Monument record 3550/1/2 - Early Bronze Age Ring Ditch II, Grendon Quarry

A ring ditch at Grendon, part of a complex of cropmarks excavated in 1974-5 in advance of gravel extraction. The monument was visible as a slight earthwork during field survey in 1964. When excavated, the ring ditch was subcircular with a maximum internal diameter of 26 metres. There were some indications that a mound may have previously existed. Roughly central was a subrectangular pit which appears to have been a bedding trench for a number of posts. In the northeast of the internal area was another subrectangular pit which contained an inhumation described as both contracted and crouched in the excavation report. The only associated find was a pig mandible. Four cremations are known to have been found, two of them unaccompanied, one with sherds of a collared urn and another with part of another urn. A shell-filled bucket urn was also found, but there is some doubt as to whether or not any cremated bones were with it.

{1}Four cremations were uncovered during excavation of Ring Ditch II, the ditch was sub-circular with a maximum internal diameter of 26m. The ditch varied in width at the gravel surface from 2-2.5m, the profile was steep sided with a flat base. The ditch contained an internal trench and pit.

<1> Gibson A.; McCormick A., 1985, Archaeology at Grendon Quarry Part I: Neolithic and Bronze Age Sites Excavated in 1974-5, p.32 (unchecked) (Report). SNN59698.

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

Record last edited

Dec 6 2023 4:29PM