Monument record 390 - Possible Prehistoric settlement or funerary site, west of the River Great Ouse

Cropmarks of two circular ring ditches of probable prehistoric date identified on aerial photographs. The larger circular enclosure to the south is nearly 40m in diameter while the smaller of the two is c18m in diameter and may be the remains of a Bronze Age round barrow or roundhouse. Various linear ditches are also visible but are difficult to interpret. Most recently recorded during Historic England reconnaissance in July 2018 and as part of the North Buckinghamshire aerial mapping project.

{2} Ring ditch (?)(SP 77053775) on the flood plain of the Great Ouse at 70 m. above OD. Air photographs (not seen by RCHM) are said to show a ring ditch and linear features.

{4} Cropmarks of both the ring ditches and linear features visible on aerial imagery.

{5-8} Two ring ditches, linear features and maculae of probable Iron Age date are visible on historic aerial photographs as extant cropmarks and were mapped as part of Historic England’s North Buckinghamshire Aerial Investigation and Mapping project. Located approximately 700m east of Mountmill Farm, on a gravel terrace above the western bank of the Great River Ouse at and centred at SP 477059 237782. Also recorded on Northamptonshire HER as MNN124418, MNN124419, MNN124420. MNN124421 and MNN328. The larger ring ditch is approximately 36m in diameter but western side is not clear on the photos available to the project; photographs taken in 2018 show this more clearly visible. The smaller ring ditch is approximately 13m in diameter and is situated approximately 80m to the north of the large ring ditch. Sub circular maculae are visible close to the ditches along with linear features of possible larger enclosures and a possible trackway, although this area was probably under ridge and furrow earthworks and these continue to the east of the existing field boundary towards the River Ouse. Cropmarks are visible in arable field; underlying geology is river terrace gravels overlying Lias Group Siltstone and Mudstone.

{9} Two ring ditches plus additional features including a possible enclosure were recorded as cropmarks on Historic England oblique reconnaissance photographs taken 4th July 2018. The previously recorded ring ditch is circa 35 metres in diameter. The other, located a short distance to the east, is much smaller - less than 20 metres. Between them are the faint traces of a subrectangular enclosure - the enclosure ditch passes within a few metres of each ring ditch. Other linear features are also visible.

<1> Brown, A E (ed), 1971, Bulletin of the Northamptonshire Federation of Archaeological Societies, p. 41 (Journal). SNN13960.

<2> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p. 171/Site 1 (Series). SNN77382.

<3> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<4> Vertical Aerial Photograph, Google Earth 31/05/2020 [Accessed 04/06/2024] (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN112695.

<5> Vertical Aerial Photograph, KXF 2314_11A 09-Jul-1975 (APR1857) (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN112695.

<6> Vertical Aerial Photograph, NHC 2042_029 29-May-1982 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN112695.

<7> Vertical Aerial Photograph, NMR 33503_018 04-Jul-2018 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN112695.

<8> Vertical Aerial Photograph, EARTH.GOOGLE.COM May-2020 date accessed 04-Jan-2023 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN112695.

<9> Vertical Aerial Photograph, 33503/016-019 04-JUL-2018 Historic England Archive (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN112695.

Record last edited

Mar 7 2025 9:53AM