Monument record 631/4/4 - Possible Iron Age pits, Borough Hill

Iron Age pits noted on the hillfort during various archaeological investigations

{1} During work for new radio masts in 1971 two features were noted immediately north of the southern defences of the contour fort. One was a round-bottomed pit or ditch with no evidence of silting and no finds. The other was a pit, at least 1.25m deep and 1m wide, with vertical sides. It was perhaps originally a storage pit, but may later have been used in an iron-making process. One sherd, possibly of early Iron Age date, was found in it.

{3} Trench 1: two pits had been cut into the natural subsoil. Both were sampled but their function remains unknown. Pottery found within one suggests an Iron Age date.
Trench 2: a series of pits and possible postholes probably of Iron Age date. An adjacent backfilled hollow contained two pits in its base, one of which contained a small quantity of burnt bone.

{4} A series of Iron Age pits, postholes and two possible cremation pits.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1981, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.65 site 3 (checked) (Series). SNN77381.

<2> 1972, Archaeological Excavations (Various Years), p.11-12 (unchecked) (Series). SNN55389.

<3> Soden, I., 1993, Archaeological Fieldwork at Borough Hill, Daventry, Northants, 1992, p.4 (checked) (Report). SNN70159.

<4> Shaw M. (Editor), 1993, Northamptonshire: Northamptonshire Archaeology Unit, Report for 1992, 23/46 (checked) (Report). SNN39924.

Record last edited

Oct 31 2022 2:32PM