Monument record 1168/5/4 - Probable former dovecote, Wick Dive manor

A roughly circular earthwork is visible to the west of the church. A test pit found the substantial masonry foundations of a probably circular building dating to the early 13th century.

{1} A prominent roughly circular upstanding earthwork occupies the north-eastern corner of the western paddock. This test pit, located on its crest, revealed a section of a curving wall made up of faced limestone blocks. At least seven courses of stonework were present, surviving from foundation level to a height of 1.1m. Emanating from below the wall was a stone filled gully which appears to have acted as a drain from the interior of the stone structure. Projecting the arc of the wall as found, and tracing its course by association with the earthwork, it is clear that it represents a short section of what must be a circular structure. An early thirteenth century date for the construction of this structure can be suggested by the pottery found from the earth build up around its base, and by the fact that it appears to seal deposits of twelfth century date. Residual amongst the disturbed layers was a single sherd of St Neots type 1 Ware of probable late ninth or tenth century date, an indicator of much earlier occupation of the site. With such a limited amount of wall revealed, and no opportunity to investigate the internal space contained within it, it is difficult to provide a definitive function for the structure. On the grounds of typology, size, position, and by association with other structures found elsewhere in the village, its is highly likely to represent a dovecote associated with the capital messuage of Wyke Dyve. If so, then in may be one of the two dovecotes mentioned in an Inquisition Post-Mortem dated to 1246.

{2] A distinctive square earthen mound at the north-east corner of this field, integrated into the overall layout of the earthworks is suggestive of a detached building such as a dovecote or brewhouse.

<1> Jones, R L C, 2004, Test Pit Results from Wicken (formerly Wyke Hamon and Wyke Dyve), Northamptonshire, June-July 2004 (Report). SNN111299.

<2> WESSEX ARCHAEOLOGY, 2008, Wicken, Northamptonshire: Archaeological Evaluation and Assessment of Results, p.9 (checked) (Report). SNN106395.

Record last edited

Dec 6 2018 1:14PM