Monument record 1787/0/12 - Medieval ditch, Brook Street

A 13th-century re-cut ditch aligned east-west extending back from Brook Street may indicate medieval settlement in this area. Both phases of ditch contained articulated animal remains. Geophysical survey indicates further ditches may also be present

{1} The magnetometer survey detected anomalies which may relate to medieval or post-medieval boundaries defining land parcels and a trackway on the western side of Brook Street.

{2} Trial trench excavation undertaken in advance of the placement of power line poles identified a re-cut medieval ditch aligned east-west and extending back from Brook Street. The semi-articulated remains of an adult horse were identified in the earlier ditch and a geriatric pig in the later. The age of the animals and lack of butchery marks suggests the animals were buried following a natural death, an unusual practice in the medieval period. No analogous finds are known by the author within the county.

The ditch may indicate the presence medieval settlement, perhaps suggesting that Hargrave was a village of two 'Ends', and the existing farm is all that remains of that separate settlement.

The ditch did not show clearly on a preceding geophysical survey {1}, possibly due to the spread of ferrous material in the area.

<1> Fisher, I and Arkley, G, 2017, Archaeological geophysical survey of land at Hargrave, Northamptonshire, 2017 (Report). SNN111160.

<2> Sharrock, P, 2017, Archaeological Trial Trench Evaluation on land at Hargrave, Northamptonshire, August 2017 (Report). SNN111159.

Record last edited

Jan 15 2019 2:13PM