Monument record 1124 - Guilsborough Iron Age Hillfort

A large enclosure, now almost completely destroyed, was thought to be a Roman camp in the 18th century, but recent investigation has indicated that it was an Iron Age univallate hillfort. The site may have been also been used as a burh. Also known as Borough Hill or the Burrows.

{2} Enclosure and possible Roman settlement. The site has been almost completely destroyed, but there seems to have been an enclosure of some kind bounded by a bank and ditch- may relate to the -borough element of the place-name. It was described in the 18th century and was said to be 'the large remains of a Roman encampment..the form of it, like the more common Roman camps, is an oblong square, the shorter side running from north to south. It seems to have been fenced with a broad, deep, single entrenchment. The agger of this fortification is till visible; and as far as could be judged... the longest parallel is between five and six hundred foot, the shortest about three hundred. The area included is about eight acres. It is called the Burrows or Burrow-Hill'.

The south, and presumably the east, banks appear to have been partially removed in the early 19th century when skeletons were found as well as a large stone coffin 'in the north-west corner'. Further levelling of the south side took place in 1870 for the construction of a cricket ground and pottery, said to be Roman, was found, but is now unlocated.

On air photographs predating 1947 {27} some remains may be visible. The west corner is recognisable as a mutilated rounded mound, apparently projecting forward north-west beyond the line of the corner formed by the north-west and south-west sides, which show as low scarps. A possible south is also visible, also appearing to have a projecting part. North-east side marked by a natural scarp, no trace of the south-east. The Roman attribution was considered unlikely. Since 1947 the site has been cleared and levelled and the only surviving elements are the west corner and possibly part of the north-west side.

A large quantity of Roman pottery was discovered in about 1910 during the digging of foundations for a bungalow.

{6} One rampart remained in 1949.

{8} Trial excavations in 1989 demonstrated the former existence of a strongly defended univallate fort of the late 1st millenium B.C. The site measures at least 180m E-W by 140m, enclosing an area of c2.5ha and 'probably considerably more'.

{9} Letter from Dennis Jackson to Alan Hannan dated 27/7/89. The letter talks of the new possible hillfort discovered at Guilsborough and its importance.

{10} The RCHME survey revealed that though the defences are badly degraded by deliberate levelling, the course of the north and south ramparts survive. The west end of the south rampart survives as a subcircular mound crowned by a brick water tower. The 1884 survey suggests that this mound encompassed the SW corner of the fort. The 1947 air photographs show the remains of the west rampart as a broad, flattened feature but there is now no trace of this rampart. The area between the ramparts is flat but was subject to drastic land improvement prior to 1971.

Other remains in the survey area included several shallow scoops, probably quarries for local building projects. A series of shallow linear gullies in the paddocks to the west could be both remnants of ridge-and-furrow and modern disturbances. A circular ditch to the east, not visible on the 1947 air photograph, appears to be the remnants of a horse training paddock. To the north of this circle an area of broken ground is probably the result of temporary buildings erected during the Second World War.

Cartographic evidence suggests the southwest corner of the fort. The 1947 air photograph reveals both the west rampart and the northwest corner. Remains of the east rampart and ditch must lie buried under Church Mount. Thus three sides of a sub-rectangular fortification aligned along the ridge top are confirmed. It measured at least 180m by 140m and enclosed an area of c 2.5ha. The 1989 excavation suggests a stongly defended univallate fort of the late 1st millenium BC.(10d) The sub-rectangular form is unusual but not unparalleled in Iron Age contexts but the possibility of an Anglo-Saxon burgh should not be discounted.

For further details, see RCHME Level 3 client report and plan at 1:1000 scale, held in archive.

{11} NCC Aerial Photograph:SP6772/002-3.

{12} The form and general character of the small assemblage of pottery from the 1989 evaluation was consistent with a late Bronze Age/early Iron Age date (though two might be later), with some similarity to the pottery from Briar Hill. Three sherds were decorated.

{13} Magnetometry survey confirmed the presence of a perimeter ditch on the north-east side of the enclosure, tracing it for nearly 60m. To the south-east of this alignment a number of other features have been detected, some of which may represent pits or other settlement features.


{14} A plan of the site was published in 1849.

{16} Three trenches were excavated. These exposed a massive ditch 14m wide and at least 3.5m deep. The internal bank had been constructed in two phases, features showed evidence of postholes and palisade slots suggesting a possible box-construction (as at Hunsbury Hill). The site was interpreted as a large univallate hillfort.

{18} The trench across the northern perimeter of the enclosure found a large ditch at least 14m wide at its upper edges and over 3.5m deep. An earth and stone rubble rampart along the inside edge was of at least two phases of construction, with the laying of the earliest dump appearing to respect a palisade at the rear. Three substantial postholes were contained laterally within the rampart. Underlying the rampart, as well as being cut by the ditch, was a buried soil of brown loam up to 0.3m thick. Sherds of Iron Age pottery were recovered from the ditch and from the buried soil and ramparts. Following its initial silting the ditch was subject to two main phases of deliberate infilling, both of which appear to be relatively recent.The scale of construction of the ditch and accompaning rampart indicates it is a hillfort.

