Monument record 2425/0/22 - River deposit, possibly from an oxbow channel, Stanwick Quarry

Palaeochannel deposits were investigated during archaeological watching brief ahead of gravel extraction.

{1} In trenches 4 and 2 there were deep river margin deposits, extending a greater distance from the present channel. The deposit was 1m deep in trench 4, where it also contained quantities of wood debris. This mainly comprised small pieces of unworked roundwood, less than 70mm in diameter. In total these deposits were spread over a roughly oval area extending 200m north-south and at least 80m eastward from the edge of the river margin deposits. It therefore appears to have formed a distinctive pond-like oval area adjacent to the main palaeochannel. One possibility is that this may have formed around an oxbow channel that was cut off and then slowly silted up.
A piece of Pomoidiae (hawthorn, apple etc) roundwood from the deposit has been radiocarbon dated to 3350-3100cal BC (68% confidence, 4515+/-59BP, Wk-10432), indicating that the final filling of this area occurred in the Neolithic

<1> Chapman, A., 2004, Prehistoric palaeochannels and a ring ditch at Stanwick Quarry, Northamptonshire (watching brief 2002-2004) (Article). SNN112189.

<1> Chapman, A., 2004, Prehistoric palaeochannels and a ring ditch at Stanwick Quarry, Northamptonshire (watching brief 2002-2004), p.9-11 (checked) (Full Report). SNN105065.

<2> CBA South Midlands Group, 2003, South Midlands Archaeology: CBA Group 9 Newsletter, 33-55 (checked) (Journal). SNN103380.

Record last edited

Sep 21 2021 3:21PM