieval furrows indicate that later the area was laid down to arable.This report presents the results of the excavation and places them within the context of settlement, the economy and the environment of the Iron Age and Roman periods. The likely function of each feature and structure encountered is considered and compared with other Iron Age and Roman sites