Monument record 783/1 - Iron Age Univallate Hillfort

The earthwork and buried remains of a univallate hillfort which occupies a prominent position on the summit of a narrow ridge. Although the hillfort has been reduced by ploughing, its defences, which take the form of an inner bank, a ditch and a counterscarp bank, remain visible in places. Most of the counterscarp bank has been lowered by ploughing but remains visible as a low earthwork along the west side of the hillfort. The defensive ditch, although largely infilled, can be traced on the west, north west and east sides of the enclosure. The extent of the southern boundary is not known as it is overlaid by a minor road. The inner bank has also been affected by ploughing but remains visible along much of the west and east sides of the hillfort as very low earth banks marked by concentrations of small stones and red soil, whilst the northern bank survives as a fairly substantial earthwork within an existing hedge boundary. Quantities of burnt ironstone, iron slag and charcoal were recovered from the core of the inner bank during excavations in 1959 and have since been regularly recorded at the site following ploughing. It has been suggested that the presence of iron slag may indicate that iron working was taking place here, or within the vicinity, possibly during the Iron Age. Scheduled.

{1} Remains of a stone faced box rampart recorded by Baker 1822-30 during levelling for agriculture. 'The Vallum at the west end is about nine feet in width and constructed of two outer walls of stone about three feet in thickness; the intervening space was filled with soil, except at one point, where earth and small cobble stones which had evidently undergone the action of fire, were used for about three yards in length, and at each end was a solid mass of several hundreds-weight of scoria of iron intermixed with considerable quantities of charcoal. Inside the wall, near the scoria, was a large iron spoon and the socket of a spear'.

Enclosure denoted by scarps flanked on the western and northern sides by a ditch and external bank. The western scarp was shown to extend east of the SW corner for a distance of c40m. The outer bank appeared to have been broken on the northern side creating a gap of c5m. There is no corresponding break on the inner scarp.
The bank has been severely plough damaged and is visible as a low earthwork. The footings of a dry stone wall were uncovered along the outer edge of the rampart. The ditch averaged 2m deep and c5m wide with a U shaped cross section. The ditch was shown to be fronted by a counter-scarp bank of stiff clay c18.3m wide by up to c0.9m high and in another section 9.1m wide x 1.4m high. The bank appears to have been caused by dumping rather than defensively constructed.

{2} The remnant of a rectangular earthwork. It is likely to have been a defensive work of earlier date than Castle Dykes motte and bailey; it certainly does not form part of it. Its form as shown on the OS plan (copied by VCH) is a rectangle with double banks on the N and W sides and minor scarps to the S and E (no doubt relics of double banks here also) It is sited against a natural drop on the N side. "Castle Dykes Camp" (VCH) is merely a convenience. No other authorities give a proper name.

{5} Extensive significant problems; arable ploughing.

{7} Interprets the site as a Romano-British marching camp.

{9} The remains have now been almost entirely levelled by ploughing; the surrounding banks are only just visible, a few centimetres high. In the plough the banks are marked by concentrations of small stones and red soil and, close to the south west corner and along the east bank, by areas of burnt stones. OS plans made before the drastic modern destruction indicate that it was a rectangular enclosure, probably bounded by a bank and outer ditch, with another bank beyond the ditch at least on the north and west sides. The present road to Upper Stowe may have destroyed the ditch and outer bank on the south. The enclosure lay in woodland until the early 19th century when the area was cleared and converted to arable. While this took place Baker noted that ‘the vallum at the west end is now in the process of being levelled… it is… 9 ft wide built of two outer walls of stones, each about 3ft thick. Between these is soil, except at one point where for 3 yards earth and small burnt stones were used, with several hundredweight of iron scoria and charcoal at each end. Inside the wall… was a large iron spoon and the socket of a spear.’ In 1959 the west side of the enclosure was sectioned in two places. An internal wall with a deep ditch beyond, as well as a substantial outer bank, was discovered. A La Tene I brooch, one sherd, possibly of Iron Age date, and large quantities of carbonized wood were found in the lower levels of the ditch.
Stukeley recorded the findings of Roman coins and pavements ‘at Castle Dykes’ and J. Simco wrote that ‘T. Grant of Towcester' has been levelling the Castle Dykes and gave me a Roman pot found in one of them’. Both these writers refer to Castle Dykes but the remarks probably relate to this site, especially the second one which mentions levelling.
Field walking of the area in 1969 revealed a scatter of worked flints within and east of the earthworks. In addition 2 sherds, one of Iron Age date and the other Roman, were discovered.

