Monument record 3773/0/2 - Modern Ring Ditch (Morphed Aerial Archaeology Interpretation)

Crop/soilmark: Good quality photography. NMP interpretation: prehistoric.

{1} Site 3. Cropmark ring ditch. 12m diameter. A penannular ditch attached to its north side may be another ring ditch.

{2} Ring ditches proved to be post-medieval/modern in origin.

{3} Believes the ring ditches to be a searchlight battery.

{5} Trench 4 was positioned to investigate two linear features and two ring ditches. The two ring ditches and a possible gully were found. The gully extended from one of the ring ditches. All features were interpreted as being contemporary. Residual medieval and post medieval pottery was recovered, but wire fragments indicate a modern date for the features.

{6} Documentary reference to searchlight battery. Original source PRO ref: WO166/7389, War Diary of 32 AA Bde. 1942. Appendix of War Diary details location of every searchlight in their area (north of Grantham to East coast) due to a change in the system of numbering in 1942. Prefixes of old numbers make it possible to cross ref them to location statements. Burton Latimer old number WT.096B (ie 362 Bty, 41 S/L Regt.); new number 266A.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1979, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.15 (unchecked) (Series). SNN77380.

<2> ENRIGHT D., 1997, SMR Report Form, (checked) (SMR Report Form). SNN49198.

<3> CADMAN G.E., 1999, Oral Report to SMR, (checked) (Oral Report). SNN51467.

<4> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, Used with NMR & CUCAP collections (Photographs). SNN104822.

<5> Thomas A., 1997, Land North of Burton Latimer, Northamptonshire: Archaeological Evaluation, p.7-8 (checked) (Report). SNN62108.

<6> Armishaw A., 2001, Letter re. Burton Latimer Searchlight site, (unchecked) (Letter). SNN107130.

Record last edited

Mar 22 2022 2:08PM