Monument record 6386/4 - Iron Age and early Roman period activity, near Litchfield Farm

Geophysical survey identified features of archaeological interest, comprising a series of poorly defined ditches of uncertain date, Medieval or Post-Medieval ridge and furrow and there was evidence of modern disturbance that was likely caused by 19th and 20th century quarrying. Trial Trenching identified a series of ditches, pits and posthholes, that dates from the Iron Age to the Roman.

{1} The magnetometer survey has detected a series of ditches, of which there is no strong evidence to date these but one possibility is that they could be field system ditches or other boundaries on the periphery to the nearby area of Romano-British settlement (MNN4387)

{2} The trial trenching identified activity dating from the Iron Age to the early Roman period within Trenches 12-14. Iron Age evidence in Trench 12 comprised a ditch and a pit, with the ditch representing the earliest feature and showing evidence of re-cutting. In Trench 13, three shallow ditches were identified, interpreted as boundary management features; these were visible across both trenches and had been re-cut twice. A further ditch dated to the Late Iron Age to early Roman period was also recorded. This feature was irregular in form and showed evidence of root activity at its base. A single sherd of Late Iron Age to early Roman pottery, dated to AD 1-70, was recovered from this ditch.
In addition to the dated features, several undated features were identified. These included a ditch located to the north-east of the Iron Age ditches in Trench 12, and an undated pit that was only partially exposed in Trench 13. In Trench 14, a posthole and an oval pit were recorded; the latter contained cattle bone at its base, suggesting that it may represent a refuse pit.

<1> Chris Manktelow, Sean Emery, 2024, Archaeological geophysical survey at Litchfield Farm, Irthlingborough, Northamptonshire (Report). SNN116072.

<2> Adam Douthwaite and Sara Farey, 2024, Archaeological Trial Trench Evaluation on land at Litchfield Farm, Irthlingborough, Northamptonshire April 2024 (Report). SNN116989.

Record last edited

Feb 9 2026 8:31AM