Monument record 757/0/5 - Iron Age pits, Whittebury Churchyard

Several Iron Age grain storage pits were identified within the churchyard. One showed evidence of structured or 'ritual' deposition of human bone within it.

{1} Truncated by the medieval burials were the remains of three grain silos which contained large amounts of carbonised grain and the odd sherd of Iron Age pottery. One remained largely intact and produced a classic Iron Age structured deposit. Four complete vessels had been placed on the base of the abandoned silo. These had been covered by an inert layer of soil, on top of which had been set part of a human skull, positioned perhaps to form a bowl. Another clean soil layer had then been topped with a layer of animal bones (including an articulated horse leg), before the silo was capped with a thick layer of limestone cobbles.

{2} Pre-church activity was limited to four Iron Age pits, all of which were cut by later graves. One pit contained burnt material and a thick deposit of burnt grain, as well as Iron Age pottery. Within the pit fill was part of a human lower mandible, c. 100mm above the base of the pit.
The best-preserved pit lay at the extreme western end of the trench extension and its full extent was not defined. It survived to a depth of 0.65m, within which the stratigraphy was highly complex. At the base of the pit were the substantial remains of four or five vessels which appear to have been deposited complete. There was evidence for burning at the base of the pit. The base was covered by 130mm of silty soil above which was a lens of charcoal, burnt grain and daub. This was again covered by a silty deposit which contained a complete human frontal skull bone, laid so that it formed a shallow bowl shape. Above the silt was a shallow deposit of animal bone which itself was capped by a layer of large limestone and flint nodules, up to 150mm in diameter. Such careful and structured deposition of objects and bonw within Iron Age pits has been observed on numerous sites. Further analysis is needed to establish the significance of this feature at Whittlebury.

<1> Jones R., 2005, Northamptonshire Archaeological Society: Whittlebury Hillfort, (checked) (Website). SNN107406.

<2> Jones R.L.C.; Pears B., 2003, Excavation and Geophysical Survey at St Mary's Church, Whittlebury, Northamptonshire (Draft), p.9-10 (checked) (Interim Report). SNN105857.

<2> Jones, R L C, 2004?, Excavation and Geophysical Survey at St Mary's Church, Whittlebury, Northamptonshire (Draft), p.9-10 (checked) (Report). SNN112081.

Record last edited

Mar 24 2025 10:51AM