Monument record 4230/1/1 - Possible Medieval Fishpond (Morphed Aerial Archaeology Interpretation)

Crop/soilmark: Good quality photography

{1} G.Brown reports that aerial and groudn surveys were made of earthworks preparatory to levelling for agriculture. Transverse sections showed deposition of earth to form banks, revetted with stone in one place, but no pond residue or evidence for fishponds.

{2} Aerial photo no. NCCAP:SP7280/010.

{3} It was obvious that earth had been pulled on top of the natural clay to form banks or defences and, in some cases, notably in the west, these banks were higher and were revetted with stone for greater strength. The subsoil beneath the clay was large flint stone in clay.
It was clear that these earthworks could be neither the foundations of the Old Hall, as had been supposed, nor fish ponds, as had recently been suggested. The absence of masonry or foundations and the high water table here made it inconceivable that this was ever the site of a building. The earthworks had a gap in the middle of each, and the sections showed no pond residue, which contradicted the fishpond theory.

{4} The banks were made from the underlying clay and in parts were revetted in stone. No finds or dating evidence were recovered. Although the excavator rejected the OS interpretation of the site as a medieval fishpond, this still seems to be the most likely explanation.

Taylor C.C., 2000, Kelmarsh Estate Report, p.10 (unchecked) (Report). SNN101314.

<1> SOCIETY FOR POST MEDIEVAL ARCHAEOLOGY, 1969, Post-Medieval Archaeology (3), p.197 (checked) (Journal). SNN55353.

<2> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, Used with NMR & CUCAP collections (Photographs). SNN104822.

<3> Brown G., 1969, The Old Manor House at Kelmarsh and A Civil War Fortification, p.7-17 (checked) (Report). SNN57929.

<4> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1981, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.112-3/Site 16 (checked) (Series). SNN77381.

Record last edited

Jun 22 2010 9:53AM