Monument record 5881/1 - Iron Age/early Roman settlement, north-east of Broad Angle

Cropmark of an enclosure identified on aerial photographs. Subsequent geophysical survey confirmed the presence of the feature, but trial trench excavation showed that the settlement was much more complex than suggested by either the aerial photography or geophysical survey. It comprises roundhouses and other features largely dating to the Iron Age and appears to be a continuation of the settlement identified to the east. MOLA excavated further trenches that revealed archaeological features which may correspond to the Iron Age/Roman activity that is occuring in this area

{2} ULAS undertook a field evaluation in 2018. The north of the polygon is where two trenches were excavated. The features found in these consist of gullies, ditches and curvilinear features. An extension to the excavation took place in order to establish the existence of the potential roundhouses. This extension revealed two over-lapping round houses that had curvilinear gullies attached to them and post-holes were found internally of the round houses.

To the south within the polygon, the works revealed features of archaeological interest that were in the form of linear ditches, including two intercutting parallel ditches, a feature that appears to be part of an enclosure ditch and a potential boundary ditch. Excavation of the boundary ditch revealed multi-phased. The early phase appears to be a pit and the later phase was represented by a ditch. Belgic ware pottery sherds were found and dated c. AD 20-60.

{3} MOLA excavated two trenches in 2022 within this area. Only the northern trench contained features of archaeological features. These comprised a part of a ring ditch structure, ditches and possible postholes. No dateable material was recovered from any of the features. They did not relate to any anomalies recorded in the geophysical survey but were likely to be the extension of the Iron Age to Roman settlement activity that lay to the north and was recorded during previous evaluation.

<1> Bonner, D. & Bunker, K., 1995, Letters re. Prehistoric Find From Cobb Hill, Cosgrove (Correspondence). SNN109068.

<2> Higgins, T, 2018, An Archaeological Field Evaluation (Access Road Phases 2, 3, 5 & part of Phase 4), in Advance of the Proposed West Corby Urban Expansion, Northamptonshire, p. 43-53, 111-2 (Report). SNN111921.

<3> Carol Simmonds, 2022, Archaeological Trial Trench Evaluation at West Corby SUE, Northamptonshire, October to November 2022 (Report). SNN116492.

Record last edited

Feb 25 2025 7:03PM