Monument record 7326/1 - Probable middle Bronze Age cremation cemetery, Northdale End

Archaeological evaluation and subsequent excavation identified a total of six cremations, of which four were urned and two unurned. The pottery urns, however, were highy degraded. The cremations contained no associated finds and, although they formed a small cluster, no evidence of a funerary monument was found. It is likely the cremations were part of an urnfield or flat cemetery and such features elsewhere largely date to the middle Bronze Age

{1} Trial trench evaluation identified an isolated cremation burial. It was only 0.25m below the surface and had suffered plough damage. The cremated material was contained in a clay deposit which was within a shallow sub-rounded cut 0.1m deep and 0.3m in diameter. The remains of a very faint pottery 'halo' were recorded which appears to be all that has survived of the urn. The burial represented a single human adult, aged between 8 and 50 of undetermined sex.

{3} Archaeological excavation undertaken in 2016 identified five further cremations, probably dated to the middle Bronze Age based on the date assigned to a single cremation found during the earlier trial trenching evaluation. Three of the cremations were urned but the vessels were severely degraded by the wet conditions and had reverted back to a clay-like state. The remaining two cremations were unurned.
The cremations contained no associated finds and, although they formed a small cluster, no evidence of a funerary monument was found. It is likely the cremations were part of an urnfield or flat cemetery and such features elsewhere largely date to the middle Bronze Age.


{5} A sample of cremated bone was sent for radiocarbon dating and provided a date at the upper end of the middle Bronze Age (1562 - 1432 cal BC, 3230 +/- 30 BP, Beta – 542752).

<1> Coates G.; Richmond A., 2010, Archaeological Evaluation (Trial Trenching): Northdale End, Raunds, Northamptonshire, p.35 (checked) (Report). SNN107898.

<2> Bartlett A., 2010, Northdale End, Raunds, Northamptonshire: Archaeological Trial Trenching Summary of Results (Interim Report). SNN108049.

<3> Elston J, 2018, Archaeological excavations on land at Midland Road, Raunds Northamptonshire, Assessment Report and Updated Project Design, 11-13 (Report). SNN111509.

<4> Crank, N. (Editor), 2019, South Midlands Archaeology (49), p. 80 (Journal). SNN111755.

<5> Finn, C, 2022, A Bronze Age cremation cemetery and medieval manorial farm complex on land at Midland Road, Rauds, Northamptonshire, June-December 2016 (Report). SNN115876.

Record last edited

Jan 17 2024 11:50AM