Monument record 753/0/1 - Undated Enclosure (Morphed Aerial Archaeology Interpretation)

Crop/soilmark: Good quality photography. Mon 753/0/1+753/0/4 = parts of the same enclosure.

{2} Part of a second enclosure to the south. NMRAP2443/10 shows a larger enclosure to the south of the oval enclosure. The large enclosure was incomplete but measured c.70m x 60m. On three sides the enclosure was defined by a broad ditch up to 8m wide, while the southern boundary may be represented by a smaller ditch, no more than 2m wide. The latter could mark a sub-division or separate phase of activity. The broad ditch may have had a defensive purpose, or perhaps more likely was formed by successive re-cutting of a smaller ditch, with each phase slightly displaced. To the north the corners of the enclosure were rounded while the junction with the small ditch to the south-west was more sharply defined. No entrance was present where the ditch was visible. Like the oval enclosure, a band of more advanced crop along the inner edge of the broad ditch may suggest the remains of a rampart. No other internal features were identified from the photography.
Geophysical survey failed to locate any surviving evidence for either cropmark enclosure, and it is uncertain whether any of the ditches survive or whether they were totally removed during construction of the golf course. Previous landscaping during construction of the golf course clearly removed a large proportion of the enclosures.

{4} The watching brief could not locate this feature, but extensive work in the area could have affected it.

{5} 1km due east of the site is the cropmark of a second enclosure of similar dimensions.

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

<2> MASTERS P.; MAULL A., 1998, Archaeological Evaluation at West Park Farm, Whittlebury, Northamptonshire: Stage 1, 2.3+6 (checked) (Report). SNN63026.

<3> ATKINS R., 1998, Archaeological Watching Brief at West Park Farm, Whittlebury, Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Report). SNN39563.

<4> Northamptonshire Archaeological Unit, 1991, SMR Report Form, (checked) (SMR Report Form). SNN106790.

<5> Sims M., 2013, Silverstone University Training College, Silverstone Circuit, Northamptonshire: Archaeological Strip and Map Report, p.4 (checked) (Report). SNN109177.

Record last edited

Dec 10 2020 10:23AM