Clifftop Secrets: Marshall Meadows and the Late Iron Age\Romano-British Settlement Dynamics of the Tyne–Forth Region
Lecture
Matt Hobson
Lecture Room 2, Herschel Building, Newcastle University
Description
Recent excavations at Marshall Meadows, Berwick-upon-Tweed, have significantly advanced understanding of settlement dynamics in the Tyne–Forth region during the Late Iron Age and Romano-British periods. The site revealed a multi-phased settlement sequence extending from the 2nd/1st centuries BC into the 3rd–4th centuries AD, contrasting sharply with the more episodic occupation known from the Northumberland coastal plain. Its stone-floored scooped buildings, quern-stone production, and agricultural evidence show strong affinities with contemporary settlements in southeast Scotland, while a later D-shaped enclosure provides rare evidence for continued occupation into the Late Roman period.
Among the most significant results are those from radiocarbon dating of lipids extracted from handmade pottery—a technique newly applied in this region. The lipid analyses not only demonstrate the extended use of Middle–Late Iron Age ceramic traditions well into the Roman period, but also reveal distinct patterns of meat and dairy processing that illuminate household subsistence practices.
Complementary datasets—including charred plant remains indicating a barley-based agrarian economy, and artefacts such as spindle whorls, loom weights, a Samian sherd, and a trumpet brooch—portray a settlement founded on cellular economic self-sufficiency, with most resources produced and consumed within the community. While a small number of imported items hint at occasional engagement in wider exchange networks, such interactions appear limited and selective. Overall, the evidence reveals a resilient, self-sustaining coastal community, maintaining economic independence while adapting to changing cultural and political landscapes along the northern frontier.