Monument record 8842/2 - Iron Age settlement, north of The Sorrels

Archaeological evaluation and subsequent excavation identified Iron Age settlement including two small adjacent enclosures, two roundhouses and part of a larger enclosure. A significant number of pits had been dug within the larger enclosure after one of the roundhouses went out of use. It has been suggested that they were dug to extract ironstone for metalworking. Two undated crouched burials were also found. Later activity included a Saxon sunken-featured building which had evidence for metal-working.

{1} Trial trench excavation identified several features dating to the Iron Age including a curving ring gully which contained fragments of daub and some animal bone fragments in the dark silty fill. A second curvilinear gully was identified in another trench on a north-west-south-east alignment. Iron Age pottery was recovered from the dark brown silty clay. Several shallow features were also exposed, including two gullies and two pits. No dating evidence was found although they are probably contemporary with the adjacent Iron Age ring gullies.

{2} Excavations on land to the north of The Sorrels identified part of an Iron Age settlement. Two crouched burials were found, one at the base of a deep pit. Though undated, they are likely to date to the later prehistoric period. There appears to be several phases of Iron Age archaeology. The earliest activity appears to have comprised two small, adjacent sub rectangular enclosures that had been recut several times. Two arms of a larger enclosure were also identified; this had been remodelled, as evidenced by the relocation of the entrance. Two roundhouses were represented by ring gullies, one of which appears to have been situated within the larger enclosure. A sinuous ditch was aligned across the site, although no dating evidence was recovered from it. An extensive area of pitting, comprising c30-40 pits, was interpreted as possible evidence of ironstone extraction for metalworking- they did not appear to be rubbish or storage pits. They post-dated at least one of the roundhouses. A large Saxon sunken-featured building, c5m x 3m, was discovered in the north-eastern part of the site. It had a substantial posthole at each gable end and the fill contained large quantities of slag and charcoal. A small bowl hearth was set into the base of the structure presumably indicating secondary re-use.

{3} A second phase of excavation in the western part of the site was undertaken in 2018 after the removal of a spoil heap. Two ditches from the previous phase of excavation continued through, forming part of a possible trackway which turned 90 degrees at the western edge of excavation. Part of an enclosure was also found and many further pits. A significant amount of pottery was recovered including three almost complete vessels from one of the pits. It appears to date to the mid-late Iron Age.

[No post-excavation funding was provided by the developer, so at present there is no report for this excavation].

<1> Hunt, L. And Mcleish, A., 2014, An archaeological field evaluation on land off The Sorrels, Isham, Northamptonshire, p. 6-12 (Report). SNN110194.

<2> University of Leicester Archaeological Services, 2017, ULAS News February 2017 (Newsletter). SNN116634.

<3> University of Leicester Archaeological Services, 2018, ULAS News October 2018 (Newsletter). SNN116635.

Record last edited

Oct 22 2024 10:43AM