Monument record 7070/0/3 - Middle Bronze Age ditch, south of Broamenthill Spinney

A north to south aligned ditch was identified adjacent to the Neolithic long barrows. Radiocarbon dating of charred material and animal bone produced a similar date range within the middle Bronze Age. Five possible pits were found during subsequent watching brief.

{1} A single ditch, 1207, aligned north-east to south-west, and is likely to be over 40m long. The full width of the ditch was not exposed within the trench since an agricultural tramway crossed the trench at this point and could not be extended. The fill sequence was closely comparable to that observed in the long barrow ditches, with the basal fills containing large quantities of limestone, which decreased in size and frequency towards the top of the ditch. There was no evidence for bank material
sliding into the ditch or a collapsed dry stone wall on the west side, but since the east side was not visible, this may still be the origin of the limestone. The stone may otherwise have been deposited by more deliberate infilling with surface material, which would make the ditch much later in date than the truncation of the long barrows, given the most obvious source of the limestone would be from the levelling of the long barrows. The ditch therefore remains largely undated. Only worked flint flakes were recovered, rather than the more closely datable pottery, but the geophysical data tends
to suggest that the ditch is associated with the long barrows on the basis of its proximity, alignment and extent.

{2} Reinvestigation of the same ditch has established its full dimensions at 2.40m wide by 0.85m deep. The profile at this point was fairly consistent with the previous excavation, exhibiting steep near vertical sides in its lower profile, but showing that the upper portion of the ditch widened out much more gradually with an uneven and slightly eroded edge. The fill sequence was completely different, comprising merging deposits of mottled dark greyish-brown silty clay with iron pan, instead of a sequential matrix containing limestone. No finds were recovered from this section.

{3} A programme of continuous archaeological monitoring and responsive recording was undertaken in two parts at the Green Bridge development at Site A, north of Flore. Five possible pits and a ditch terminal were excavated. The terminal belonged to an undated ditch identified during the former trial trenching possibly associated with Neolithic long barrows to the of the bridge works. No other archaeological finds or features were identified.

{4} Mulitple ditch sections were excavated during mitigation prior to road construction. Soil samples were taken from the primary fills of each ditch section, but only one fill had carbonised remains and animal bone suitable for radiocarbon dating analysis. Both materials produced similar middle Bronze Age dates; charred material, 1415–1260 cal BC (94.7% confidence, 3070±30BP, Beta 505224) and animal bone, 1431–1283 cal BC (95.4% confidence, 3100±30BP, Beta 505225). The flint assemblage, which is notable for the presence of bladelets and an almost 50/50 split between blades and flakes, is more typical of the early Neolithic. A small pottery assemblage could only be broadly dated between the Neolithic and Iron Age. A single sherd of Iron Age pottery was recovered from the northern terminal of the ditch, but this was from the interface with a medieval plough furrow, so was probably intrusive.

<1> Brown, J., 2014, Archaeological geophysical survey and trial trench evaluation of the A45 Northampton to Daventry Link Road, Northamptonshire, 2013-2014 (Report). SNN110061.

<2> Brown, J., 2015, Further archaeological evaluation for the A45 Northampton to Daventry Link Road, January 2015, p. 18-20 (Report). SNN110326.

<3> Crank, N. (Editor), 2018, South Midlands Archaeology (48), p. 65 (Journal). SNN111393.

<4> Morris, S., 2018, Archaeological mitigation along the route of the A45 Northampton to Daventry Link Road Northamptonshire September 2015 to January 2017: Assessment Report and Updated Project Design (Report). SNN111582.

<5> Brown, J., 2019, The Brumut Hills: Two Neolithic long barrows near Flore (Article). SNN111724.

<6> Finn, C, 2017, Continuous archaeological monitoring and responsive recording at ‘Site A’ Green Bridge A45 Northampton to Daventry Link Road Northamptonshire Sept 2016 to Jan 2017 (Report). SNN111995.

Record last edited

Sep 17 2021 3:02PM