Monument record 1677/1/4 - Hillfort Defences

{1} Excavation of 1952; 2 trenches were cut across the inner bank & ditch on the north-east and south-east sides of Hunsbury Hillfort. The south-east section showed that the original ditch had been re-cut & the timber-laced rampart had been converted to a glacis rampart. This later rampart had been extended over the back of the earlier one and overlay a pit and a post- hole which were not excavated. This evidence has been used to suggest that there was originally an undefended settlement on the site but it is clear that the evidence of settlement - the pit and post-hole - only predates the second phase of the rampart, not the first.

{3} The ditch: the flat bottomed ditch was originally 18ft (5.5m) deep but at the time of excavation had silted to approx half its depth. Later the ditch was re-cut to almost its original depth although the profile was V-shaped. A small quantity of pottery together with animal bones were recovered from the ditch filling.
The rampart: this stood to a height of 9ft (2.74m) above natural. Although it appeared not to have been affected by 19th century quarrying, thes inner slope had been partially destroyed by earth moving at the nearby entrance. The rampart showed two phases of construction. Its core, which consisted mainly of clay was intially supported by posts set in a continuous trench at the rear, possibly with the additional strengthening of a limestone wall or similar revetment 1.4m wide. A layer of clay or loam behind it may have served as a ramp. The post trench was 40cm deep and the excavated section contained two post holes 0.45m apart, The size of the rampart is uncertain but the unbroken layers of the recorded section suggest that the front may have eroded into the ditch, so that the overall width was at least 5.5m. In the second phase of construction the posts at the rear appear to have been removed and the size of the rampart increased. It is possible that the ditch was re-cut at this time and the rampart was built in glacis form.

{3} Description of results.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.279/Site 14 (checked) (Series). SNN77383.

<2> Northampton Museum Records, Lecture Note (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN126.

<3> JACKSON D., 1994, Excavations of the hillfort defences at Hunsbury, Northampton, in 1952 and 1988, 25/8-9 (checked) (Article). SNN76105.

<4> ATKINSON R.J.C., 1987, Letter re. excavation of Hunsbury hillfort, (checked) (Letter). SNN46566.

Record last edited

Dec 7 2012 2:54PM