Monument record 561/0/22 - Medieval/Post Medieval Ridge & Furrow

{1} Parallel positive linear anomalies, orientated north west to south east, likely indicate a medieval ridge and furrow cultivation pattern. The most easterly furrow anomaly may indicate a field boundary and my coninue from the field above.

{4} The only archaeological features identified within the 14 trenches were numerous furrows relating to past cultivation.
Furrows were found in 6 of the trenches, confirming the results of the geophysical survey. In fact the survey plot provided an exact picture of the former farming arrangement. Two broad sets of ridge and furrow cultivation were recorded aligned north-east to south-west in Fields 1 and 3, and north-west to south-east in Field 2. A sample of furrows was excavated in each trench.
Ridge and furrow is generally regarded as medieval but the age of surviving remnants is strictly the date when they were last ploughed prior to Inclosure, (at Rothwell this took place in the early C19th). The proposed development area once lay in an area called Moor Field, one of the three open fields of Rothwell. A map of Moor Field dated to 1817/18 suggests that the site lay within a subdivision called The Breeches.

<1> Butler A., 2009, Archaeological Geophysical Survey on Land Adjacent to The A14 Junction 3, Rothwell, Northamptonshire, July 2009, p. 4 (checked) (Report). SNN107980.

<2> Horne B. (Editor), 2010, South Midlands Archaeology (40), p.20 (checked) (Journal). SNN107083.

<3> Chapman P. (Ed.), 2010, Archaeology in Northamptonshire, 2009 (36), p.189 (checked) (Article). SNN107503.

<4> Richmond A.; Coates G., 2010, Archaeological Evaluation by Trial Trenching at Rothwell Truck Stop, Rothwell, Northamptonshire, p.13-18 (checked) (Report). SNN107016.

Record last edited

Sep 8 2014 10:54AM