Monument record 299 - Possible Iron Age Defended Enclosure, Arbury Hill

Iron Age hillfort or defended farmstead with evidence for Roman occupation. Findspot of Neolithic and Bronze Age artefacts

{1} The site, sometimes known as Arbury or Arberry Hill, has elsewhere been described as a hill fort, but it was probably no more than a lightly defended farmstead. It was once almost circular, 150 m. across, and bounded by a bank or rampart. The area has long been under cultivation with the result that much of the rampart has been almost completely ploughed out. On the N.E. only a broad scarp survives, up to 1.5 m. high and spread by ploughing. A low bank 0.5 m. high in the S.E. and another scarp less than 1 m. high on the S.W. are all that remains of the original bank in this area. The scarp extends N. and curves N.E. and this section, outside the modern arable land, is the only well-preserved part; even here a quarry has been cut into the bank. The bank is 20 m. wide and is 2.5 m. high from the outside but only 0.5 m. from the inside. A large area of late Neolithic or Bronze Age worked and waste flints has been found in the S.E. of the site. Further scatters of flints, including microliths, lie well outside the main enclosure to the E. and S.W. (SP 52344390, 52054385). A few sherds of Iron Age and Roman pottery are recorded from the E. part of the site and the late Bronze Age hoard (see above) discovered in the 19th century may also have come from here.

{2} The camp of 'Arberry Hill' is situated by the side of Banbury Lane, somewhat more than a mile N of Thenford village. The earthwork is irregular, but nearly the segment of a circle, extending c 150 yds along the N and W edges of the hill. c 7 yds below is a ledge or lynchet, from which a second declivity runs to the base of the hill.

{3} A 2-ditched, palisaded fort with entrances via soil raised pathways on the east with a pnd at the outside edge. A spring rises at the western top of the fort, now seen as a Victorian brick shed.

{4} The overall size of the Thenford Camp enclosure is about 1.6ha. RCHME suggests it was probably just an early Iron Age 'lightly defended farmstead' and this is one possibility. Larger defended single farmstead sites have been described, however, such evidence as has so far been collected for Northamptonshire suggests that monuments of this type tend to be significantly smaller (typically 0.1-0.2ha). The Thenford enclosure is almost comparable in size, for example, with other Northamptonshire defended enclosures at Hunsbury Hill, Guilsborough and Farthingstone, all acknowledged as hillforts. The possible association with a late Bronze Age hoard, the location of the site on the geological boundary between Northants Sand and Ironstone and Upper Lias Clay (similar to other hillforts in the county) and proximity to known ancient traffic routes suggests that this site has more in common with typical BA and IA hillforts than defended farmsteads.

{5} Possible lynchet is located 7yds below the main rampart.

{7} Letters in 1950s re. local society; excavation was never carried out.

{9} Pottery was found, mainly buss fired Mica ware with blackslip on the inside, wheeled pottery. There was a piece of English imitation Samian pottery which was moulded not blown.

{11} The remains of a small contour hillfort situated c 600' a.s.l. in a commanding position. Modern farming and quarrying have destroyed and mutilated most of the work but the extant remains plus air photo evidence substantiate the classification. See annotated 25" survey. The 'ledge or lynchet' (Auth 2) which is also visible on Aps is a natural feature and does not form a coherent part of the earthwork.

Over the last three years Mr D J Barrett (local amateur archaeologist) has found potsherds at SP 52224392 which are probably IA but have not yet been classified.

{12} No change since report of 14/04/70.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.143/Site 2 (checked) (Series). SNN77382.

<2> Beesley J., 1841, History of Banbury, p.31 (unchecked) (Extract). SNN280.

<3> Bowes J.P., 1997, Archaeology Survey Of Chacombe and Environs, (checked) (Report). SNN101068.

<4> Hatton G., 2014, Thenford Hill Camp, Thenford, Northants, Section 5 (Report). SNN109934.

<5> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP54SW6 (checked) (Index). SNN443.

<6> Gover J.E.B.; Mawer A.; Stenton F.M. (Eds.), 1933, The Place-names of Northamptonshire, p.61 (checked) (Series). SNN5881.

<7> Letters to Ashmolean Museum, (unchecked) (Correspondence). SNN47414.

<8> 1955, OS 6 Inch Mapping Series, SP54SW (part checked) (Map). SNN10054.

<9> 1971, Letters Between J.Barratt & Ashmolean Museum, (unchecked) (Correspondence). SNN47415.

<10> 1953, The Archaeological Journal (110), p.178 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN59424.

<11> Baird, J., 1970, Field investigators comments, F1 JB 14-Apr-70 (Notes). SNN110341.

<12> Allanson, C D, 1976, Field Investigator's Comments, F2 FDC 25-Oct-76 (Notes). SNN112955.

<13> Royal Air Force, Vertical Aerial Photography, APs (RAF CPE/UK/1926 16.1.47, 1211,2) (Photographs). SNN104890.

Record last edited

Sep 23 2022 2:02PM