Monument record 3728/1 - Possible Bronze Age Barrow Cemetery, Grendon Quarry

At least six ring ditches were identifid by aerial photography in the area around Long Lodge Farm as well as lengths of ditch and some pits. Only limited excavation was undertaken prior to quarrying and they remain undated. The remains of four Bronze Age urns were found in pits to the east of the double ring ditch.

[NB this record has been recast since the information below was compiled. Several of the monuments listed below are now recorded separately. See associated monument records for further details]

{1} Ring ditches and enclosures identified by St Joseph, using aerial photography, at SP 878623, Grendon parish.

Cropmarks of ring ditches and enclosures at SP 877623. (1)

{2} The large barrow circle on Hollowell APs at SP 87756226 is visible at ground level as a very spread mound, of maximum height 0.2m. A few scattered limestone lumps in the plough may be the remains of a broken cist. There is no surface evidence of any other features.

{3} Ring ditches, enclosures and pit alignments (centred SP 879622) cover and area of some 22 hectares west of the Old Lodge, on the N edge of the parish on gravel at 42 m. above OD. Air photographs show a
complex pattern of cropmarks. The NW group comprises at least seven ring ditches of which two are double-ditches (SP 87716230 and 87816225). These are about 20 m- 35 m. in diameter except for one
which is only 10 m in diameter (SP 87756232). The ring ditches are intersected by sub-rectangular enclosures and lengths of ditch. On the SW side of this group there is a large circular feature some 60 m in diameter, bounded by an exceptionally wide ditch. Within it and near its south-east side is a U-shaped length of ditch.

{4} The large cropmark site has now been almost completely destroyed by gravel extraction. The following observations have been made. The large ring ditch proved to be a Bronze Age barrow with a stone kerb... Other finds included four early Bronze Age Urns, probably from barrows.

<1> Hall D.N., 1966, Sites on the North Bedfordshire and South Northamptonshire border, p. 5 (Article). SNN37934.

<2> Aerial Photograph, A/Ps R Hollowell (Photographs). SNN112974.

<3> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p. 199/Site 7 (Series). SNN77382.

<4> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1979, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p. 54/Site 7 (Series). SNN77380.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 7:24PM