Monument record 3550/1/8 - Probable early Bronze Age Ring Ditches (I and III), Grendon Quarry

A ring ditch at Grendon, part of a complex of cropmarks excavated in 1974-5 in advance of gravel extraction. Field survey in 1964 had indicated that the monument survived as a slight earthwork. The monument comprised two concentric ring ditches, both of which cut an earlier, smaller ring ditch. The outer ditch of the former had an internal diameter of 36m with an average width of 2.2 metres. A very narrow causeway was visible to the southwest. The inner ditch had an internal diameter of 21m and was shallower and narrower than the outer. Two narrow causeways were present to the south and east. There were indications that a mound had been present. Roughly central to the inner ditch was a subrectangular pit. There were no finds, but it appears to have held four posts. Four other "man-made" features were present, all small pits, some of which may again have held posts. No finds were present except for a few flint flakes and some animal bones. Six disturbed cremation deposits were found. One seems to have been buried in a possible pit with five pottery vessels. The remains of a crouched inhumation were found in a near central position, but apparently not within a grave pit. Its relationship with the ring ditches is unclear, but the final report seems to regard it as the primary burial associated with the barrow. The earlier, smaller ring ditch was 10 metres internal diameter, and was located on the western side of the later monument, being cut by both inner and outer dithces, as well as being obscured by later activity and uneven machining. Roughly central was a subrectangular pit containing the remains of an inhumation. Some animal bones were also present. Dating is imprecise, but the few radiocarbon dates obtained from charcoal, and the pottery associated with one of the cremations, are all Early Bronze Age. The ring ditches are listed I and III in the excavation report.

{2}Ring ditch I consisted of two concentric ring ditches enclosing an area of 1400sqm. The outer ditch had an internal diameter of 36m and an average width at the gravel surface of 2.2m. There was an apparent causeway in the SW quadrant, its function in reaching the interior has been dismissed during intepretation. The shallow V shaped profile of the ditch, the depth varied from 0.7-1.0m. The fills comprised of three distinct layers, some charcoal recovered from layer 1.

The inner ditch had an average overall diameter of 21m and was polygonal in plan. Two deliberate breaks were encountered in the south and east of the circumference. The ditch was U shaped in profilethe depth of the ditch varied from 0.2-0.6m. The fill consisted of five layers.

The ring ditch contained a ditch within its internal space, the feature was considered to be man made. A radiocarbon date of 2070-1515 cal BC @ 95% confidence was obtained.

Ring Ditch III was small with an internal diameter of 10m and was situated to the western side of Ring Ditch I. The only surviving feature was a grave pit containing an inhumation. The ditch had a maximum width of 1m and a maximum depth of 0.5m to the gravel surface. The profile was U shaped with steep sides and a regular flat base. The truncated burial pit had a maximum depth of 0.1m and contained a red brown sandy fill.

<1> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, Used with NMR & CUCAP collections (Photographs). SNN104822.

<1> Gibson A.; McCormick A., 1985, Archaeology at Grendon Quarry Part I: Neolithic and Bronze Age Sites Excavated in 1974-5, p31 (Report). SNN59698.

<2> Gibson A.; McCormick A., 1985, Archaeology at Grendon Quarry Part I: Neolithic and Bronze Age Sites Excavated in 1974-5, p28 (Report). SNN59698.

<3> Gibson A., The Neolithic and Bronze Age Archaeology of Grendon in Its Setting, (unchecked) (Report). SNN57457.

<4> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1979, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p. 54/Site 3 (Series). SNN77380.

Record last edited

Dec 8 2023 11:16AM