Monument record 1881/1/1 - Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age Ringwork, Thrapston

Cropmarks of a circular enclosure visible on aerial photographs. Initially interpreted as a probable Roman shrine due the number of Roman coins in the vicinity, subsequent archaeological investigation has proved that it is a circular enclosure of late Bronze Age date with some evidence of an internal bank. The largest pottery assemblage in the county of this date was recovered.

{1} A trial excavation undertaken in 1990 by G. Cadman, to evaluate the enclosure cropmark; two ditches were revealed; both contained Iron Age pottery; the larger ditch was the earliest; there were no associated features; some undated ploughmarks and a quarry edge were also noted.

{2} Trial excavation of 1991 by D.Jackson. Iron Age ditch 2.1m deep. Also numerous undated quarry pits. The ditch is probably part of the circular enclosure centred to the south-east. Pottery suggests it dates to the early Iron Age ?C5th/C4th BC. Unusual site within Northamptonshire. There was no evidence of Romano-British activity.

{3} Iron Age enclosure - interior much disturbed by quarrying. Deep ditch around enclosure appears to have been used as rubbish deposit - contained mainly pottery from early-middle Iron Age period and a few animal bones. No internal ditch had survived in the excavated trenches and there was no evidence of any revettment.

{4} Trenches confirmed the existance of the enclosure. Two phases of ditch were recorded. The larger, approximately 4.4m wide and 2.1m deep, was cut by a smaller ditch set on a slightly different allignment. Both contained a small quantity of Iron Age pottery. No significant figures were encountered outside the enlosure or within the small area of its interior which was investigated. One Roman coin and an unidentified coin were recovered with the aid of a metal detector.

{5} A roughly circular enclosure was excavated. It dates to the early or early-middle Iron Age. Averages 50m in diameter. Three sections were cut across the enclosure ditch which was on average 2m deep and 3.5m wide. Pottery included carinated vessel.The plan, if circular, is also unusual in the Iron Age period and it is possible that the enclosure had a defensive function. Quarry pits have probably destroyed much of the interior. Roman coins have been found near the enclosure and this has led to it being described prviously as a possible temple site.

{6} The Northern arc of the enclosure ditch had been located by an earlier evaluation by D Jackson 1996. The ditch was 'V' shaped cut through limestone and the inner face was consistently steeper in all the sections that were excavated. Pottery and animal bone were recovered. A band of relatively undisturbed naturally deposited gravel between 6 and 7m was noted immediately within the circuit of the ditch.This had been cut into by medieval furrows and more modern features. It seems reasonable to conclude that this area was the location of a destroyed bank, which would have been contemporary with the ditch. Soil samples taken from here and from the other excavated areas underwent flotation and charred plant remains were found. Pottery and animal bone were recovered form the enclosure ditch. This included some things of particular note. One of these was a near complete vessel which appears to have been purposely broken when placed within the newly cut ditch. Similarly, a pair of antlers and some skull fragments also appear to have been deliberately placed within the fill of 101 (one of the slots that was excavated of the ditch). A gang junction was observed and marked by the depostion of the pot mentioned above, and by a pig roast that has survived as cremated bones.

{8} Cropmark of a roughly circular enclosure with ill-defined interior features. On the ground a scatter of limestone rubble, probably the remains of a limestone building, has been recorded, associated with Roman pottery and "dozens" of coins, mainly of the late C3rd and C4th. The site may be that of the otherwise un-located circular earthwork recorded at Thrapston, and possibly the provenance of a gold coin of Valentinian and a gold quarter-stater of Tasciovanus.

{9} Unlocated "Circular Earthwork".

{10} George's circular eathwork {9} was not located.

{11} Fieldwork has proven the site to be that of a Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age enclosure with no evidence of its former interpretation as a Roman temple or shrine. In all 24.8m of the ditch was examined during the excavation with a further 3.2m during the evaluation/ Pottery and radiocarbon dating suggested a date of Phase 1 late Bronze Age/early Iron Age. A linear feature was observed to cut the ditch and to cross the otherwise sterile ground that would have been occupied by the bank. This gully must, therefore, predate the enclosure ditch, although no dating evidence was found in its fill. Two postholes appear to have been related with this feature but they contain no dating evidence either. A curvilinear feature immediately behind the location of the presumed bank is interpreted as a revetment gully which would have served as a footing trench for timber uprights to retain the bank.

{14) NCCAP: TL0078/001-4.

{15} Area A was located to cover the site of the ringwork and adjacent cluster of scanning anomalies. The results clearly show the circuit of the enclosure ditch, together with a few large, pit-like internal features.

