Monument record 4893/0/1 - Prehistoric pit alignment, Dallington

Pit alignment identified as a cropmark on aerial photographs. The pit alignment extends further east than suggested by the cropmark; trial trench excavation has indicated that it extends at least another 300m east.

{1} Cropmarks of a pit alignment running SP72286346 to SP72576229.

{2} Correct grid reference is SP72286346 to 72576329.

{4} Speculation that the pit alignment is actually to do with allotments that were set up in this area but were never used. The other end of the pit alignment is suggested to be caused by field encroachment into the wood, the feature being the old wood boundary.

{5} Cropmarks of a pit alignment orientated north-west to south-east.

{10} A discontinuous linear positive magnetic anomaly may reflect a shallow ditch truncated by ploughing or a series of small soil-filled pits or postholes.

{11} Two large pits c. 2.75 m in diameter were revealed at the south-eastern end of the trench. Cleaning of the surface area and excavation of one pit revealed that these were separated by 0.75 m. The pit had a flat base only 0.40 m in diameter rising with steep sides. These changed sharply to more gradual sloped sides indicating that the pit may have been left open to erosion forming the weathering cone appearance of the profile. Two fills, both sterile of finds, suggest that the pit had filled via natural erosion rather than direct backfilling.

{12] The pit alignment was identified in four trenches.

{13} Pit alignment in the vicinity of the Dallington causewayed enclosure, which were plotted during a 1:2500 scale, level 3, photogrammetric survey of the area, carried out by the RCHME Air Photography Unit in October 1994 (Event UID 926850). This formed part of the larger Industry and Enclosure in the Neolithic Project (Event UID 923509).
It runs from SP 72216345 to SP 72566329 to the south west of the causewayed enclosure and can be seen to continue out of the area covered by the survey, to the west at SP 71606350 and to the east at SP 72706323.

{+} NCCAP:SP7163/019+020

Dyer, C, 1994, RCHME: Dallington Causewayed Enclosure Project (Report). SNN116320.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.241 (checked) (Series). SNN77383.

<2> HOLLOWELL R., 1971, Aerial Photography and Fieldwork in the Upper Nene Valley, p.8 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN106546.

<3> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1973, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1972, p.26 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN8956.

<4> Welsh T.C., 1998, The Invisible Site Finder, (unchecked) (Document). SNN46596.

<5> Holmes M., 1992, Northampton, North-West Bypass: Archaeological Survey, Stage 1, p.6 (checked) (Report). SNN73443.

<6> Pickering J., 1977, AP List for North-West Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN39535.

<7> Kennedy A.; Cadman G., 2000, The Althorp Estate Forest Plan: SMR Assessment Report, (unchecked) (Report). SNN100766.

<8> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, Used with NMR & CUCAP collections (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<9> OXFORD ARCHAEOLOGY UNIT, 1991, King's Heath Whitelands, Northampton: Archaeological Evaluation Report, p.6 (checked) (Report). SNN76714.

<10> Elliott L.; Hale D., 2006, Dallington Grange, Northamptonshire: Geophysical Survey Phase 2, p.8 (checked) (Report). SNN107441.

<11> Laws G., 2007, Dallington Grange, Northampton: Archaeological Evaluation Report, June 2007, p.13 (checked) (Report). SNN107409.

<12> Dodd, M, 2016, Dallington Grange Northampton: Evaluation Report, 2016 (Report). SNN110781.

Record last edited

Feb 4 2025 7:26PM