Monument record 391 - Possible Hillfort on Arbury Hill

Supposed site of an Iron Age hillfort, probably a natural feature. Unstratified Neolithic flints, including an axe, said to have been found on Arbury Hill.

{1} Unstratified flints called Neolithic by George. Found on Arbury Hill.

{2} The 'Ealden burh aet Baddanbyrig'; charter boundary follows ditch.

{6} Natural origin for ramparts.

{11} SP 541 587 Geomorphological origin of features (erosion,cambering and valley bulging,complicated by landslips) accepted by RCHM. Site lies at the geological boundary between Northampton Sand and underlying Upper Lias Clay. No finds attributed to the site except for a fragment of flaked polished Neolthic flint axe said to have been found here before 1893. RCHM plan published.

{8, 9, 13, 15, 20} The site of the camp occupies the whole summit of Arbury Hill, forming a rectangular area of c 10 acres. The rampart is very high, and encompassed, except at the entrance on the E side, by a wide single trench, which has been 20' deep, though farming has reduced the bank.

The banks on the E and S sides of the hill are caused by clay creeping down over harder ferruginous Northampton Sand. The ditches on the N and W sides are agricultural drainage ditches. The uneveness of the slope at the NW corner is due to lumps of clay breaking away against the natural slope of the rocks.

This hill has some signs of scarping on the south and west accompanied by hedges acting as land divisions, none of which can be accepted as defensive works or of ancient origin.

A univallate hill fort which may belong to the later phase of the Iron Age A period.

[Not accepted for inclusion on the OS map of Southern British in the Iron Age.]

The earthworks surrounding this hill top have been formed by early agriculture. Earthworks of similar formation can be seen on Gredenton Hill (SP 4051).

{21} SP 540 587. Arbury, Northants. Listed in gazetteer as a doubtful hillfort. Area 3.2ha.

{24} Drawings and measurements;

<1> George, T J, Prehistoric Northamptonshire Site List, (checked) (Manuscript). SNN59915.

<2> Northampton Museum Records, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN126.

<3> De Gray Birch W. (Editor), 1883-1893, Cartularium Saxonicum, No.792 (unchecked) (Book). SNN9267.

<4> Baker G., 1822-36, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.258 (unchecked) (Book). SNN10400.

<5> Morton J., 1712, The Natural History of Northamptonshire, p.524 (unchecked) (Book). SNN10113.

<6> 1928, JOURNAL OF THE NORTHAMPTONSHIRE NATURAL HISTORY SO, /188-191 (Journal). SNN9395.

<7> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP55NW3 (part checked) (Index). SNN443.

<8> Warhurst, 1955, Northampton Antiquarian Society, 16/18 (Series). SNN9393.

<9> Serjeantson R.M.; Ryland W. (Editors), 1906, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.401-402 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100369.

<10> Pointer, 1724, Roman Antiquities in Britain, p.53 (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN9398.

<11> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1981, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.8 (unchecked) (Series). SNN77381.

<12> Hatton G.; Close R., 2014, Arbury Hill, Badbuy, Northants, (unchecked) (Report). SNN109931.

<13> Baker G., 1830, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.258 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77327.

<14> GEORGE T.J., SITE LIST: MS FOR PREHIST NTHNTS, (unchecked) (Manuscript). SNN58026.

<15> 1928, JOURNAL OF THE NORTHAMPTONSHIRE NATURAL HISTORY SO, p.188-191 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN9581.

<16> The Society of Antiquaries of London, 1853, Archaeologia (35), Plate 16 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN58177.

<17> Brown, A.E.; Gelling, M. & Orr, C., 1991, The Details of the Anglo-Saxon Landscape: Badby Revisited, p.95-103 (unchecked) (Article). SNN108637.

<18> Royal Air Force, Vertical Aerial Photography, (RAF CPE/UK/1944 1158-9, 1277-8) (Photographs). SNN104890.

<19> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, NCCAP:SP5458/001-5 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<20> Baird, J., 1970, Field investigators comments, F1 JB 13-MAY-70 (Notes). SNN110341.

<21> Hogg, AHA, 1979, British Hillforts: an index, p. 189 (Journal). SNN114272.

<22> RCHME, 1996, RCHME Aerial Reconniassance/18-JUL-1996, 890786 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN112740.

<23> Historic England, PLAN OF ARBURY HILL - PROB. NON-ANTIQUITY.SEE GREDENTON HILL (SP45SW11), P10573 (Archive). SNN114836.

<24> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/17/13/1-5 (Archive). SNN115.

Record last edited

Feb 7 2025 12:31PM