Monument record 2094/2 - Late Iron Age farmstead, Blackthorn

Site of an enclosed Iron Age settlement of a possible 2nd-1st centuries BC date. The double ditched enclosure was discovered from air photos and was excavated by Northampton Archaeological Unit in 1972-3. The enclosure had an entrance on its eastern side and contained 28 pits and the remains of a house site.

{1} Double-ditched rectangular enclosure;

{4} A double-ditched enclosure, discovered by aerial photographs was excavated by the NDC Archaeological Unit in 1972-3. The enclosure covered an area of about 0.25 ha overall with an entrance on its east side. The inner ditch was c 3m wide by 1.5m deep and the outer ditch 2m wide by 1m deep. No traces of an internal bank or palisade were discovered but there was evidence for a possible stone revetment at the entrance. Within the enclosure were 28 pits and the remains of a house-site, which was defined by a gully enclosing an oval area of about 7m by 5m. The occupation of the site appeared to have been short-lived for there was no evidence of any re-cutting of the ditches or for more than a single house phase. The pottery suggests that the site was in use during the 2nd-1st centuries BC.

{6} An Antoninianus of Claudius II, Rev: Provident Aug. RIC 94. 268 -70AD found on site of the enclosure;

{7} The entrance was 2-3m wide and post-holes, possibly for the gate, were set off the line of the inner ditch terminals. Large quantities of stone from these terminals perhaps indicate that stone was used in the gate construction. If all internal features are contemporary with the ditch system there is no room for an internal bank. A narrow fence or wallwould appear most likely but careful work failed to substantiate this theory. Pottery is almost entirely of Iron Age 'B' tradition with a few sherds of the Hunsbury curvilinear decorated type; a complete bee-hive quern was also recovered.

{11} Iron Age Settlement, Enclosure (SP 80516409), E. of Lings Wood at Blackthorn Thicket, on Northampton Sands, at 100 m. above OD. A double-ditched enclosure, discovered by aerial photographs was excavated by the NDC Archaeological Unit in 1972-3. The enclosure covered an area of about 0.25 hectares overall with an entrance on its E. side. The inner ditch was approximately 3 m. wide by 1.5 m. deep and the outer ditch 2 m. wide by 1 m. deep. No traces of an internal bank or palisade were discovered but there was evidence for a possible stone revetment at the entrance. Within the enclosure were 28 pits and the remains of a house site, which was defined by a gully enclosing an oval area of about 7 in. by 5 m. The occupation of the site appeared to have been short-lived for there was no evidence of any re-cutting of the ditches or for more than a single house phase. The pottery suggests that the site was in use during the 2nd-1st centuries BC.

<1> HOLLOWELL R., 1967, Air Photography in 1967, p.32 (Journal). SNN16976.

<2> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP86SW20 (unchecked) (Index). SNN443.

<3> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, Used with NMR & CUCAP collections (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<4> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.215/Site 4 (checked) (Series). SNN77383.

<5> HOLLOWELL R., 1971, Aerial Photography and Fieldwork in the Upper Nene Valley, p.3 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN106546.

<6> Brown, A E (ed), 1972, Northamptonshire Archaeology, p. 13 (Journal). SNN25623.

<7> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1973, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1972, p. 3 (Journal). SNN8956.

<8> Williams J.H., 1973, South Midlands Archaeology: CBA Group 9 Newsletter (3), p. 29 (Journal). SNN896.

<9> Williams J.H., 1974, Two Iron Age Sites in Northampton (Monograph). SNN46651.

<10> Shaw M.; Williams J., 1971-1981, Northampton Development Corporation SMR Record Cards, 1974, P. 44-63 (Index). SNN133.

<11> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1979, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, P. 215 (Series). SNN77380.

<12> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, CUAP ZV 16 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

Record last edited

Jun 10 2024 10:15AM