Two trenches were opened up within the hill fort. Apart from a small hollow or small pit no significant features were recorded. A small amount of Iron Age pottery was found in the trenches in the sandy soil beneath the topsoil. The interior of the hill fort is inadequately understood and the origins of the sandy layer is obscure. While it could be the result of the levelling out of the ramparts it might equally be the product of other activity.

{19} The south rampart was further levelled in 1870 for the construction of a cricket ground.

{23} Extensive alterations such as additional earthworks, levelling etc have eroded almost all of the original features of this site. Part of the original SE corner exists and, possibly, some of the NE corner. The site has had a mound and water tower erected on it, together with some domestic dwellings and stables. Ore extraction and iron smelting may have formed part of the activities associated with this site, both from its geological location and from the noted similarities to other EIA/MIA hillforts, although no evidence has yet been found to support this theory.

{24} This is a Roman camp, of which one rampart still remains. A large number of Roman potsherds were found nearby. [SP 67 SE 2]

{25} The area has now been almost completely cleared and only a mutilated mound, the remains of the original S.W. corner, and a bank, possibly the remains of the NE corner, survive. Insufficient of this earthwork remains for any attempt at identification. Resurveyed at 1/2500.

Nothing visible on A.P.s, or on first edition 6" and 25" to support the classification "camp".

{26} Report of 23.8.62 correct. Northampton Museum has no record of the pottery (which is probably that found nearby - see SP 67 SE 2) and could offer no further information. See annnotated 1/2500 survey.

RCHME, 1992, Earthwork survey, Guilsborough (Plan). SNN115218.

<1> The Society of Antiquaries of London, 1853, Archaeologia (35), p.394+plate 16 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN58177.

<2> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1981, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, pp.95-96 site 5 (unchecked) (Series). SNN77381.

<3> Pointer, 1724, Roman Antiquities in Britain, p.53 (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN9398.

<4> GOUGH, 1806?, ADD. TO CAMDEN II, 2/275 (unchecked) (Document). SNN38932.

<5> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.566 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77325.

<6> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP67SE3 (checked) (Index). SNN443.

<7> Morton J., 1712, The Natural History of Northamptonshire, p.524 (unchecked) (Book). SNN10113.

<8> PATTISON P; OSWALD A, 1994, An Iron Age Hillfort at Guilsborough, 179 (checked) (Notes). SNN40500.

<9> JACKSON D.A., 1989, CORRESPONDENCE, (unchecked) (Correspondence). SNN43797.

<10> Pattison, P. (Ed.), 1993, Guilsborough, An archaeological survey by the RCHME, Dec 1992-Jan 1993, (unchecked) (Report). SNN74256.

<11> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, (unchecked) (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<12> Cadman G., 2013, Note on prehistoric pottery from 1989 evaluation excavation (Note). SNN108946.

<13> Payne, A., 1993, Guilsborough Enclosure, Northamptonshire: Report on Geophysical Survey December 1992 (Report). SNN108455.

<14> Wetton, 1849, Guidebook to Northampton and its Vicinity (Book). SNN1032.

<15> Ordnance Survey, 1885, First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 Inch Mapping Series (30.10) (Map). SNN55519.

<16> CADMAN G.E., 1989, SUPPLEMENTARY FILE (Interim Report). SNN51839.

<17> CADMAN G.E., 1990, SMR REPORT FORM (SMR Report Form). SNN50207.

<18> Pike A. (Editor), 1990, South Midlands Archaeology: CBA Group 9 Newsletter (20) (Journal). SNN39962.

<19> RENTON E., 1929, Records of Guilsborough: Nortoft & Hollowell (Uncertain). SNN59631.

<20> 1812, Map (3612/253/1) (Map). SNN59776.

<21> Dix B., 1992, Recent Work in Northamptonshire Archaeology, p. 120/site 57 (Article). SNN104441.

<22> CADMAN G.E., 1989, Guilsborough Enclosure Archaeological Evaluation 1989 (Report). SNN57058.

<23> CLASP, 2015, The Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland Hillfort survey- Guilsborough (Recording Form (Not SMR)). SNN110612.

<24> Hichens, Rev JO, 1949, Guilsborough Hillfort (Correspondence). SNN114137.

<25> Harper, FR, 1962, Field Investigators Comments, F1 FRH 23-AUG-62 (Note). SNN112963.

<26> Baird, J, 1969, Field Investigators Comments, F2 JB 20-JAN-69 (Note). SNN111452.

<27> Royal Air Force, Vertical Aerial Photography, AP (RAF CPE/UK/1994 1467-8) (Photographs). SNN104890.

<28> RCHME, Undated, RCHME Inventory: Northamptonshire III (North-West), Object Numbers: AF0832800/889158/ 832806 (Archive). SNN114140.

<29> Historic England, Undated, Guilsborough/ink survey, MD000783 (Archive). SNN114138.

<30> Historic England, Undated, Guilsborough/pencil survey, MD000784 (Archive). SNN114139.

Record last edited

Feb 3 2025 8:53PM