Monument record 753/0/2 - Possible Roman Oval enclosure

Mon 753/0/2+753/0/3 = parts of the same enclosure. Possible Roman enclosure, field investigations carried out in 1970 found it to be levelled and ploughed out.

{1} Small roughly oval enclosure 65m x 45m; probably Iron Age.

{2} Earthwork. Possible oval ring work or ring motte. Internal height of bank is 2ft. Depth of ditch 4ft. The defences are 13ft overall. Visible on aerial photographs as an irregular pentagonal enclosure at SP68694280. Levelled, ploughed and now under pasture. No surveyable remains. Depth of ditch prior to ploughing was c.10ft according to local farmer. OS suggests this is a possible Romano-British native enclosure.

{3} Two enclosures. NCCAP:SP6843/005+SP6842/003-4.

{4} A single bank and ditched oval enclosure. NMRAP 2536/10 shows a cropmark representing a small oval enclosure, also visible on NMRAP 2443/10, though less well defined. The enclosure is 50m x 40m and defined by a ditch up to 6m wide. No entrance is visible. A band of more advanced crop development along the inner edge of the ditch except to the north west may suggest the presence of a possible 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.

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

{7} 1km due east of the site is the cropmark of an oval enclosure of possible late Iron Age date.

{8} This feature has been levelled and ploughed and is now under pasture, no surveyable remains survive.
Mr Ellis who farms the land stated that prior to ploughing the ditch was about 10' deep.
This is possibly an RB native enclosure site as it resembles closely crop marks elsewhere in the county classified as IA/RB.

[9} Clearly visible as an irregular pentagonal enclosure at SP 68694280

{10} (SP 68694280). Oval ring work: ? ring motte. 70 x 49 paces, internal height of bank 2', ditch 4', defences 13' overall.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.168/Site 2 (checked) (Series). SNN77382.

<2> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP64SE6 (unchecked) (Index). SNN443.

<3> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, Used with NMR & CUCAP collections (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<4> MASTERS P.; MAULL A., 1998, Archaeological Evaluation at West Park Farm, Whittlebury, Northamptonshire: Stage 1, 2.3+6+7 (checked) (Report). SNN63026.

<5> ATKINS R., 1998, Archaeological Watching Brief at West Park Farm, Whittlebury, Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Report). SNN39563.

<6> Northamptonshire Archaeological Unit, 1991, SMR Report Form, (checked) (SMR Report Form). SNN106790.

<7> Sims M., 2013, Silverstone University Training College, Silverstone Circuit, Northamptonshire: Archaeological Strip and Map Report, p.4 (checked) (Report). SNN109177.

<8> Baird, J, 1969, Field Investigators Comments, 03/Feb (Note). SNN111452.

<9> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, RAF CPE/UK/1926 2234 & 5, 16.1.47 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<10> Annotated Record Map, Rec 6", Und, (W F Grimes) (Map). SNN112961.

Record last edited

Feb 21 2024 9:56AM