Monument record 4891 - Probable area of late Iron Age/early Roman settlement, south of the River Avon

Archaeological investigation prior to the construction of a wind farm identified several probable Iron Age/Roman enclosure ditches, although the small size of the investigation limited interpretation.

{2} Trial trench excavation identified a posthole, pit and ditches on higher ground in the northern part of the development area. A small assemblage of pottery, 13 sherds, dated to the late Iron Age early Roman period, perhaps spanning the 1st centuries BC and AD. The plant macrofossil assemblages were extremely small and sparse. Most of the features had not been identified by the earlier geophysical survey.

{3} Strip map and sample investigation was undertaken in two of the areas where archaeological features had been identified during the trial trench excavation. The third area will not be impacted by development. Only one of the areas excavated (in the north-west of the area) contained any archaeological features including two opposing ditch terminals and two curving ditches. Two of the ditches contained large stones which may have been used to support posts. The ditches were probably enclosure ditches. A further small assemblage of pottery was recovered. The sparsity of the finds/ecofacts suggests the enclosures were located at the edge of settlement.

<1> Walford J.; Chinnock C., 2013, Archaeological geophysical survey of a proposed wind farm at Lilbourne, Northamptonshire, December 2012 – February 2013 (Report). SNN109897.

<2> Clements P., 2013, An archaeological trial trench evaluation of land at Lilbourne Wind Farm, Lilbourne, Northampton, April 2013 (Report). SNN109898.

<3> Turner, I, 2014, Lilbourne Wind Farm, Lilbourne, Northamptonshire: Archaeological strip, map and sample excavation, 2014 (Report). SNN111030.

<4> Horne, B (editor), 2015, South Midlands Archaeology (45), p. 35 (Journal). SNN111358.

Record last edited

Apr 23 2025 6:42PM