Monument record 1853/0/1 - Late Bronze Age-early Iron Age pit alignment, Ringstead Quarry

A pit alignment aligned north-east to south-west traced for 250m. Now quarried. A total of 17 pits were subject to detailed recording beforehand.

{1}Excavation undertaken in 1977 prior to quarrying; a pit alignment was discovered; some of the pits were half sectioned;

{2} The pits were of even depth and spacing with squared corners; one of the pits contained a complete vessel of late Bronze Age/early Iron Age date;

{3} Details of vessel; pits overlain by ditch on same alignment;

{4} Pit alignment (SP 979750) immediately NE of [SP 97 SE 35] on gravel at 37 m above OD. Gravel-extraction has exposed a pit alignment made up of square or rectangular pits. This was overlaid by a shallow ditch on the same alignment. One of the pits contained a complete vessle of late Bronze Age or early Iron Age.

{6}One of two pit alignments. Traced for a distance of 250m - 17 pits were excavated. Pits had origionally been dug to a rectangular or square shape, but had eroded to more circular outline at the top. They were mostly filled with a dark silt or silty loam and had been filled before overlying alluvium began to accumulate. Complete late Bronze Age - early Iron Age vessel was found in pit 17. Common features with other pit alignments in Northamptonshire - do not appear to have held posts. Depths of pits ranging from 0.87m to 1.22m. Spacing between pits 2.9m to 3.55m.

Shallow ditch partly overlying pit alignment A and following same course. Section suggest the pits were already silted up when the ditch was cut , but presumably some feature indicating the line was still visible.

<1> JACKSON D., 1977, ORAL REPORT TO SMR, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN50764.

<2> HALL D.N., 1978, South Midlands Archaeology: CBA Group 9 Newsletter (8), 8/4 (Newsletter). SNN60830.

<3> JACKSON D., 1978, A Late Bronze - Early Iron Age Vessel From A Pit Alignment at Ringstead, Northants, 13/168, 180 (Article). SNN36260.

<4> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.192/Site 12 (unchecked) (Series). SNN77382.

<6> Parry S., 1993, Raunds Area Survey Report, (unchecked) (Draft). SNN1175.

<7> Parry S. et al, 2006, Raunds Area Survey: An Archaeological Study of The Landscape of Raunds, Northamptonshire 1985-94, p.140 (unchecked) (Book). SNN105780.

Record last edited

Apr 25 2025 4:06PM