Monument record 3526 - Possible Iron Age Settlement, north-west of Hall Farm

A cropmark complex at Grendon initially identified on air photographs and briefly sampled in advance of gravel extraction in the 1970s. See associated monument records for other cropmark sites in the vicinity. In addition, two of the features in this complex have now been recorded separately (see SP 86 SE 113, 114). The largest feature in the complex appears to be a ditched subrectangular enclosure, of which three sides are visible. It is not clear if the fourth, northwesterly side ever featured a ditch. A pit alignment and other linear features are also visible in the general area. Similar features located to the north and northwest appear to have been generally of Iron Age date.

{1} Ring ditch c.100ft in diameter, photographed from the air in 1969.

{2} Geophysical survey identified several anomalies which corresponded well with the cropmarks identified from aerial photographs.The complex of enclosures appear to be bounded on the western side by a double-ditched boundary. Several of the anomalies fall within an area thought to have been quarried.

{3} Ring Ditch, Enclosures, Ditches and Pit Alignment (centred SP 881614), N of Hall Farm, on gravel at 53 m above OD. Air photographs (in NMR) show cropmarks, on land much disturbed by ice-wedging, of a double ring ditch about 30 m in diameter (at SP 88206145). A semi-circle of stones has been noted at this point. There is a trapezoidal enclosure to the SE. To the SW (at SP 880613) there is a roughly D-shaped enclosure, covering a little less than 1 hectare It is divided into two parts and is crossed diagonally by a pit alignment. A smaller enclosure overlaps its SW corner. Other internal features are unclear. At SP 878614 there is a ditch which may form part of three sides of another large enclosure. The whole area of some 12 hectares is crossed by several lengths of ditch and some other indeterminate features are also visible.

{4} Possible feature associated with concentric ring-ditches. A semi-circle of stone was noted at the site by the farm foreman.

{7} (SP881615) Cropmark of ring ditch on AP R Hollowell, 1969.
(Nothing visible on available Aps RAF 1946)

{8} At present under crop. The farm foreman says he has seen a semi-circle of stones at the indicated site.

<1> HOLLOWELL R., 1971, Aerial Photography and Fieldwork in the Upper Nene Valley, p.12(2) (checked) (Journal). SNN106546.

<2> Parker, S, 2021, Geophysical survey: Grendon Solar Farm, Northampton (Report). SNN115168.

<3> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1979, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.53-4 Site 2 (checked) (Series). SNN77380.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP86SE41 (checked) (Index). SNN443.

<5> McCormick, T, 1976, Contour survey of a barrow, Grendon 1976 (Plan). SNN115217.

<6> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, NCC AP: SP 8761/158 & SP8861/003-005 & 008 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<7> Northampton Museum 6 Inch Map (Map). SNN10162.

<8> Seaman, B H, 1970, Field Investigator's Comments (Notes). SNN111541.

Record last edited

Feb 13 2024 10:25AM