Monument record 4892/0/3 - Possible Prehistoric Ditch

Cropmarks of a ditch, probably part of an enclosure.

{2} Other cropmarks, apparently overlying the north and south sides of the outer circuit, may represent later enclosure and ditch systems.

{3} The north and west sides of a large, apparently D-shaped ditched enclosure are clearly denoted. The north side is straight and extends over 50m before continuing beyond the surveyed area. The west side, about 90m long, is curved and peters out at the south.

The west side of the enclosure was formed by a substantial ditch with sloping sides and a narrow base. The northern side of the enclosure was formed by a ditch with uneven sides and a flat base. A central ridge of natural running lengthwise along the base suggests that it had been recut. No dating evidence was recovered. Part of a slot was discovered close to the south edge of the enclosure ditch and approx parallel with it.

{6} The northwest of this enclosure is cut by a strong rectilinear positive magnetic anomaly which almost certainly reflects a soil-filled ditch feature.

{8} Trench 37 contained a ditch aligned NW/SE. This had stepped sides and a slightly concave base and contained no finds.
The 1886 OS map shows field boundaries at this point and this ditch almost certainly reflects this.

{9} At the northern edge of the causewayed enclosure the survey has detected a right-angled section of ditch with one straight arm c 50m long and one curving arm c 110m long. This has the appearance of an incomplete tongue-shaped enclosure. Its date and function is unknown, but it may be analogous to a similarly incomplete (and as yet undated) tongue-shaped enclosure discovered by geophysical survey to the east of Kettering. It also bears comparison with an L-shaped ditch of Middle Bronze Age date excavated at Priors Hall near Corby.

{10} Cropmarks of a linear ditch are visible on aerial photographs at SP72476364. The ditch, which has one straight side and one convex edge at right angles to each other, is probably part of a larger enclosure. The feature cuts across the Dallington causewayed enclosure, NMR No SP 76 SW 53.

A 1:2500 scale photogrammetric survey of the area was carried out in October 1994 by the RCHME Air Photography Unit as part of the Industry and Enclosure in the Neolithic Project.

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

<2> OXFORD ARCHAEOLOGY UNIT, 1991, King's Heath Whitelands, Northampton: Archaeological Evaluation Report, p.5 (checked) (Report). SNN76714.

<3> Audouy M.F.A.; Masters P.; Steadman S.M., 1993, Northampton, North-West Bypass: Archaeological Survey, Stage 2, p.5,8 (checked) (Report). SNN75321.

<4> Masters, P., 1993, SMR Report Form, (checked) (SMR Report Form). SNN48773.

<5> 1993, SMR Report Form, (checked) (SMR Report Form). SNN48771.

<6> Elliott L., 2006, Dallington Grange, Northamptonshire: Geophysical Survey, September 2006, p.6 (checked) (Report). SNN105630.

<7> Elliott L.; Hale D., 2006, Dallington Grange, Northamptonshire: Geophysical Survey Phase 2, p.7 (checked) (Report). SNN107441.

<8> Laws G., 2007, Dallington Grange, Northampton: Archaeological Evaluation Report, June 2007, p.10, 20 (checked) (Report). SNN107409.

<9> Walford, J., 2014, Archaeological geophysical survey of the Dallington Grange causewayed enclosure, Northampton, May 2014, p. 3 (Report). SNN110095.

<10> Dyer, C, 1994, RCHME: Dallington Causewayed Enclosure Project (Report). SNN116320.

Record last edited

Feb 4 2025 7:26PM