Monument record 7985 - Probable early-middle Iron Age settlement, Peace Hill

Archaeological investigation undertaken prior to residential development identified a small number of features, including boundary ditches and a pit, dating to the early-middle Iron Age.

{1} Geophysical survey identified a positive L-shaped linear anomaly. One length is aligned south east to north west and perpendicular from it southern end a weaker positive anomaly is aligned north east to south west.

{4} Trial trench excavation was undertaken. A ditch 1.82m wide and 1.08m deep and aligned NW to SE was seen in trench 1. It contained Iron Age pottery. No evidence for the geophysical anomaly was seen in trench 2 however. In Trench 7 was a ditch aligned N-S, 1.18m wide and 0.32m deep, containing middle Iron Age pottery and a flint flake. A late Iron Age sherd was recovered as a residual find from a medieval furrow in trench 4.

{5} Following on from the evaluation, targeted excavation was undertaken prior to residential development of the site. Only a small number of features were identified; a ditch and a pit in the northern part of the site and a further ditch to the south. Hand-made pottery was recovered from the fills of all three features. There was a high propoertion of long-necked jars in the pottery assemblage, pointing to a early-middle Iron Age date. This was confirmed by a radiocarbon date from wood charcoal found in the pit that places the activity at the transition from the early to middle Iron Age, centred on 400 Cal BC (410-380 Cal BC, 95% confidence, Beta-343606). The nature of the activity is unclear, but is perhaps part of a wider 'open' settlement common in this period.

<1> Simmonds, C., 2011, Archaeological geophysical survey on land at Peace Hill, Bugbrooke, Northamptonshire, p.2 (checked) (Report). SNN108127.

<2> Horne B. (Editor), 2012, South Midlands Archaeology (42), 42/28 (checked) (Journal). SNN108346.

<3> Chapman P. (Editor), 2012, Archaeology in Northamptonshire, 2011, 37/211 (checked) (Chapter). SNN108375.

<4> Wolframm-Murray, Y., 2012, Archaeological Trial Trench Evaluation at Peace Hill, Bugbrooke, Northamptonshire, p.6 (checked) (Report). SNN109263.

<5> Jones, C & Walker, C, 2013, Archaeological excavation on land at Peace Hill, Bugbrooke, Northamptonshire (Report). SNN112687.

Record last edited

Sep 27 2021 9:26AM