Monument record 4732/0/5 - Medieval hollow way (Morphed Aerial Archaeology Interpretation)

Earthwork: Non-destructive fieldwork

{2} The main feature of the site was a long hollow way up to 1.5m deep, running north east - south west. At its south west end it used to meet the road from Hartwell Green to Hanslope (Bucks) but it has now been blocked by modern buildings. At its north east end it joined another road which formerly ran south east from Hartwell to Elms Farm. The hollow way is marked as a through road on the map of the parish of 1768 and the map also shows at least six buildings along the hollow way, probably two farmhouses and two cottages. By 1835, although the hollow way is still shown as a road, only one of the farmsteads and a single house or cottage remained. The cottage survived until recently. To the south east of the hollow way is a larger area of earthworks. Most appear to be relatively modern drainage ditches, though there is at least one house site in addition to the site of the farmstead which was there in 1768.

{4} This feature was in good condition due to the land being used as pasture.

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

<2> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.78-9 site 5 (checked) (Series). SNN77382.

<3> 1768, Map of Hartwell (NRO Map G440), (unchecked) (Map). SNN26408.

<4> Simmonds C., 2007, Salcey Forest and Yardley Chase Landscape Survey, Northamptonshire April-June 2007 Volume 1: Text, Appendices 1-3, Figures and Plates, p.32 (checked) (Report). SNN107913.

Record last edited

Jun 6 2013 11:23AM