Monument record 1794 - Probable Iron Age/Roman settlement, Pentelows Field

A clothes line settlement comprising a subtriangular, subcircular and a subrectangular ditched enclosure of probable Iron Age or Roman date is visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs. Located in a field SSW of Mere Farm in the farm, east of the junction with the four lanes, a 6.5 metres wide slightly curvilinear ditch extends about 237 metres NNE-S. From this ditch the three enclosures extend E.

{1}Cropmark of roughly triangular enclosure; traces of possible eastern ditch continuing north from enclosure may suggest a single enclosure with visible triangular section acting as an internal partition;,

{2}Roughly triangular cropmark enclosure first identified by Hollowell in 1970;,

{3}Roughly triangular enclosure;

{4}Fieldwalking over area of cropmarks produced only 1 sherd of Iron Age pottery thus no dating evidence for site;

{5} A group of cropmarks, including a triangular enclosure, was first identified by Mr R Hollowell and their detail amplified by subsequent reconnaissance by NCC Archaeology. Fieldwalking has failed to date the features- only one sherd of Iron Age pottery and no Roman material. The cropmarks area situated towards the end of a north-east to south-west ridge defined by the 80m contour. They comprise a linear ditch some 212m long which crosses the contour and subtends a roughly triangular-shaped enclosure of some 0.3ha. Traces of a less distinct ditch continuing northwards from the enclosure suggest that the apparent triangle section is part of a large enclosure. Three amorphous marks attached to its western side may represent internal features.

{6} As described at (3), a clothes line settlement comprising a subtriangular, subcircular and a subrectangular ditched enclosure of probable Iron Age or Roman date is visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs and was mapped as part of the Bedford Borough NMP project. Located in a field about 333 metres SSW of Mere Farm in the farm, east of the junction with the four lanes, and centred at TL 01799 71033, a 6.5 metres wide slightly curvilinear ditch extends about 237 metres NNE-S. From this ditch the three enclosures extend E. The subtriangular enclosure ditch is centred at TL 01801 71033 and is up to 5 metres wide. The linear W facing side is 75 metres long: the linear NE facing side is 80 metres long: the curvilinear SE facing side is 93 metres long. The W side of the subtriangular enclosure extends 55 metres south of the feature, and curves about 105 metres to the NNE. Bisecting the SE facing side is a 2.3 metres wide and 41 metres long curvilinear ditch, the arc of which encloses an area about 22 metres wide. The full extent of this feature is uncertain, but may be an incomplete ring ditch or the remains of a round house drip gully. About 25 metres N of the subtriangular enclosure and centred at TL 01789 71098 is a 35 metres long curvilinear ditched enclosure extending E from the NNE-S aligned ditch. There is a gap in the SE side. Immediately contiguous with this to the N and centred at TL 01794 71115 is a subrectangular ditched enclosure up to 3 metres wide that encloses an area about 14.5 x 17.5 metres at its widest points.

<1> FOARD G.R., 1982, ORAL REPORT TO SMR, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN50904.

<2> HOLLOWELL R., 1971, Aerial Photography and Fieldwork in the Upper Nene Valley, 13 (Journal). SNN106546.

<3> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1975, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.48 (checked) (Series). SNN77379.

<4> Parry S., 1993, Raunds Area Survey Report, p. 279-80 (Draft). SNN1175.

<5> Parry S. et al, 2006, Raunds Area Survey: An Archaeological Study of The Landscape of Raunds, Northamptonshire 1985-94, p. 251/Site 41 (Book). SNN105780.

<6> Oblique Aerial Photograph, NHC 3056/27 23-JUL-1986 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN111738.

<7> Bedford Borough Council HER, Undated, Bedford Borough NMP, MD003015 (Archive). SNN113023.

Record last edited

Apr 29 2024 11:37AM