Monument record 2253/4/4 - Post-medieval coppice boundary ditch, Jack's Green

A ditch, aligned east to west and extending for 400m across Jack's Green, was investigated during various stages of archaeological investigation. Probably a post-medieval coppice boundary

{1} Geophysical survey undertaken in 2018 identified a linear anomaly which runs for almost 400m through the south of the survey area. Its western half is erratic and slightly sinuous whereas its eastern half, which splits into two arms, is more straight and angular. It probably represents a medieval or post-medieval woodland boundary ditch, as its line roughly corresponds to the northern extent of Jack’s Green in the 18th century.

{2} Trial trenching was undertaken in 2018. The ditch was investigated in four trenches. Only a single, abraded sherd of Romano-British pottery was found, although the ditch cut the subsoil.

{3} Post-medieval east to west aligned boundary ditch was most probably a later re-establishment
of the southern coppice boundary. This later boundary likely went out of use following the passing of the Forest Enclosure Act in 1796.

Douthwaite, A, & Reid, A, 2019, Archaeological mitigation works on land at Rockingham Forest Park, Wansford Road, King's Cliffe, Northamptonshire, February-March 2019 (Report). SNN111932.

Finn, C, 2020, Archaeological mitigation on land at Rockingham Forest Park, Wansford Road, King's Cliffe, Northamptonshire, https://doi.org/10.5284/1083484 (Digital archive). SNN112459.

<1> Walford, J, 2018, Archaeological geophysical survey at Jack’s Green, King’s Cliffe
Northamptonshire (Report). SNN111551.

<2> Shipley, A. and Cronogue-Freeman, C., 2018, Archaeological trial trench evaluation at Jack's Green, Kings Cliffe, Northamptonshire, August 2018 (Report). SNN111552.

<3> Crank, N. (Editor), 2019, South Midlands Archaeology (49), p. 78 (Journal). SNN111755.

Record last edited

Feb 25 2025 8:10PM