Monument record 5488/1 - Neolithic Long Barrow, re-used in Early Bronze Age, and middle Bronze Age cremation cemetery

A Neolithic long barrow at Redlands Farm, Stanwick excavated by the Oxford Archaeological Unit in 1989. The barrow was orientated northeast-southwest, and was slightly wider at the northeast end. It measured circa 50 metres by circa 10 metres. When excavated the mound survived to a maximum height of 0.6 metres at the northeast end. The mound comprised layers of turf and tipped layers of gravel. A palisade trench surrounded the mound on three sides. Ploughing had damaged the southwestern end to such a degree that it was impossible to tell if the trench had continued right around the perimeter of the mound. The long sides of the mound were each flanked by a quarry ditch which lay outside the palisade trench. Both ditches contained waterlogged deposits, including some short sections of thin planking. At the southwest end of the mound was a stone-built cist, much disturbed by ploughing. Two fragments of human bone were recovered from it. At the approximate centre of the mound was a circular pit. Some bone fragments and limestone blocks suggest that another cist had once been present. A pit containing Peterborough Ware post-dates the mound. Towards the northeastern end of the mound were three Beaker inhumations placed in a line along the monument's long axis. Again, they had been damaged by ploughing. Finally, a few metres in front of the barrow's northeastern end was a group of 16 cremations of Middle Bronze Age date.

{1} The mound belongs to the trapezoidal category. A basic sequence of construction has been established. This commences with clearance of the area and possible cross ploughing prior to the construction of the monument. The central pit and cist appear to be primary features. The cairn seems to have been carefully emptied as only two fragments of bone were found. The structure then seems to have been backfilled; large limestone blocks were placed approximately halfway up the fill.
The substantial façade would also appear to belong to this phase of activity. The feature may have provided a focus for activity connected with the mortuary rites. After a period of time the posts were removed and the feature silted up. A smaller palisade trench was then constructed from split timbers and turf. At the same time the ditches were excavated and a mound of tipped gravel and turf was placed over the mortuary structures.

The long barrow became the focus for ritual activity in the later Neolithic and early Bronze Age. A palisade trench was found on at least three sides of the monument, suggesting that the barrow mound was revetted. Plough damage meant that this feature could not be traced at the SW end of the barrow. The revetment had two phases of construction: a substantial façade at the NE end, later incorporated in a small palisade trench. The long barrow ditches were aligned NE-SW. They had been cut into the natural sand and gravel to a maximum depth of 1.6m. The ditches flanked a mound approximately 50m in length. The mound survived to a maximum height of 0.6m at the NE end; at the SW end virtually all of the mound had been removed by later ploughing. The mound had been constructed of dumped gravel and layers of reddish-brown sandy silt loam. There was no positive evidence for construction of the mound in bays. Gravel banks were recorded however; these probably indicate differential dumping. There appeared to be a division along the centre of the mound, with turf construction to the N and gravel dumping to the S. A few finds were recovered from the ground surface beneath the barrow. These were mainly unretouched flakes of earlier Neolithic date. A post-pit containing approximately 3.5 m from the NE end of the barrow held a large split timber and may have acted as a marker. Three early Bronze Age crouched inhumations were placed along the central axis of the barrow. The placing of Beaker burials in long barrow mounds is well documented.
The pit alignment to the S of the S ditch is undated apart from one sherd of late Neolithic/early Bronze Age pottery.

The ritual activity continued into the middle Bronze age with the siting of a small cremation cemetery to the NE. The barrow mound would still be visible as an earthwork. The cemetery consisted of 16 cremations and had suffered very badly from Roman and later ploughing. Only the bases of the cremations survived, and some deposits had been spread over the area. In total 16 cremations were recorded. Varying survival of bone and pottery may indicate that some were only partial or token deposits. Fourteen cremations were grouped together, one was found close to the NE barrow terminal, and the other lay c.2m E of the main group. A group of radiocarbon dates were obtained.

The long barrow was ploughed extensively. Two sherds of Romano-British pottery in the plough-disturbed layer provide a terminus post quem for this activity.

{2} The north-east to south-west alignment is exactly on the West Cotton long enclosure some distance to the north-east and a bowl barrow to the south-west.

{5} Study of environmental samples from the barrow ditches suggests that the monument lay in open country. This may represent locally cleared ground rather than widespread clearance, as evidence elsewhere points to a wooded environment.

{6} Two cremations were found external to the outer ditch of the long barrow and 7-9m away from it. These were left in situ. One cremation was contained in a pot which had its top truncated by later ploughing. The cremations were cut into the old ground surface.

<1> OXFORD ARCHAEOLOGICAL UNIT, 1992, Redlands Farm, Stanwick, Northamptonshire: Post-Excavation Assessment, (unchecked) (Report). SNN75157.

<2> Foard, G.R., 1989, Oral Report to SMR, (unchecked) (Oral Report). SNN50792.

<3> Keevill G.D., 1991, Evaluations and Excavations in Northamptonshire by The Oxford Archaeological Unit, 1989-90 (Ditchford and Stanwick), 23/101 (Article). SNN62113.

<4> Keevill G.D., 1991, Evaluations and Excavations in Northamptonshire by The Oxford Archaeological Unit, 1989-90 (Ditchford and Stanwick), 23/101 (checked) (Article). SNN62113.

<5> Pike A. (Editor), 1990, South Midlands Archaeology: CBA Group 9 Newsletter (20), 20/55-6 (checked) (Journal). SNN39962.

<6> Moore, J., 1989, Stanwick, Northamptonshire: Archaeological Assessment March 1989, p.3 (checked) (Report). SNN43486.

<7> Moore, J., 1989, SMR Report Form, (checked) (SMR Report Form). SNN104807.

<8> Harding, J. and Healy, F., 2008, The Raunds Area Project: A Neolithic and Bronze Age Landscape in Northamptonshire, p. 73-84 (Report). SNN106245.

<9> KeevillG, & Bradley, P, 1994, Redlands Farm, Stanwick, Northamptonshire: Redlands Farm, Stanwick, Northamptonshire: The Prehistoric Evidence: Post-Excavation Project Design (Report). SNN114105.

<10> Bradley, P, 1994, Redlands Farm, Stanwick, Northamptonshire: Long Barrow: Landscape Unit Description (Report). SNN114106.

<11> Bradley, P, 1994, Redlands Farm, Stanwick, Northamptonshire: Long Barrow: Correlation Report (Report). SNN114125.

<12> OXFORD ARCHAEOLOGICAL UNIT, 1992, Redlands Farm, Stanwick: Site Narrative, (checked) (Report). SNN69021.

Record last edited

Mar 18 2024 11:47AM