Monument record 2590 - Possible Bronze Age and Iron Age activity (North Warmington complex)

North Warmington air photograph complex comprising ring ditches, an enclosure, ditches, tracks and pit alignments, possibly of the Prehistoric to Roman periods.

{1} North Warmington complex (centred TL 082921) occupies a large area north and north-east of Warmington village on both sides of the main A605 road, here on the line of the Roman road from Irchester to Water Newton
(570). The complex is mainly on Cornbrash or sand between 75 ft and 90 ft above OD. Apart from one enclosure and two ring ditches, all the remains revealed by air photographs are of linear form, i.e. ditches, tracks and pit alignments.

Ring ditch (TL 08089200) immediately W of the Roman road. Diam 22 m It lies close to the junction of a number of linear ditches, for which it appears to have been used as a boundary marker; it therefore probably predates at least some of these ditches. Within, or very close to this ring ditch, a chipped flint axe was found.

Ring ditch (TL 08499183). Diam 23 m.

Enclosure (TL 08369208). On one side of two parallel ditches, it is sub-rectangular with perhaps two internal subdivisions.

Linear ditches (TL 07919230-08259220) consist of two parallel ditches, with traces of a third in two places, orientated roughly E-W. Their W ends terminate on the edge of the steep river cliff above the Nene but on the E their relationship to the Roman road is obscure. These may be compared with similar parallel ditches at Fengate near Peterborough (RCHM 1969) formerly described as 'tracks?' but subsequently excavated and interpretated as defensive ditches probably dating from the Iron Age.

Linear ditches (TL 07919226-08539199) which intersect the Roman road, the pit alignment and the parallel ditch systems, but they form no coherent pattern.

{3} Apart from one enclosure and two ring ditches all the remains revealed by air photos are of linear form ie ditches, tracks and pit alignments.

{4} Recent cropmark photography shows that the two linear ditches associated with the enclosure at TL 0836 9208 are actually pit alignments.

<1> Pole C., 2007, Proposed Processing Plant, Elton Estate, Northamptonshire: An Archaeological Evaluation, (unchecked) (Report). SNN105984.

<2> Northamptonshire Archaeology Unit, 1993, A605 Warmington Bypass and Tansor Improvements: Archaeological Evaluation 1991-1993, p.8 (checked) (Report). SNN70164.

<3> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1975, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.106 site 6-14 (unchecked) (Series). SNN77379.

<4> Aerial Photograph, RCHME Aerial Reconnaissance/15-JUL-1996 (Photographs). SNN112974.

<5> Aerial Photograph, A/P (CUAP AAP 61-62; AFZ86-87, AGC9-10) (Photographs). SNN112974.

<6> RCHME, Undated, RCHME Inventory: Northamptonshire I (North-East), 890443 (Archive). SNN113295.

Record last edited

Mar 25 2025 10:44AM