Editing Towcester (section)

===Prehistoric and Roman periods===
{{Main|Lactodurum}}
Towcester lays claim to being the oldest town in Northamptonshire and possibly, because of the antiquity of recent [[British Iron Age|Iron Age]] finds in the town, to be one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in the country. There is evidence that it was settled by humans since the [[Mesolithic]] era (middle stone age). There is also evidence of Iron Age burials in the area.

In [[Roman Britain]], [[Watling Street]], now the A5 road, was built through the area and a garrison town called ''Lactodurum'' established on the site of the present-day town. Two candidate sites for the [[Battle of Watling Street]], fought in 61AD, are located close to the town, these are [[Church Stowe]] which is located {{convert|4+1/3|mi|km}} to the north<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.craftpegg.com/Battle_Church_Stowe_CP.pdf |title=Landscape Analysis and Appraisal Church Stowe, Northamptonshire, as a Candidate Site for the Battle of Watling Street |access-date=29 August 2010 |archive-date=3 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303233915/http://www.craftpegg.com/Battle_Church_Stowe_CP.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[Paulerspury]] which is {{convert|3|mi|km}} to the south.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/artsandculture/728896/UK-The-original-Iron-Lady-rides-again.html | location=London | work=The Daily Telegraph | title=UK: The original Iron Lady rides again | first=Byron | last=Rogers | date=2003-10-11 | access-date=2 April 2018 | archive-date=14 April 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180414201137/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/artsandculture/728896/UK-The-original-Iron-Lady-rides-again.html | url-status=live }}</ref> A stone female head, that mixes [[Celtic art|Celtic]] and [[Roman art|Roman]] styles, was found on Watling Street outside the town and was given to the [[British Museum]] in 1903.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1363122&partId=1&searchText=towcester+head&page=1 |title=British Museum Highlights |access-date=15 June 2017 |archive-date=15 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170915023851/https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1363122&partId=1&searchText=towcester+head&page=1 |url-status=live }}</ref>