Monument record 4892/1 - Probable Neolithic Causewayed Enclosure, Dallington

The site of a Neolithic causewayed enclosure on Dallington Heath. The cropmarks were interpreted and plotted by RCHME in 1994. The enclosure lies between two tributary streams of the River Nene. It is represented by a single circuit of interrupted ditch enclosing an area of circa 280 metres by 200 metres (5 hectares). Within the enclosure are three shorter stretches of curvilinear ditch, again interrupted, which may relate to one or more inner circuits or smaller enclosures. A smaller curvilinear enclosure, 64 metres by 56 metres, is situated close to the centre of the main enclosure. It features a single entrance on the northwest side. It has been interpreted as a possible henge, although its irregular shape may argue against this. Elsewhere, the main causewayed enclosure circuit is cut by a linear ditch, and by a small rectilinear enclosure, though the latter may not be an archaeological feature. Limited fieldwalking in 1988 recovered some prehistoric flints, while geophysical survey and trial trenching in 1992 confirmed the presence of the enclosure. Further geophysical survey and trial trenching was carried out in 2016.

{1} A large enclosure with discontinuous ditch, of 5ha. Possibly a causewayed enclosure. Contains a possible henge.

{2} The survey has detected a complicated set of linear and curvilinear anomalies standing out against a magnetically variable background. There is a tolerably good correspondence between these anomalies and the previously recorded cropmarks, and the perimeter of the causewayed enclosure is discernible, although not especially distinct.

The survey results demonstrate that the causewayed enclosure is sub-oval in plan, with a flattened side to the south. It has an internal area of c 5ha and measures c 270m north to south by 225m east to west, which is marginally smaller than the cropmark plot would suggest . A single circuit of ditch segments defines its perimeter. Only a few of these segments have produced clear magnetic anomalies, and it may be that these contain particular concentrations of burnt stone, ceramics, or other magnetic materials within their fills. The other segments have either produced very weak anomalies or
remain undetected and, for this reason, the survey data does not provide a good basis for mapping the precise extents of the individual segments and their intervening causeways.

{4} Trial trench excavation targeted the zone around the perimeter of the causewayed enclosure along with selected interior features. The causewayed enclosure ditches were encountered within two of the four trenches excavated across the circuit and these were well preserved. No pottery or bone was present and finds were generally very sparse from the ditch fills. The central penannular ditch feature is also well preserved but no additional evidence to further the interpretation of this as a henge was revealed. Several small pits contained charred deposits including good assemblages of plant remains, including some emmer wheat. Although no one feature produced any significant artefact assemblage in association with the causewayed enclosure or pits, the combined flint
assemblage from all features and deposits was notable for the relatively high concentration of flint cores and tools and in some of the tool forms found in the early Neolithic.

{5} Area A of the geophysics survey examined an apparent out-turn in the outer circuit of the enclosure which might be interpreted as an entrance. An interrupted linear feature can be traced acorss the east of the area; this roughly correlated with the air photo evidence although the alignment is somewhat askew. A more clear inear anomaly running north-south across the centre of the area and terminating close to a very clear east-west linear anomaly, might represent the course of the outer circuit; if so, the interrupted anomaly might represent an avenue entering the interior of the enclosure.

{6} Survey recorded a probable Neolithic causewayed enclosure and detected both internal and external features which may be contemporary.

{8} Cropmarks of a large single ditched causewayed enclosure are located at SP725635. It is asymmetric curvilinear in shape and encloses and area of approximately 5 hectares (dimensions 280 x 200 metres). Within the enclosure there are three shorter stretches of curvilinear ditch. These are all interrupted and may therefore relate to a second inner circuit.

Situated close to the centre of the main enclosure is a smaller assymetric curvilinear enclosure, approximately 64 x 54 metres in size, which in the past has been interpreted as a henge.

This site was plotted during a 1:2500 scale air photographic survey carried out by the Air Photography Unit of RCHME in October 1994, as part of the Industry and Enclosure in the Neolthic Project.

{9} SP 725636. A small sub-oval enclosure lying within a large interrupted ditch enclosure. Included in a list of henges and related sites but considered to be a domestic or defensive site.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.240-41 (checked) (Series). SNN77383.

<2> Walford, J., 2014, Archaeological geophysical survey of the Dallington Grange causewayed enclosure, Northampton, May 2014, p. 3 (Report). SNN110095.

<3> Crank, N. (Editor), 2017, South Midlands Archaeology (47), p. 46 (Journal). SNN111362.

<4> Chapman A, 2019, Flint deposition in the vicinity of the Dallington Neolithic Causewayed Enclosure, Northampton, p. 33-45 (Article). SNN111725.

<5> OXFORD ARCHAEOLOGY UNIT, 1991, King's Heath Whitelands, Northampton: Archaeological Evaluation Report, p.12 (checked) (Report). SNN76714.

<6> Elliott L.; Hale D., 2006, Dallington Grange, Northamptonshire: Geophysical Survey Phase 2, p.11 (checked) (Report). SNN107441.

<7> Dodd, M, 2016, Dallington Grange Northampton: Evaluation Report, 2016 (Report). SNN110781.

<8> Dyer, C, 1994, RCHME: Dallington Causewayed Enclosure Project (Report). SNN116320.

<9> Harding, A F and Lee, G E, 1987, Henge monuments and related sites of Great Britain : air photographic evidence and catalogue, p. 198-201, Site 116 (Report). SNN113614.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 7:05PM