Monument record 3045/0/1 - Probable late Saxon/medieval enclosure, north of Ferrels Wood

Earthwork ditch and bank of a sub-circular enclosure originally interpreted as an Iron Age hillfort. A trench was excavated across the bank and ditch. No dating evidence was found, although a radiocarbon determination of 980 AD +/- 60 was produced. It is possible that a thegn called Tukil of Harringworth owned land in this and adjacent parishes. The enclosure has also been interpreted as a 13th-century sheepfold within Harringworth Park from documentary evidence.

{1}A section was dug across the earthworks of an enclosure to record the bank and ditch before it was completely levelled by ploughing. Nothing was found to date the enclosure.

{4} Sub-circular embanked enclosure.

{5} A univallate earthwork with an entrance at the north west corner.

{7} A small roughly-circular enclosure bounded by a low bank now only 1m high with a slight outer ditch. An entrance in the north west may be original. It has been ploughed over and is now much reduced in height. There is no evidence for its date or purpose but it is likely to have belonged to the later prehistoric age. There appear to be two linear ditch in the same area: on on the west passes close to the enclosure and the other on the east ends near its north east corner.

{8} Aerial photos NCCAP: SP9494/17-19+23-24

{9} In September 1978 a trench was excavated across the bank and ditch of the undated enclosure. The ditch was found to have been about 2m deep originally. The bank, where excavated, was standing to a height of 600mm and sealed a buried soil of gingerish silty loam. In addition, a 2m wide strip of topsoil was removed across the entire width of the interior. No traces of occupation were found apart from a few patches of charcoal.

No dating evidence was found but a charcoal sample from layer 4 in the ditch produced a single radiocarbon determination of 980 AD +/- 60, this indicating an Anglo-Saxon/Danish date for the enclosure.

It may be of interest that a man named Turkil of Harringworth, who was a Danish thegn of substance and a companion of Hereward 'the Wake', owned five hides of land at Harringworth.

{10} Circular earthwork 90m diameter lying across a slade [ie not a defence but for water]. One C13th jug rim, 1 fine transverse arrowhead in the middle. Thought to be related to a deer park in 1979, but later interpreted as a pound, see {11}.

{11} One of two ramparted enclosures in Harringworth Park. Two large sheepfolds were said to lie in the park in 1273, which are likely to be these enclosures.

{14} A univallate ditched enclosure ploughed for many years and containing no evidence as to purpose or period of construction. Surveyed.

{15} No change.

<1> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1979, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1978, 14/111-2 (unchecked) (Article). SNN45225.

<2> HANNAN A., 1978, Letter regarding Scheduled Monument No. 81, Harringworth, (unchecked) (Letter). SNN52071.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP99SW6 (unchecked) (Index). SNN443.

<4> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1974, Archaeology In Northamptonshire 1973, 9/114 (unchecked) (Article). SNN9109.

<5> HOLLOWELL R., 1971, Aerial Photography and Fieldwork in the Upper Nene Valley, 4/41 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN106546.

<6> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.188/Site 1 (checked) (Series). SNN77382.

<7> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1975, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.49/Site 1 (checked) (Series). SNN77379.

<8> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, Used with NMR & CUCAP collections (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<9> Jackson, D., 1980, An Earthwork at Harringworth, Northants, p. 158-60 (Article). SNN64250.

<10> Hall D.N., 1960-1999, Rockingham Forest Project: Archaeological Sites Recorded by David Hall, Harringworth/Site 1 (Database). SNN102279.

<11> HALL D.N., 1995, The Open Fields of Northamptonshire, p. 15 (Series). SNN56219.

<12> Jordan, D, Haddon-Reece, D, and Bayliss, A, 1994, Radiocarbon Dates from samples funded by English Heritage and dated before 1981, p. 72 (Monograph). SNN112521.

<13> Royal Air Force, Vertical Aerial Photography, AP CPE/UK 1925, 1139-40 16.1.47 (Photographs). SNN104890.

<14> Colquhoun, FD, 1961, Field investigators comments, F1 FDC 12-SEP-61 (Notes). SNN113017.

<15> Seaman, B H, 1970, Field Investigator's Comments, F2 BHS 19-MAR-70 (Notes). SNN111541.

<16> RCHME, Undated, RCHME Inventory: Northamptonshire I (North-East), 890493 (Archive). SNN113295.

Record last edited

Feb 25 2025 6:18PM