Monument record 6766/0/16 - Prehistoric Pit Alignment

{1} A Watching Brief carried out during topsoil stripping in advance of quarrying in Bottom Sheep Dale Field, Pitsford, recorded settlement remains including enclosures and ring gullies, extending over an area of more than a hectare, as well as a pit alignment comprising 32 pits. Archaeological recording confirmed that the settlement remains were predominantly of late Middle Iron Age date. The pit alignment predated some of the Iron Age enclosures but was otherwise undated.
A pit alignment comprised 32 pits running in a north-south direction. No artefacts were recovered from the pit alignment, although later features which produced Iron Age pottery, truncated several of its pits. The later enclosures were aligned north-west to south-east, contrasting significantly with the axis of the pit alignment.

{2} A Watching Brief followed by archaeological recording was carried out in advance of quarrying in Bottom Sheep Dale Field, Pitsford. The continuation of settlement remains previously identified during the first stage of recording in 2001, was recorded over an area of approximately one hectare. The pit alignment continued to extend southwards across the site and beyond the limit of excavation. A further 22 pits were recorded, all were undated, but stratigraphically they were the earliest features on the site.
The evidence suggests that enclosures and boundary features, as well as the pit alignment, continue southwards, down-slope, beyond the limits of the current strip.
The pit alignment extends through the new excavation area and continues further to the south. In total, an additional 22 pits were identified none of which yielded any dating evidence. This makes the pit alignment still undated, although it continued to be cut by later Iron Age ditches, confirming it as the earliest features on the site, predating the main settlement.

{3} An archaeological recoding action covering c.3.7ha was carried out in three stages at Pitsford Quarry on land located to the south of Pitsford village and west of Moulton College, within Bottom Sheep Dale Field (NGR 4765 2666). The methodology employed comprised watching brief followed by excavation. A series of excavations provisionally dated to the mid-late Iron Age were excavated and recorded.
The earliest phase of activity on the site comprised a pit alignment on a NNW-SSE axis. A total of 85 pits were excavated over a distance of 223m. The pits were generally 1.2-2m apart, 0.9m-1.2m across and up to 0.5m deep. They typically displayed a slightly irregular U-shaped profile with flat or concave bases. Excavation did not reveal any diagnostic artefacts.

<1> Hallam T., 2002, Pitsford Quarry (Stage 1), Northamptonshire: An Assessment And Updated Project Design, p.4-6 (checked) (Report). SNN102325.

<2> Hallam T., 2002, Pitsford Quarry (Stage 2), Northamptonshire: An Assessment And Updated Project Design, p.4-7 (checked) (Report). SNN102326.

<3> Hallam T.; Lloyd R.; Steadman S.; Yates A., 2003, Pitsford Quarry Archaeological Recording, Bottom Sheep Dale Field: Assessment and Updated Project Design, 2003, p.5 (checked) (Report). SNN103891.

Record last edited

Mar 23 2011 2:05PM