{10} Stukeley records the finding of Roman coins and pavements "at Castle Dykes".

{11} The bank and ditch were sectioned in 1959 by A. Warhurst. He found an internal rubble wall with a deep ditch and a vary substantial bank (outer), together with a La Tene I brooch, a piece of probable Iron Age pottery and a large quantity of carbonised wood in the lower levels of the ditch (information in Northampton Museum). An Iron Age date for the earthwork seems assured.

{12}Simco records that 'T Grant of Towcester has been levelling the castle dykes and gave me a Roman pot found in one of them.'

{13} Plan before the site was levelled.

{18} This feature is a large rectangular ditched enclosure, embanked without on the N and W sides. On the E ploughing has nearly flattened the earthwork whilst to the S a modern road occupies the ditch. The large bank to the N and much of the W one have also been levelled. Nothing of interest was see on the ground although thorough perambulation of the main area was not possible owing to winter crop. Situated on a ridge over two miles from the nearest Roman road the earthwork would not seem to be of that period but has apparent affinities with other rectangular Midland earthworks of late IA date. There seems to be an affinity with the problematical but Roman "Castle Flemish" in Pembrokeshire (See Nash Williams "Roman Frontier in Wales" p 83).

<1> Knight D, 1986-7, An Iron Age Hillfort at Castle Yard, Farthingstone, Northamptonshire, pp.31-40 (unchecked) (Article). SNN104538.

<2> Serjeantson R.M.; Ryland W. (Editors), 1906, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.410 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100369.

<3> Wetton, 1849, Guidebook to Northampton and its Vicinity, (unchecked) (Book). SNN1032.

<4> Hatton G.; Hayward D., 2014, Castle Dykes (medieval), Castle Yard (prehistoric), (unchecked) (Report). SNN109935.

<5> Historic England, 2016, Heritage at Risk: East Midlands Register 2016, p. 51 (Report). SNN110747.

<6> Historic England, 2017, Heritage at Risk: East Midlands Register 2017, p. 58 (Report). SNN111090.

<6> Historic England, 2018, Heritage at Risk: East Midlands Register 2018, p. 58 (Report). SNN111434.

<7> Pegg, J, 2010, Landscape Analysis and Appraisal: Church Stowe, Northamptonshire as a Candidate Site for the Battle of Watling Street, (checked) (Document). SNN108303.

<8> Lewis S. (Editor), 1848, A Topographical Dictionary of England, pp.220-225 (unchecked) (Book). SNN43828.

<9> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1981, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.88 site 3 (unchecked) (Series). SNN77381.

<10> Stukeley W., 1776, Itinerarium Curiosum, p.114 (unchecked) (Series). SNN55468.

<11> Brown, A.E. (Ed.), 1970, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1969 (Prehistoric), 4/3-4 (unchecked) (Article). SNN28659.

<12> SIMCO J., 1793, The Gentleman's Magazine (1793), p.1179 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN60170.

<13> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP65NW5 (unchecked) (Index). SNN443.

<14> Baker G., 1830, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.376 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77327.

<15> Northampton Museum Records, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN126.

<16> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, NCCAP:SP6156/003+6-7 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<17> Royal Air Force, Vertical Aerial Photography, RAF CPE/UK/1926 2047-8, 16-JAN-1947 (Photographs). SNN104890.

<18> Seaman, B H, 1970, Field Investigator's Comments, F1 BHS 29-JAN-70 (Notes). SNN111541.

<19> Royal Air Force, Vertical Aerial Photography, RAF CPE/UK/1994 3157-8 (Photographs). SNN104890.

<20> RCHME, Undated, RCHME Inventory: Northamptonshire II (Central), 889494 (Archive). SNN112900.

<21> Historic England, General reference for Historic England Archive, P10583: IA ditched enclosure with stone rampart.Evidence of iron working(AS?)-like 'Castle Flemish'? (Archive). SNN115142.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 8:14PM