Monument record 4732/0/8 - Medieval & Post Medieval Hollow Way/Trackway

See also Mon 4732/0/7.

{3} The most prominent feature in the geophysical survey results is a ditch and bank that may relate to earthworks in an adjacent field to the south. The ditch and bank are orientated north east to south west before turning 90 degrees to extend north-west out of the survey area.
The bank identified from geophysical survey was present in trench 1. The base of this was formed from a metalled surface comprising a layer of mixed stone and cobbles, set into the natural clay from which a piece of post-medieval tile was recovered. Overlying this was a deposit of silty mottles grey-brown loamy clay 0.16m deep. This appears to form a continuation of the trackway seen in trench 13 and is likely to be associated with the medieval earthworks to the south west.
Trench 13 contained an oblique feature that aligned north-east to south-west and was cut by a gully along its northern edge and two further parallel shallow gullies to its north and south. The oblique feature measured 4.3m wide and 0.6m deep. At its base was a cambered metalled surface made from mixed stones and cobbles set into the natural clay. This was overlain by mid grey brown silty clay which produced half of a modern frogged brick and a fragment of post medieval tile. Its northern edge was but by a V-shaped gully 0.73m wide and 0.34m deep. The two parallel U-shaped gullies to the north and south were separated by approx 1.5m from the oblique feature. These were both shallow, being no more that 0.7m wide and 0.15m deep. This group of features appears to represent a trackway or hollow-way bounded on either side by shallow gullies, perhaps denoting former hedge lines. Although it is likely to be associated with the medieval earthworks to the south west, the frogged brick may indicate a relatively recent date for the final infilling of this feature.

{4} A former hollow way was aligned north-east to south-west and was up to 7m wide x 0.73m deep, with a very shallow concave profile. The earliest fills may have comprised make-up or levelling layers. The upper surface of the trackway had been laid with angular pieces of limestone, some of which appeared to have been burnt. No dating evidence was found, but it is likely to have been in use from at least the medieval period. The levelling is probably post medieval in date.
The hollow way is depicted on the map of 1727, but had certainly fallen out of use by the late C19th. At its south-west end it met up with the road from Hartwell Green to Hanslope, and at its north-east end it joined another road which linked Hartwell to Elms Farm.

<1> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, Used with NMR & CUCAP collections (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<2> Burke J.; Yates A.; Fisher I., 2010, Archaeological Geophysical Survey and Trial Trench Evaluation on land Off School Lane, Hartwell, Northamptonshire, p.2-3 (checked) (Report). SNN107195.

<3> 1727, Map of Hartwell (NRO Map G360), (unchecked) (Map). SNN72671.

<4> Walker C.; Burke J., 2012, Archaeological Excavation at School Lane, Hartwell, Northamptonshire: Assessment Report and Updated Project Design, p.18 (checked) (Report). SNN109201.

<4> Finn, C., Chapman, A., Walker C. And Burke J., 2015, Late Iron Age and early Roman settlement at School Lane, Hartwell, Northamptonshire 2015, p.18 (checked) (Report). SNN110428.

<4> Walker, C, 2019, Late medieval and post-medieval roadside settlement at School Lane, Hartwell, p.18 (checked) (Article). SNN112215.

Record last edited

Feb 2 2015 3:49PM