Monument record 1718 - Iron Age Settlement & Associated Field System, Top Lodge

A small Iron Age settlement focussed on a substantial boundary ditch aligned north-east to south-east. Small sub-rectangular and circular enclosures were located to the south-west of the ditch. Pottery from the features broadly dates to the Iron Age with some diagnostic sherds pointing more specifically to an early-middle Iron Age date.

{1} Cropmarks had been revealed by aerial photography in 1980 and showed marks which could be interpreted as a ditched trackway aligned south-west/north-east with further ditches running off at right angles.

{2} Archaeological evaluation was carried out in Autumn 1990 of an area of some 70ha to the south of Ringstead Grange was carried out in October-November 1990. This involved fieldwalking, the plotting of cropmarks, documentary research, geophysical survey and trial trenching. The major site discovered was an early Iron Age unenclosed settlement comprising linear ditches, small sub-rectangular wide-ditched enclosures and ring ditches.

{5} The settlement is c2ha in size and comprises small wide-ditched sub-rectangular and oval enclosures with minor internal and external features, linear ditches and a ring ditch.

{7} Geophysical survey and trial trench excavation identified the small settlement previously investigated in 1990. The majority of the evidence was located to the immediate south of a large boundary ditch aligned north-west to south-east. The continuation of the boundary ditch may have been identified in a trench some 100m north-west of the known limit of the settlement. Several sub-rectangular and one circular enclosures, as well as several other ditches and pits, were identified. Pottery from the features suggests that the settlement originated in the early Iron Age and was abandonned in the middle Iron Age. Other artefacts include animal bone, daub and a single flint flake.

<1> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs (Photographs). SNN104822.

<2> Shaw M.; Sharman T.; O'Hara P., 1990, Archaeological Evaluation at Ringstead Grange, Northants, p.3 (unchecked) (Report). SNN72309.

<3> 1991, SMR REPORT FORM, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN48973.

<4> Parry S., 1993, Raunds Area Survey Report, p.171 (checked) (Draft). SNN1175.

<5> SHAW M., 1992, Iron Age Settlement Evidence at Top Lodge Near Ringstead Grange, Northamptonshire, p.7 (unchecked) (Article). SNN70230.

<6> Smith, H., 2009, Archaeological geophysical survey of the proposed Ringstead Wind Farm site, Ringstead, Northamptonshire October 2009 (Report). SNN107983.

<7> Richmond, A & Coates, G, 2012, Archaeological evaluation trial trenching, Ringstead Quarry, Raunds, Northamptonshire (Report). SNN115230.

Record last edited

Jul 5 2023 4:09PM