Monument record 4617/2/4 - Modern ironstone extraction site, south of Midland Road

A 19th century ironstone extraction site is visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs. Located in fields south of Midland Roads, SW of Raunds Grange, the Raunds Ironstone and Limestone Company extracted low quality iron ore from the site between 1881 and 1883. A standard gauge tramway linked the extraction with Raunds railway station some 1.5 kilometres to the west. The cropmarks comprise a W-E converging linear and curvilinear ditch, representing part of the tramway course. The ditches converge on a rectilinear ditch up to 5 metres wide that encloses an area 135 x 66 metres that may represent the area of extraction. Other linear ditches within and adjacent that rectangular area are probably associated with the ore extraction. The features are not visible on aerial photographs taken in 2018. The cropmarks have also been interpreted as an area of prehistoric/Roman settlement [HER 1319]

{1-7} A 19th century ironstone extraction site is visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs and was mapped as part of the Bedford Borough NMP project. Located in fields south of Midland Roads, about 515 metres SW of Raunds Grange and centred at TL 01255 72397, the Raunds Ironstone and Limestone Company extracted low quality iron ore from the site between 1881 and 1883. A standard gauge tramway linked the extraction with Raunds railway station some 1.5 kilometres to the west. The 1885 dated 1st Edition OS map shows the tramway in situ, but this track does not appear on the 1900 dated 2nd Edition OS map. The cropmarks comprise a W-E converging linear and curvilinear ditch, representing part of the tramway course depicted on the OS map. The ditches converge on a rectilinear ditch up to 5 metres wide that encloses an area 135 x 66 metres that may represent the area of extraction. Other linear ditches within and adjacent that rectangular area are probably associated with the ore extraction. The features are not visible on aerial photographs taken in 2018.

<1> Oblique Aerial Photograph, NHC SF1983/26 31-JUL-1981 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN111738.

<2> Oblique Aerial Photograph, NHC 2535/10 31-JUL-1984 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN111738.

<3> Vertical Aerial Photograph, EARTH.GOOGLE.COM 01-JAN-2006 ACCESSED 11-OCT-2018 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN112695.

<4> 1970, CBA Group 9: Bulletin of Industrial Archaeology, p. 21 (Series). SNN110933.

<5> Ordnance Survey Map (Scale/date), Epoch 1 Ordnance Survey 1:2500 scale map Northamptonshire 1885 (Map). SNN112944.

<6> Ordnance Survey Map (Scale/date), Epoch 2 Ordnance Survey 1:2500 scale map Northamptonshire 1900 (Map). SNN112944.

<7> Vertical Aerial Photograph, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery TL 0172 12-JUN-2018 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN112695.

Record last edited

Feb 25 2025 7:02PM