Monument record 631/4/1 - Iron Age hillfort (Morphed Aerial Archaeology Interpretation) checked

Earthwork: Small scale excavation

{1} The defences of the large hillfort enclose an area of about 54ha and take the form of multiple banks and ditches surviving as a series of earthworks and buried deposits; in the early C18th the defences were continuous and included up to 3 ditches and 4 banks. By the early C19th there had been much plough-levelling. Earthworks remain on 3 parts of circuit; to the south they include an inner bank with outer ditch 275m length; to the east they are represented by a bank 550m long; 3 ditches were recorded here by excavation in 1991; on the west side 2 banks and ditches survive for 420m; the outer ditch continues north further 100m; in the north the earthworks are overlain by a smaller hillfort but are possibly represented by the remains of a bank running around the outside edge of the later earthworks; 2 banks are evident on the north-east and south-west sides;

{2} Earthwork survey conducted on the north-west side of the larger, earlier contour fort, discovered a series of scarp, counterscarp and scarp which have been previously missed; plan; a small rectangular enclosure was also noted, overlying the counterscarp bank at SP58606244; There were also rectilinear outlines on the ground south-west of this;

{3} A report on new survey work undertaken on the southern defences of the southern fort; a re-interpretation of the line of the earthworks;

{6} The majority of the site appears to be well maintained but there are several parts where significant damage is occurring. Quotes southern ramparts (SP58796193) from vehicle access, southern ramparts from rabbit burrowing and eastern ramparts (SP59036238) from uprooted trees and badger setts.

{7} Condition report on ramparts. This eastern side of the Iron Age hillfort contains the site of a putative eastern entrance (very approx SP59036238)

{12} The Contour Fort covers an area of some 54 hectares and was once probably bounded by a number of banks and ditches. However as a result of later destruction the original defences do not survive in their original state anywhere. In the south west these defences have been entirely flattened - Baker’s map of 1822 showed the defences still existing and in 1923 Edgar noted that the ‘old line of the defences can yet be seen under favourable circumstances’. Further north the defences are still partly preserved for a distance of 400m. Here the ditch is in good condition, being 1.25m deep with the counterscarp bank 1m high. Beyond this the ditch and the counterscarp bank reappear and continue for 210m after which only the downhill side of the counterscarp bank, a scarp 1m high, is visible. For the next 150m no trace of the defences remains. Again Baker’s map of 1823 showed the defences complete here, though Edgar’s map indicated nothing. At the edge of the golf course the outer side of the inner bank or rampart is visible with the other face of the counterscarp bank below it. There is no indication of a ditch at this point. A little further north these defences have been altered by the later defences of the northern fort (631/4/2). From here to the north corner of the hill all that remains is a rounded bank, nowhere more than 1m high, which appears to be the counterscarp bank. At the north end of the hill the defences are cut by a deeply hollowed trackway climbing the hill, not depicted on Baker’s map of 1823. From this point, for some 330m along the east side of the hill nothing remains of the contour fort apart from the scarp 2m high following the existing hedge-line. In the south east corner of the golf course the main contour fort scarp is broken and after a short gap reappears inside the line of the modern hedge, still as a scarp 1-2m high. Below it, on the hedgeline, are traces of a much smaller scarp, probably all that remains of the original counterscarp bank, destroyed by 1823. For the next 160m only the lower scarp remains, up to 2m high. In 1712 Morton described the defences here as consisting of ‘three trenches and four banks’. Today there is a gap beyond which the scarp reappears and can be followed as far as the south east corner of the hill. Along the north part of this section the scarp is 2-3m high but further south it has been reduced by ploughing to 0.25m high. In the south east corner of the fort the defences reappear in a state somewhat near their original form, and run north west for 270m. Here they consist of a low flat- topped rampart 0.25m-05m high with a steep-sided ditch in front. There is no trace of a counterscarp bank. However here also much modern destruction seems to have occurred. Towards the west end of this section the ditch disappears and the rampart fades out; beyond, all trace of the defences is lost.

{14} The position of an entrance has not been identified although Morton suggests there may have been one in the south east corner. It may be associated with a possible hollow way running south east from the hillfort. Morton suggests that the approach to the hillfort was easier from the esat and that this may explain the additional banks and ditches on this side.

{?} Earthworks of an immensely strong bank and ditch, and counterscarp bank. Where this crosses the hill it is protected by 2 banks and ditches which overlap an entrance to the south east. Dated to 3rd century BC - 1st century AD

{?} MPP description: a small multivallate hillford. Plan and profile from 1904

{16} A section was cut through the southern ditch in 1971 during the excavation of stancion holes for radio masts. The original ditch was c3m deep and U-shaped in section. This had been recut with a shaper profile after it had silted up. After a second resilting the ditch was recut to a depth of 2.25m and later abandoned.

<1> English Heritage, 1994, English Heritage Scheduling Notification, SAM 17145 (part checked) (Report). SNN1342.

<2> Welsh T.C., 2001, Borough Hill, Daventry, Northamptonshire SP586627-589630. An Analytical Re-interpretation Of The Wes, (unchecked) (Report). SNN101252.

<3> Welsh T.C., 2001, Borough Hill, Daventry, Northamptonshire SP586625-591625. Analytical Interpretation Of The Southern, (unchecked) (Report). SNN101254.

<4> Welsh T.C., 2001, SMR Report Form, (unchecked) (Notes). SNN101253.

<5> Welsh T.C., 2001, SMR Report Form, (checked) (Notes). SNN101251.

<6> Cadman, G., 2003, Daventry, Borough Hill, Scheduled Monument NM17145, (checked) (Note). SNN107027.

<7> Cadman, G., 2007, Daventry, Borough Hill - Note on Condition, (checked) (Note). SNN107029.

<8> Baker G., 1830, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, pp.339-47 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77327.

<9> Edgar W., 1923, Borough Hill & Its History, (unchecked) (Book). SNN47010.

<10> Morton J., 1712, The Natural History of Northamptonshire, p.519-20, 546-7 (unchecked) (Book). SNN10113.

<11> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, Used with NMR & CUCAP collections (Photographs). SNN104822.

<12> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1981, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.64-5 site 3 (checked) (Series). SNN77381.

<13> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP56SE6 (checked) (Index). SNN443.

<14> Jackson D., 1991, Borough Hill: An Archaeological Evaluation for The BBC, 1991, (checked) (Full Report). SNN47547.

<15> Serjeantson R.M.; Ryland W. (Editors), 1906, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.398-99 (checked) (Series). SNN100369.

<16> Harcourt, J, 1980/1, Borough Hill, Daventry, Northants (Report). SNN112724.

Record last edited

Oct 18 2021 4:47PM