Monument record 7797/0/3 - Early Romano-British subrectangular ditched enclosure

Archaeological investigation prior to development identified an enclosure with internal features including burials.

{1} Detailed survey has confirmed the presence of a concentration of ditch and pit type anomalies in the southwest of this field. Toward the centre of the survey area are a series of weaker linear anomalies on a slightly different alignment which appear to form part of an enclosure. Although it is not possible to date anomalies from the geophysical data it would appear that this tentative enclosure represents a different phase of occupation.

{2} T5 was located within another possible large rectangular enclosure C. Two narrow ditches or gullies were identified, one of which contained 5 sherds of pottery dating to the C1st-2nd AD.
T39 was sited to sample the possible southern boundary ditch of the enclosure. A 1m wide ditch was identified, but not excavated due to flooding.

{3} Sub-rectangular enclosure (EN4) was c115m by 170m. The ditches were up to 1.68m wide and 0.56m deep. The southern ditch also formed the northern boundary of a droveway aligned north-west to south-east. The enclosure contained a four-sided enclosure (EN8) in its north-west corner, 40m by 45m. Inserted into the final fill of the recut ditch of EN8, in the northern ditch of the enclosure, were two human skeletons lying on top of each other. The lower burial was poorly preserved, but appeared to be lying on its side. The upper burial, in a supine position, was decapitated, with the skull placed between the feet.

<1> Ovenden-Wilson S.M., 1997, Grange Park, Northampton, (part checked) (Report). SNN105401.

<2> Thomas A., 1998, Grange Park, Courteenhall, Northamptonshire: Archaeological Evaluation, (part checked) (Report). SNN44028.

<3> Jones L.; Woodward A.; Buteux S., 2006, Iron Age, Roman and Saxon Occupation at Grange Park: Excavations at Courteenhall, Northamptonshire, 1999, p. 70 (Series). SNN105830.

Record last edited

Feb 26 2025 7:59PM