Stanwick Lakes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Stanwick Lakes |
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 Stanwick Lakes
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| Population | 0 |
| OS grid reference | SP967714 |
| • London | 60.3 miles (97.1 km) |
| District |
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| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Wellingborough |
| Postcode district | NN9 |
| Dialling code | 01933 |
| Police | Northamptonshire |
| Fire | Northamptonshire |
| Ambulance | East Midlands |
| EU Parliament | East Midlands |
| UK Parliament |
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Stanwick Lakes is a large country park located near the village of Stanwick in England. It opened in 2006 and covers about 750 acres (304 hectares) of land. This area used to be gravel pits, where gravel was dug out of the ground.
The park is managed by the Rockingham Forest Trust. They work with the local council to look after the park. Stanwick Lakes is also part of a bigger area called the River Nene Regional Park. It's a great place for people to enjoy nature and learn about history.
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Discovering the Past at Stanwick Lakes
Before a new road was built and a lot of gravel was dug up, archaeologists found amazing things here. From 1984 to 1992, they dug up the remains of an old Roman house, called a villa. Inside, they discovered beautiful mosaics. Mosaics are pictures or patterns made from small pieces of colored stone or glass.
One of these Roman mosaics was brought back to Stanwick Lakes in 2013. You can now see it on display in the Visitor Centre. It helps us imagine what life was like here many centuries ago.
Unearthing a Medieval Village
Archaeologists also found traces of a medieval village near Stanwick Lakes. This village, called West Cotton, was excavated between 1985 and 1989. A medieval village existed during the Middle Ages, a long time after the Romans.
The remains include old earthworks, which are changes in the shape of the land made by people. They also found buried parts of the village. This settlement was used by people from the Anglo-Saxon period (around 450 AD to 1066 AD) and through the medieval period. It was abandoned before the year 1450.
Scientists also learned that this medieval village was built on top of an even older site. This older site was a large area used for special ceremonies by people in prehistoric times. Prehistoric means before written history.
Exploring Ancient Landmarks
Stanwick Lakes and the surrounding area are home to several important historical sites. These places are protected because they have special architectural or historical value. They are listed by Historic England, an organization that looks after England's historic buildings and sites.
Prehistoric Burial Mounds
- Raunds Bowl Barrow: This is an ancient burial mound from prehistoric times. It's called a "bowl barrow" because of its shape, like an upside-down bowl. It's a protected site.
- Irthlingborough Bowl Barrow: Another prehistoric bowl barrow, similar to the one at Raunds. These mounds were often used to bury important people long ago. It is also a protected site.
West Cotton Medieval Village
- Medieval Settlement of West Cotton: This is the site of the medieval village we talked about earlier. Its buried remains are protected as a "Scheduled Monument." This means it's a very important archaeological site that needs to be preserved.
