Monument record 5114 - Middle Iron Age settlement, south of Wootton Brook

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Summary

A middle Iron Age settlement initially identified as a cropmark and subsequently subject to archaeological investigation prior to development. It comprised at least three ring ditches and a D-shaped enclosure or pen set within a large enclosure.

Map

Type and Period (6)

Full Description

{2} Parts of two conjoined rectilinear enclosures with a further sub-rectangular enclosure, c. 20m in diameter extending into the interior of the main enclosure from its eastern side.

{3} Enclosures (SP 723577 and 722578), lie 300 m. N. of the M1, on glacial sand and gravel, at 64 m. above OD. Air Photographs (in NMR) show a sub-rectangular enclosure covering about 1 hectare whose N.E. side appears to coincide with theexisting stream. Within it are some indeterminate cropmarks, some of which may be relatively recent quarry pits (NDC A70). A possible second enclosure lies immediately to the N.W.

{4} Trial excavation undertaken October - November 1989 on the site of cropmarks. Six ditch segments were excavated as were smaller features not seen on aerial photographs. The features were sealed by a layer of alluvium and possibly truncated by medieval ridge and furrow. Finds include possible worked bone, flint and Iron Age pottery.

{5} Excavation revealed a palisade trench parallel with and inside the ditch of Enclosure 1. There were also possible postholes within this sub-circular enclosure, dated to the middle Iron Age.

{6} Close to the Wootton Brook, approximately 0.6km to the west of Milton Ham, are the sites of two middle Iron Age settlements that were investigated prior to the industrial development of the area in the early 1990s. The northernmost settlement consisted of two conjoined rectilinear enclosures, one of which had an internal sub-enclosure and a palisade trench; the other, a rectilinear enclosure and a linear ditch, lay c.250m to the south-south-east. A possible Iron Age ditch containing a sherd of abraded Iron Age pottery and a fragment of a polished stone axe was encountered in a trial trench during the evaluation stage of this project, less than 100m south of the site.

{7} The northern half of a rectangular enclosure contained three ring ditches, a small subsidiary enclosure and there were probably further structures in the southern half. Although not excavated, the southern side of the enclosure appeared to link with a major boundary ditch, and there was at least one further enclosure to the east. The presence of globular bowls in the northern settlement suggests that it was in use later than the southern enclosure, most probably continuing into the first century BC.


<1> Rees G., 2008, Enclosure Boundaries and Settlement Individuality in The Iron Age, (unchecked) (Article). SNN106040.

<2> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1977, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1976, p. 230 (Report). SNN723.

<3> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.400 Site 1 (checked) (Series). SNN77383.

<4> 1989, SMR Report Form (SMR Report Form). SNN49087.

<5> Shaw, M. & O'Hara, P., 1989, Archaeological Evaluation at Brook Farm, Northampton (South West District), (unchecked) (Report). SNN57228.

<6> Carlyle S., 2010, Neolithic Cremations And A Romano-British Enclosure at Milton Ham, Northampton, February and March 2008, p.4 (part checked) (Report). SNN107968.

<7> Holmes M; Chapman P, 2005, Iron Age Settlement at Swan Valley Business Park near Rothersthorpe Northampton, 1994-6 (Article). SNN112198.

<9> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, Used with NMR & CUCAP collections (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

Sources/Archives (8)

  • <1> Article: Rees G.. 2008. Enclosure Boundaries and Settlement Individuality in The Iron Age. Changing Perspectives in the First Millenium BC. Oxbow. (unchecked).
  • <2> Report: Brown A.E. (Editor). 1977. Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1976. Northamptonshire Archaeology. 12. Northants Archaeology Soc. p. 230.
  • <3> Series: Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England. 1985. An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton. 5 (+Microfiche). H.M.S.O.. p.400 Site 1 (checked).
  • <4> SMR Report Form: 1989. SMR Report Form.
  • <5> Report: Shaw, M. & O'Hara, P.. 1989. Archaeological Evaluation at Brook Farm, Northampton (South West District). Northamptonshire Archaeology Fieldwork Reports. Northants Archaeology. (unchecked).
  • <6> Report: Carlyle S.. 2010. Neolithic Cremations And A Romano-British Enclosure at Milton Ham, Northampton, February and March 2008. Northamptonshire Archaeology Fieldwork Reports. 10/109. W.N.C. p.4 (part checked).
  • <7> Article: Holmes M; Chapman P. 2005. Iron Age Settlement at Swan Valley Business Park near Rothersthorpe Northampton, 1994-6. Northamptonshire Archaeology. 33. Northamptonshire Archaeological Society.
  • <9> Aerial Photograph(s): Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs. Used with NMR & CUCAP collections.

Finds (3)

Related Monuments/Buildings (2)

Related Events/Activities (4)

Location

Grid reference Centred SP 7239 5771 (206m by 179m)
Civil Parish NORTHAMPTON, West Northamptonshire (formerly Northampton District)
Civil Parish WOOTTON, West Northamptonshire (formerly Northampton District)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Other Statuses/References

  • Northampton Development Corporation SMR: A0056
  • Northampton Development Corporation SMR: A0070
  • NRHE HOB UID: 621445

Record last edited

Feb 17 2025 6:54PM

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