Monument record 1677/0/1 - Pits with Iron Age Finds, Hunsbury Hill

Observations were undertaken by Sir Henry Dryden during ironstone quarrying within the interior of the hillfort between 1883 and 1886. He noted that there were over 300 pits of which six or seven were stone-lined. They were closely packed together and varied from 2 m. to 2.5 m. deep and 1.75 m. to 3.25 m. across with 'nearly perpendicular sides'. They were apparently filled with dark soil or 'black mould' though charred grain is recorded from some. Most of the numerous finds seem to have come from the pits.

{1} Detailed find report.

{2} Features recorded between 1883-86; found during quarrying of interior of Hunsbury Hillfort. Dryden noted over 300 pits; 6 or 7 were stone-lined. All were c. 2m-2.5m deep x 1.75m-3.25m across. They were filled with dark soil or 'black mould'. Charred grain was found in some. Most of the finds were from these pits.
Considerable amounts of pottery survive, including some fine examples of globular bowls with the distinctive ‘Hunsbury curvilinear’ decoration. Although the presence of vessels decorated with applied cordons, extensive finger-tipping and incised geometric decoration may indicate activity on the site prior to the later (La Tène) Iron Age, the bulk of the pottery probably dates to no earlier than the 5th century BC. In view of the very small quantity of ‘early’ material, and its very wide date range, it seems more reasonable to regard it as broadly contemporary with the later Iron Age pottery from the site rather than as indicative of a substantial phase of pre-La Tene occupation. The absence of Belgic material is, in an area with a high density of Belgic sites, also probably of some chronological significance. The earliest Belgic wares in this region appear from the later 1st century BC, and the Hunsbury pottery may, therefore, predate the final decades of the 1st century BC, certainly c. AD 25 at latest.
The other finds from the fort may be broadly grouped into industrial or craft objects, including nails, iron knives, axes, adzes, sickles, saws, chisels, bill hooks, plough-shares, spindle whorls, whetstones, querns and bone weaving combs, as well as iron slag and pottery crucibles for bronze working; military objects, including iron swords, bronze and iron scabbards (notably the ‘Hunsbury Scabbard’), daggers, spearheads, and shield bosses; decorative objects including bronze fibulae, pins, tweezers, rings, belt-links, bracelets and glass beads; and objects attesting to the use of horses including bronze terrets and rings, iron bridle bits, horn cheek-pieces and the iron tyre of a chariot wheel. Baker states that the skeletons of a man and a horse were found together, along with a bridle bit and pieces of iron tyre and other metal objects. A quantity of iron currency bars, a bronze spoon, bone gaming pieces, bones of cattle, sheep/goats, horses, pigs and dogs as well as of humans also survive. Flint objects include waste flakes and barbed-and-tanged arrowheads. Roman pottery, mainly Nene Valley Ware, has also been found within the fort though apparently only one late Roman coin.

{3} The most noticeable feature was the large number of pits across the whole interior of the fort. These pits were 5-7ft in diameter at the mouth and 6-7ft deep but were somewhat funnel shaped, contracting at th ebottom to a dished ending 2-3ft across. A few of these pits on one side of the camp were walled round. The pits contained almost all the objects of interest. Among the finds were aprrox 150 pairs of querns, wheat and other grain, triangular articles of baked clay with holes pierced horizontally through the angles (possibly loom weights).
Within the camp were found the skeletons of a man and horse, and fragments of horse-bits and harness, and a five foot length of the tire of a Chariot (?) wheel.

{6} Also 150 querns & worked bone & horn objects. Plans & sections & drawings & photos.

<1> Dryden H.E.L., 1885, Hunsbury or Danes Camp, and the Discoveries There, p.53-61 (checked) (Article). SNN22391.

<2> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.281/Site 14 (checked) (Series). SNN77383.

<3> Baker Rev.R.S., 1891, Hunsbury or Danes' Camp, 21/58, 69 (checked) (Article). SNN46565.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP75NW5 (checked) (Index). SNN443.

<5> Read, C.H., 1890, Bronze Scabbard of Celtic Work Found at Hunsbury Camp, Near Northampton, p.761-63 (unchecked) (Article). SNN59464.

<6> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, Parish Files (unchecked) (Archive). SNN115.

<7> Doubleday H A (ed), 1902, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.147 (checked) (Series). SNN100368.

<8> GEORGE T.J., 1917, Early man in Northamptonshire with particular reference to the late Celtic period as illustrated by Hunsbury Camp, p.3-4 (checked) (Report). SNN71868.

<9> Ingle C, 1993-4, The Quernstones from Hunsbury Hillfort, Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Article). SNN104119.

<10> Fell, C.I., 1936, The Hunsbury Hill-Fort, Northants. A new survey of the material, (checked) (Journal). SNN105242.

<11> ELSDON S.M., 1976, The Influence of Iron Age Metalworking Techniques As Seen on the Decoration of a Pottery Bowl From Hunsbury, Northants, 11/163-5 (checked) (Article). SNN107519.

<12> Fox, C., 1927, A La Tene Brooch From Wales With Notes on the Typology and Distribution of These Brooches in Britain, 82/67-112 (unchecked) (Article). SNN59468.

<13> Philips, J.T., 1950, A Survey of the Distribution of Querns of Hunsbury or Allied Types, 26/17-82 (unchecked) (Article). SNN59419.

<14> Manning, W.H., 1972, Iron Work Hoards in Iron Age and Roman Britain, 3/224-50 (unchecked) (Article). SNN108396.

<15> 1947, The Archaeological Journal (104), 104/89 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN55513.

<16> 1931, Antiquity, 5/82 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN22438.

<17> 1940, Antiquity, 14/432 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN59451.

<18> Curwen , E.C., 1941, More About Querns, 15/16-22 (unchecked) (Article). SNN59426.

<19> HUNSBURY COLLECTION, (unchecked) (Archive). SNN55511.

<20> Smith, R.A., 1912, The Hunsbury Hill Finds, 59/421-32 (unchecked) (Article). SNN59479.

<21> 1960, Proceedings of The Prehistoric Society, 26/172 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN55512.

<22> 1914-5, Proceedings of The Society of Antiquaries, 27/74 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN59480.

<23> 1885-7, Proceedings of The Society of Antiquaries, 11/175 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN59481.

<24> 1887-9, Proceedings of The Society of Antiquaries, 12/321 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN108397.

<25> KING'S MAPS+MONUMENTA, 32/29+2063 (unchecked) (Map). SNN59482.

<26> Dunning, G.C., 1934, The Swan's-Neck and Ring -Headed Pins of the Early Iron Age in Britain, 91/269-95 (unchecked) (Article). SNN102914.

<27> Piggott, S., 1950, Swords and Scabbards of the British Iron Age, 16/1-28 (unchecked) (Article). SNN103025.

<28> Fell, C.I., 1953, Hunsbury Hill, 110/212-13 (unchecked) (Article). SNN108395.

<29> Allen, D.F., 1967, Iron Currency Bars in Britain, 33/307-35 (unchecked) (Article). SNN75893.

<31> 1903-5, Proceedings of The Society of Antiquaries, 20/184-5 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN68917.

<32> The Society of Antiquaries, 1917-18, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of London, 30/56-7 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN103492.

Record last edited

Nov 23 2020 9:37AM