Monument record 3727/0/32 - Middle Iron Age square Enclosure (Morphed Aerial Archaeology Interpretation)

Crop/soilmark: Good quality photography

{2} A ditch representing cropmark enclosure 1 was identified cutting a buried soil. A north-south and an east-west arm were recorded in the L-shaped trench. The north-south arm had been recut. No dating evidence was recovered. The enclosure may date to the early prehistoric (Neolithic or Bronze Age) bu t a later date cannot be ruled out.

{3}A sub-square enclosure with an east facing causewayed entrance was recorded. The northern arm of the enclosure measured 15.9m long internally and the southern arm measured 17.3m; the western ditch was 19.7m long while the eastern measured 7.5m (north) and 6.5 (south) with a 2.6m causeway. Both the ditch and the enclosure had been recut on at least one occasion. In relation to this site there was a fair amount of pottery associated with this element; also animal and a few struck flints found.A further narrow and discontinuous ditch was found cutting through the inner part of the square enclosure ditch. Like the earlier recuts it represented the earlier entrance and it is possible that three further causewayed entrances were created along the northern and southern sides of the enclosure.
Pottery dated to the middle Iron Age.
The function of this enclosure was probably domestic, despite the absence of internal features. Perhaps, as at Wollaston, it corresponds to features described as 'small animal pens'.

{4} Colour prints of the square enclosure and grave pit under excavation;

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

<2> Humphrey R., 1997, Land at Grendon Lakes, Northamptonhsire (Area B): An Archaeological Evaluation, p. 5 (Report). SNN62110.

<3> McDonald T.; Last J., 1999, Land at Grendon Lakes, Northamptonshire (Area B): an Archaeological Excavation, p. 12-13 (Report). SNN43511.

<4> NORTHAMPTONSHIRE HERITAGE, 1998, Grendon Lakes 'Area B' (Photographic prints (COL)). SNN110701.

Record last edited

May 31 2017 12:28PM