Archaeological Mitigation at Magna Park, Lutterworth, Leicestershire

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.