Monument record 4541 - Possible Iron Age settlement, north of Moulton

Cropmarks of possible prehistoric enclosures have been observed on aerial photographs from 1963 onwards. Geophysical survey undertaken in 2014 identified a probable northern continuation to the settlement. Trial trenching in 2014 and 2018 confirmed the enclosure groups and linking trackways/boundary ditches dated to the Iron Age period. Finds from the features were particularly sparse and this activity is possibly part of the agricultural hinterland of more densely settled areas to the east.

{1} Cropmarks seen by Hollowell and Kirk in 1963 at SP 789669;

{2} Ditches (SP 768 678-772 677) NW of Moulton Lodge, on limestone and Boulder Clay at 122 m. above OD. Air photographs (in NMR) show a series of linear ditches with, at their E end, a complex pattern of intersecting enclosures or short lengths of ditch. The same air photographs also indicate other marks of linear form which are
probably modern.

{3} Ditches and sub rectangular enclosure

{6} Trial trench excavation undertaken in 2014 identified a number of features in Field 5, to the north of the cropmarks. At the north of the field two parallel curvilinear anomalies identified during the geophysical survey were shown to be ditches, possibly lying either side of a road or track, c7m wide. Further pits and ditches were identified to the south, but the only dating evidence was a flint scraper found in the fill of a gully that may form part of a sub-rectangular enclosure. Part of a possible ring gully or roundhouse was also identified. In general there was a low density of features in this area.

{7} Further trial trench excavation undertaken in 2018 identified further ditches corresponding with possible enclosures and boundaries. Six sherds of Iron Age pottery were recovered from one of the ditches.

<1> Northampton Museum Topographical Index, Site List (unchecked) (Index). SNN1470.

<2> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1979, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.110/Site 3 (checked) (Series). SNN77380.

<3> Brown A.E. (Ed.), 1970, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1969 (Air Photography), 4/32 (checked) (Article). SNN58608.

<4> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, Aerial photos: NCCAP:SP7866/8+9 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<5> Railton, M., 2013, Moulton Heights, Moulton, Northampton: Geophysical Survey Report (Report). SNN109451.

<6> Moore, B., 2014, Moulton Heights, Moulton, Northampton: Archaeological evaluation report, 2014, p. 14-15 (Report). SNN111026.

<7> Orzechowski, K & Muldowney, L., 2018, Archaeological trial trench evaluation at Moulton Heights, Moulton, Northampton (Phase 2), February-March 2018, p. 11-12 (Report). SNN111590.

<8> Crank, N. (Editor), 2019, South Midlands Archaeology (49), p. 79 (Journal). SNN111755.

<9> HOLLOWELL R., 1971, Aerial Photography and Fieldwork in the Upper Nene Valley, p. 16 (Journal). SNN106546.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 6:48PM