Monument record 9718 - Substantial Iron Age Agglomerated Settlement, Blackgrounds North

Geophysical survey undertaken ahead of HS2 identified a number of cuvilinear enclosures or ring ditches and large numbers of pits which may relate to later prehistoric settlement. Subsequent excavation was undertaken as part of HS2 at the Blackgrounds North areas, which uncovered a substantial middle to late Iron Age agglomerated settlement that comprised a large plethora of features including roundhouses, enclosures, pits and postholes.

{2} Geophysical survey plots show the results of the earlier survey which includes curvilinear anomalies and pits, although they are not discussed in the report.

{3} Archaeological Excavation undertaken in 2021 targeted the Blackgrounds North area. The excavation uncovered substantial archaeological remains which formed part of a middle to late Iron Age agglomerated settlement which spanned both areas and also continued into the adjacent Blackgrounds East and Central site. The settlement comprised a large plethora of features including roundhouses, enclosures, pits and postholes. Blackgrounds North has produced the most Iron Age inhumation burials from any single site in the county with six examples; collectively there had been only 15 burials found from this period in Northamptonshire. Additionally, the Site included the only example of a pit containing two burials. Also, the settlement was not static, with households moving around the agglomerated site throughout the Iron Age period.

The early Iron Age to early middle Iron Age features was largely concentrated in two separate locations. A large area in the northern and middle half of C31049 (continuing to the north beyond the excavation area) and the extreme eastern part of C31049 (continuing to the east). Very few Phase 1 features were found in C31048, the southern extent of C31049 or the central east of C31049. In contrast in the late middle Iron Age and late Iron Age features were concentrated in C31048, the extreme western extent of C31049 and the central east part of C31049. The site largely fell out of use by the late Iron Age period, and the complete abandonment seemingly occurred in the very early Roman period. Roman features were only recorded in C31049B and these dated to both the middle and late Roman periods. There is no evidence of early Roman occupation on the site, but presumably the former Iron Age routeway was maintained in this period.

Of special interest is that Blackgrounds North is possibly the earliest agglomerated settlement in the county, and it was one of the three largest, possibly of village size. The Blackgrounds Site as a whole was the only agglomerated site from Northamptonshire that continued in use into the Roman period as a similar sized settlement; it became a Roman small Town. This settlement continued beyond the Blackgrounds North excavation areas (C31048 and C31049) in all directions. Iron Age settlement features were also recorded within the Blackgrounds Central and East excavation area located to the south-east (Pref Ref 366). The full extent of this agglomerated site is currently unknown, but it can be assumed that the area it covered was significant.

<1> Clements P., 2010, An Archaeological Watching Brief at Welsh Road, Chipping Warden, Northamptonshire 2010, p.1 (checked) (Report). SNN107217.

<2> Stephens, C, 2020, 1EW03 Enabling Works Central AWHb Final Report for Geophysical Magnetometer Survey at (AC310/4) Culworth Road, Edgcote Cutting, Northamptonshire (Report). SNN112781.

<3> Sara Farey, Rob Atkins, Chris Chinnok; Rachel Clare; Adam Reid, 2023, AWHi Post-Excavation Assessment Report for Archaeological Recording at Blackgrounds North Northamptonshire AC320 (Report). SNN117046.

Record last edited

Apr 17 2026 3:38PM