Monument record 3542/1 - Late Iron Age enclosures, Hookham's Path

Archaeological investigation has identified a series of ditches aligned broadly north-south and east-west, as well as a small number of pits. Excavation in 2021 confirmed that the area comprised remains of an Iron age settlement that dates from Early Iron Age to the Late Iron Age period. Within the settlement lie roundhouses, enclosures, several crouched inhumation pit burials

{2} Trial trench excavation identified a series of ditches aligned broadly east to west and north to south in two adjacent trenches in the south-west part of the site. A small amount of late Iron Age pottery was recovered from the ditches. The type of ditch and general paucity of finds suggest they may have defined part of an enclosure system associated with agricultural activities.

{4} An archaeological excavation in 2021 identified archaeological remains dating from the early Iron Age through to the Late Iron Age, and some limited medieval and post-medieval activity. The remains comprised an unenclosed settlement that was occupied throughout the Iron Age period. During the Early Iron Age period, initial landscape elements are seen comprising a droveway, roundhouses and an associated enclosure. The majority of the activity occurred during the Middle Iron Age period with two stratigraphic phases seen. In the initial phase, new enclosures were established and at least one of the roundhouses was replaced with one of the other possibly continuing in use. The enclosures were subsequently re-cut, and two new structures were established in the later phase. There were several areas that were used for pit activity throughout this phase and eight inhumations were found in pits. The pottery assemblage was predominantly of later Iron Age chronology, however, the presence of Early Iron Age to early Middle Iron Age material suggests that the settlement originated during this period and continued in use throughout the Middle Iron Age and into the Late Iron Age period. There was no evidence for occupation continuing into the 1st century AD.

<1> Sykes, C, 2020, Hookham's Path, Wollaston, Northamptonshire: Geophysical Survey (Report). SNN112229.

<2> Preece, T, 2020, Archaeological trial trench evaluation on land east of Hookham's Path, Wollaston, Northamptonshire, May 2020 (Report). SNN112827.

<3> Crank, N. (Editor), 2021, South Midlands Archaeology (51), p. 60 (Journal). SNN113326.

<4> Tracey Preece and Anna Rojek, 2023, Archaeological excvation on land at Hookham’s Path Wollaston, Northamptonshire February 2022 (Report). SNN116672.

Record last edited

Feb 25 2025 7:23PM