Monument record 1318 - Probable Iron Age/Romano-British Settlement, east of New England Farm

Group of irregular enclosures identified as cropmarks from aerial photographs. Fieldwalking survey, undertaken as part of the Raunds Area Project, found Iron Age pottery associated with the southern enclosures and early Roman pottery within the northern enclosures. The settlement appears to have been abandoned by the end of the 3rd century

{1} Series of conjoined circular, subrectangular and irregular enclosures.

{4} Cropmarks recorded in 1982. A linear grouping of rectangular enclosures.

{5} Cropmark complex possibly represents a farmstead dated to the Iron Age and early Romano-British. Comprises enclosures and ditches etc divided into northerly and southerly sections, and based around a central ditch axis. Possibly represents more than one phase of construction.

{7} At least six accreted subcircular ditched enclosures of probable Iron Age or Roman date are visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs and mapped as part of the Bedford Borough NMP project. Located in a field about 378 metres east of New England Farm and centred at TL 02167 70778, the cropmarks extend over an area about 294 x 142 metres. The main focus comprises six contiguous subcircular ditched enclosures sharing common sides of various shapes and sizes. At least two of the enclosures are incomplete at the NE end. Some 84 metres further south and detached from the accreted enclosures are fragments of two possible conjoined subcircular or curvilinear enclosures, with further linear ditches south of these that are of uncertain function.

{8} Mr Hollowell is attempting to locate the above photographs. The indicated areas are arable showing no surface indications of the markings.

{9} Possible two or three enclosures on Boulder Clay: dimensions unknown.

<1> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, TL07SW5 (checked) (Index). SNN443.

<2> Brown A.E. (ed.), 1966, Bulletin of the Northamptonshire Federation of Archaeological Societies (Air Photography), 1/20 (checked) (Article). SNN40027.

<3> Foard G.; Richardson D., 1983, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1982 (Aerial Photography), p180 Hargrave (Checked) (Notes). SNN100412.

<4> Foard G.; Richardson D., 1983, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1982 (Aerial Photography), p.150 (unchecked) (Notes). SNN100412.

<5> Parry S., 1993, Raunds Area Survey Report, p.290 (checked) (Draft). SNN1175.

<6> RCHME, 1993, RCHME Recording Form, (checked) (Recording Form (Not SMR)). SNN60627.

<7> Bedford Borough Council HER, 1996, Georeferenced composite layer of vertical aerial photographs taken in 1996. Held by Bedford Borough Council HER (Archive). SNN111739.

<8> Colquhoun, FD, 1969, Field investigators comments, 02/Dec (Notes). SNN112950.

<9> RCHME, Undated, RCHME Inventory: Northamptonshire I (North-East), Page 48, Mon 6 (Archive). SNN113295.

<10> Brown, A E (ed), 1971, Bulletin of the Northamptonshire Federation of Archaeological Societies, Page 13 (Journal). SNN13960.

<11> Bedford Borough Council HER, Undated, Bedford Borough NMP, MD003015 (Archive). SNN113023.

Record last edited

Jan 31 2025 3:08PM