Monument record 4810/0/1 - Iron Age Double-Ditched Enclosure, Hunsbury

[Part of the Hunsbury Hill Complex] Identified initially as a cropmark. Several sections were excavated across both ditches in 1973, but no dateable finds were recovered

{1} 3 sides of a double ditched rectangular enclosure of over 2 acres photographed from air.

{2} Several sections were cut across both ditches of the square double-ditched enclosure photographed by R. Hollowell and J.K. St. Joseph. No dateable finds were recovered.

{5} An almost square double-ditched enclosure with an entrance on the south-east side; SP73785897. Excavation in 1973 revealed that the ditches were 4m wide x 2m deep but no archaeological features were visible in a trench cut across the interior. A small quantity of Iron Age pot sherds was found
[HER note 29/11/2012: quotes source {1} but contradicts it so may not be accurate]

{6} Flown in 1959 by Hollowell; NCCAP:SP7358/006+015.

{7} On the northern slope of Hunsbury ridge at Briar Hill, an Iron Age enclosure was identified during the excavation of the Neolithic causewayed enclosure. Further up the slope are the sites of a square, double-ditched enclosure and a pit alignment that were partially excavated in the 1970s, and a small settlement that was identified form cropmarks shown on aerial photographs after the site had been developed for housing. The pattern of settlement appears to have been strongly influenced by the underlying geology, the Northampton Sands and Ironstone, which provided a source of workable iron ore and gave rise to light, well-drained soils suitable for agriculture.

{8} This enclosure was plotted by the Air photography Unit of RCHME in June 1995. This was a 1:2500 scale, level 3, photogrammetric survey which was carried out as part of the Industry and Enclosure in the Neolithic Project.

Only three sides of the enclosure are visible, however, a slight return on the north eastern end of the outer ditch may indicate the start of the fourth side. If this is the case, the enclosure would have originally been almost square. Midway along the eastern side of the enclosure, is a well defined gap, 9 metres across, which probably relates to an entrance.

<1> HOLLOWELL R., 1971, Aerial Photography and Fieldwork in the Upper Nene Valley, 6/13/site 1 (checked) (Journal). SNN106546.

<2> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1974, Archaeology In Northamptonshire 1973, 9/115 (checked) (Article). SNN9109.

<3> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1973, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1972, 8/26 (checked) (Journal). SNN8956.

<4> Rowley R.T.; Fowler W.J. (Editors), 1974, South Midlands Archaeology: CBA Group 9 Newsletter (4), 4/22 (checked) (Newsletter). SNN17341.

<5> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.276 Site 10 (checked) (Series). SNN77383.

<6> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, Used with NMR & CUCAP collections (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<7> Carlyle S., 2010, Neolithic Cremations And A Romano-British Enclosure at Milton Ham, Northampton, February and March 2008, p.4 (part checked) (Report). SNN107968.

<8> Dyer, C, 1995, RCHME: Briar Hill Causewayed Enclosure Project (Archive). SNN114643.

<9> Dyer, C, 1995, Industry and Enclosure in the Neolithic Period (Archive). SNN114644.

Record last edited

Feb 4 2025 7:29PM