Monument record 9097 - Crack's Hill (Possible Prehistoric/Romano-British Occupation)

Prominent natural feature. Antiquarian sources suggest that it was the site of a Roman Station, although no evidence has yet been found to support this. Prehistoric worked flint has been found.

{1} Brief site visit 9th November 2001. The site (Crick parish; NGR approx centre SP59507350) is being developed as a country park by Daventry District Council. SMR records prior to this visit have been confined to some survival of ridge and furrow. However, recent identification of a ‘Roman Station’ marked on the initial Ordnance Surveyor’s plans c.1817 (unpublished, British Library sheet 261, 0204-03) prompted a site visit.
Crack’s Hill forms a very a prominent landscape feature, though perhaps rather more imposing when seen close up or from its top rather than from further afield. It takes the form of a flat-topped hill marked rising a little above the 140m contour and steep sided all around except to the east which is less pronounced by virtue of being linked by a low ‘saddle’to rising ground to the east. It commands excellent long distance views to south, west and north; that to the east being more restricted. The Grand Union Canal veres to the west at this point in order to circumvent the hill.
The Geological Survey describe the hill as occupying Middle Lias Silt and Clay but the strong suspicion must be that other material is present.
Landuse: the hill and lower slopes are all under grazed pasture. Hedgerows present on lower slopes; mature oaks are scattered across the top of the hill. Some stock worn/eroded ‘lynchets’ present on steep west side along with extensive rabbit burrows on upper south side.
Archaeology: despite its steep sides, well preserved ridge and furrow extends right over the hill top and down its slopes. Traces of a low scarp or bank are just discernible on the top of the hill, running approximately NxS and ExW and forming a curved ‘corner’. A slight ExW scarp is present approximately 46m to the north along the northern side of the hilltop. The relationship between the scarp and the ridge and furrow is undetermined though there is a suspicion that the latter overlays and has partially flattened the former. Some uneven ground, of uncertain form, is also present towards the west end of the hilltop.
Quick inspection of the rabbit burrows on the south side upper slopes and the eroded ‘lynchets’ on the upper west side revealed no obvious stratigraphy but did identify numerous small flint pieces. At least two worked pieces, one broken blade and flake along with 4 possible worked fragments were recovered, all unstratified. These are undiagnostic and could fall into a broad date range (c. late Mesolithic through to early Bronze Age, c.4000 BC to 1500 BC?). No Roman or other material was observed.

{2} 'Roman Station' marked at Crayk's Hill.

{6} Further flint artefacts have been found at Crack's Hill; this substantial site is of uncertain date and function, but the flints indicate a focus of occupation or settlement in the prehistoric period and traces of earthworks on the summit suggest that it may have been a hillfort or enclosed settlement of some kind.

{7} A possible sub-square enclosure is visible on lidar imagery although its relationship with the ridge and furrow is unclear. The enclosure is in a similar location to the circular enclosure depicted on the early C19 OS map {2}.

<1> Cadman G., 2001, Crack's Hill, Note for SMR, (checked) (Report). SNN102246.

<2> Ordnance Survey, 1817, First Edition Ordnance Survey Surveyors Drawings (Sheet 261), Sheet 261 0204-03 (unchecked) (Map). SNN106072.

<3> Rees G., 2008, Enclosure Boundaries and Settlement Individuality in The Iron Age, (unchecked) (Article). SNN106040.

<4> Cadman G., 2003, Crack Hill, Crick: Watching Brief Report, (unchecked) (Unpublished Report). SNN105402.

<5> Cadman G., 2001, Crack's Hill, Crick, (checked) (Photographs). SNN106391.

<6> Richards J., 2014, Crick Road, Yelvertoft, Northamptonshire: Cultural Heritage Assessment, p.15 (checked) (Report). SNN109622.

<7> Environment Agency, LIDAR Composite DTM - 1m, Accessed 30/07/2024 (Digital Plots). SNN111710.

Record last edited

Jul 30 2024 4:24PM