From Iron to Empire: Stanwick Lakes launches major new Roman heritage project

Heritage Sites
Written By Lynne Dickens
Stanwick Lakes building from their air

Stanwick Lakes has announced an exciting new heritage initiative that will explore and celebrate the Roman history of the Nene Valley, thanks to a £250,000 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Titled From Iron to Empire, the project marks the first time Stanwick Lakes has focused specifically on the Roman period and will run over the next two years. The programme will invite volunteers, schools and community groups to take part, helping more people than ever to engage with the rich archaeological story of the area.

Building on the success of earlier projects that recreated Bronze Age and Iron Age life, From Iron to Empire will bring Roman Britain to life through a range of hands-on, immersive activities. Planned elements include the construction of a working Roman pottery kiln, a new viewpoint overlooking the remains of one of the region’s most significant Roman villas, and experimental textile research recreating Romano-British clothing in partnership with the Northamptonshire Guild of Spinners, Weavers and Dyers.

Visitors will also be able to explore an experimental heritage garden featuring plants used for food, medicine and crafts during the Roman era, as well as a newly built timber causeway inspired by prehistoric wetland engineering.

Mosaic at Stanwick Lakes

The project will run alongside a renewed Big Bronze Age Boat Build, led by experimental archaeologist Dr James Dilley and supported by Boughton House Estate.

Nadia Norman, Heritage Coordinator at Stanwick Lakes, said:

“We are thrilled to have received this support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, and with thanks to National Lottery players this heritage project will showcase the site’s hidden past through creative and engaging experiences. Together, we aim to reconnect people with history so that our communities and visitors can experience it in a way that is both meaningful and memorable.”

Stanwick Lakes is already recognised as a nationally significant archaeological landscape, home to prehistoric features including a Bronze Age barrow and Iron Age settlement. Large-scale excavations in the 1980s revealed over 5,000 years of continuous settlement, cementing the site’s reputation as one of the most important heritage locations in the region.

The heritage programme is driven by the commitment of volunteers and heritage partners, ensuring projects remain both authentic and deeply rooted in the local community.

Events and activities linked to From Iron to Empire will continue into 2026 and beyond, offering new opportunities for people to discover the long and fascinating history of life in the Nene Valley.

Lynne Dickens

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