A linear feature was observed to cut the ditch and to cross the otherwise sterile ground that would have been occupied by the bank. This gully must, therefore, predate the enclosure ditch, although no dating evidence was found in its fill. Two postholes appear to have been related with this feature but they contain no dating evidence either. A curvilinear feature immediately behind the location of the presumed bank is interpreted as a revetment gully which would have served as a footing trench for timber uprights to retain the bank.

{19/21} Due to its significance the part of the enclosure within the David Wilson Homes development was preserved as an open space of heritage value.

{22} Watching brief and trial trenching were undertaken on the area of the ringworks. The watching brief found no archaeological evidence. The trial trenching managed to locate the ringwork ditch in 3 of the trenches. The absence of the ditch in one of the trenches is explained by the presence of post-medieval quarry pits. Similar quarry pits were identified in a different trench. The width of the ringwork ditch varied; it was 2.1m wide in Trench 1, 1.5m wide in Trench 2 and up to 2.6m wide in Trench 4. The dating of the pottery recovered from the ditch accords with the previous dating of the ringwork to the late Bronze Age and suggests that it continued in use into the early Iron Age. Some of the other features in the trenches probably date to the later Iron Age and Roman period.

<1> CADMAN G.E., 1990, SMR REPORT FORM, (unchecked) (Note). SNN50193.

<2> JACKSON D., 1991, SMR REPORT FORM, (unchecked) (Note). SNN49688.

<3> JACKSON D.A., 1991, An Archaeological Evaluation on Land off Huntingdon Road, Thrapston, Northants, (unchecked) (Report). SNN44732.

<4> Pike A. (Editor), 1991, South Midlands Archaeology: CBA Group 9 Newsletter (21), p.72 (unchecked) (Newsletter). SNN2091.

<5> Jackson D., 1992, An Early Iron Age Enclosure at Thrapston, p.95-6 (unchecked) (Article). SNN62052.

<6> HULL G., 1998, The Excavation of A Late Bronze Age Ringwork and Pits and Late Iron Age Pits on Land Off…., (unchecked) (Report). SNN44913.

<7> CADMAN G.E., 1990, Thrapston, Trusthouse Forte Site: Report on archaeological evaluation (Oct 1990), (unchecked) (Report). SNN55132.

<8> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1975, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.96 Site 3 (checked) (Series). SNN77379.

<9> George T.J., 1904, An Archaeological Survey of Northamptonshire, p.20 (checked) (Index). SNN10170.

<10> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP97NE6 (unchecked) (Index). SNN443.

<11> Hull G., 2000-01, A Late Bronze Age Ringwork, Pits and Later Features at Thrapston, Northamptonshire, p.78 (unchecked) (Article). SNN103944.

<12> Dix B., 1992, Recent Work in Northamptonshire Archaeology, p.124 (checked) (Article). SNN104441.

<13> Jackson D., 1992, An Early Iron Age Enclosure at Thrapston, p.95 (checked) (Article). SNN62052.

<14> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, Used with NMR & CUCAP collections (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<15> Mason P., 2007, Geophysical Survey And Archaeological Trial Excavation on Land off Huntingdon Road, Thrapston, Northamptonshire, p.4 (checked) (Report). SNN106486.

<16> Chapman P. (Editor), 2008, Archaeology in Northamptonshire in 2007, p.296 (unchecked (Article). SNN106430.

<17> Horne B. (Editor), 2008, South Midlands Archaeology: CBA Group 9 Newsletter (38), p.44 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN106282.

<18> Macfarlaine S.; Garnett N., 2014, Thrapston, Northants, (unchecked) (Report). SNN109936.

<19> Crank, N. (Editor), 2018, South Midlands Archaeology (48), p. 51-54 (Journal). SNN111393.

<20> RCHME, Undated, RCHME Inventory: Northamptonshire I (North-East), 890154 (Archive). SNN113295.

<21> Jo Barker and Mike Luke, 2019, Land Off Huntingdon, Thrapston, Northamptonshire: Assessment and Updated Project Design (Report). SNN116612.

<22> Ben Barker, 2018, LAND OFF HUNTINGDON ROAD THRAPSTON NORTHAMPTONSHIRE: SUMMARY REPORT ON ARCHAEOLOGICAL TRENCHING AND WATCHING BRIEF ON THE LATE PREHISTORIC RINGWORK (Report). SNN116613.

Record last edited

Feb 17 2025 7:54PM