Monument record 4895/0/12 - Iron Age Enclosure (Morphed Aerial Archaeology Interpretation)

Crop/soilmark: Good quality photography

{1} A series of linear ditches surrounding an enclosure (4895/0/7) which, judging from their alignment, appear to be connected.

Trial trenching revealed a ditch 2.7m wide and 1.35m deep with a V-shaped profile. A possible post hole was located within the ditch.

{4} Three substantial, almost concentric, soil-filled enclosure ditches. These have been detected over an area of approximately 160m by 130m. The anomalies representing these ditches measure up to 6m in width; this is likely to be an accurate representation of the actual ditch widths since, having given rise to cropmarks, the features are almost certainly near-surface. Each of the three ditch circuits has a causewayed entrance on its south-eastern side. The widest entrance is through the outermost ditch while the narrowest entrance is through the innermost; this funnelled approach from outside the monument to the innermost enclosure is flanked by pits, which may have housed large timber posts effectively forming an avenue.

{5} A single very large ditch reflects the location of a large ditched enclosure shown on the geophysical survey plot. This was only partly excavated due to its size and likely depth although it clearly defined a NE/SW alignment and width in excess of 5m. It was excavated to a depth of 1m below the surface of the geology at which point a hint of a rounded edge to its southern side was encountered suggesting a possible butt end or entrance into the enclosure.

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

<2> Shaw, M., Webster, M. & O'Hara, P., 1990, Archaeological Evaluation at Kings Heath in Northampton, (checked) (Report). SNN57140.

<4> Elliott L.; Hale D., 2006, Dallington Grange, Northamptonshire: Geophysical Survey Phase 2, p.6 (checked) (Report). SNN107441.

Record last edited

Jul 8 2011 3:40PM