Monument record 3335 - Iron Age & Romano-British Settlement (With Iron Age Industrial Activity)

Extensive area, 12 ha of cropmarks and associated pottery scatters suggesting Iron Age and Roman occupation. A rectangular enclosure and a possible ring ditch contains 1st century Roman pottery, slag and part of a quern. Oyster shell, glass, pebbles and ditches have been found. The pottery dates from the 1st to 2nd century. Flint implements have been found.

{1} Area of SP 866553 and SP 862552. Dainties Barn. Iron Age sherds and iron slag found in 1964. At SP 867551 a patch of stones and worked flints seen 1965; at SP 864550 dark patches with stones and 1st century calcite gritted Roman pottery, Samian and grey ware, iron slag, quern fragment. At SP 86465533 air photographs show a ring ditch c75ft diameter; large enclosures have also been seen from air here. Boulder Clay

{2} Ring Ditches and Iron Age and Roman Settlement (centres SP 865552), S. of the village, on Boulder Clay at 104m. Above OD. Various discoveries, made over an area of some 12 hectares, may indicate continuous occupation. The features include:

(a) at SP 86465500, a possible ring ditch, 30m. In diam., visible on air photographs (in NMR), with a number of other ditches and a small rectangular enclosure. Within the area of the ring ditch and to the E. of it, dark areas of soil with stones and 1st century pottery, including samian, part of a quern and iron slag have been found.

(b) at Sp 867551, an area of stones associated with worked flints.

(c) at SP 866553 and 862552 Iron Age pottery associated with iron slag.

(d) at SP 863554, much Iron Age and early Roman pottery, worked flints, glass, iron slag, part of a quern and a stone scatter assciated with ditches and patches of black soil (NM Records).

{e} at SP 86485535, a ring ditch 22m. In diam., visible on air photographs (in NMR).

{4} No finds made during investigation and no surface disturbances noted

{5} SP 863549. Since 1964, many Iron Age and 1st to 2nd century Roman sherds, worked flints, glass, iron slag, a piece of quernstone, oyster shell, flint pebbles, ditches, many black patches and a stone scatter have been found in Oxbarn field.

<1> HOLLOWELL R., 1971, Aerial Photography and Fieldwork in the Upper Nene Valley, p.19 Site 12 (checked) (Journal). SNN106546.

<2> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1979, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.184 Site 21 (checked) (Series). SNN77380.

<3> Hollowell R., 1970, Hollowell Photographic Collection, AP R Hollowell (Archive). SNN101398.

<4> Baird, J., 1970, Field investigators comments, F1 JB 2-SEP-70 (Notes). SNN110341.

<5> Moore W.R.G., 1968, Roman Settlement in the Upper and Middle Nene Valley, P. 74 (Uncertain). SNN15188.

<6> Brown, A E (ed), 1971, Bulletin of the Northamptonshire Federation of Archaeological Societies, P. 19 (Journal). SNN13960.

<7> Northampton Museum Topographical Index, Site List (unchecked) (Index). SNN1470.

<8> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP85NE16 (unchecked) (Index). SNN443.

Record last edited

Feb 7 2025 2:37PM