Monument record 5573 - Probable early/middle Iron Age unenclosed settlement

Early/middle Iron Age features, mostly pits, were found during the construction of the County Archives and adjacent housing estate.

{1} Watching brief in May 1989 by G.Cadman. Foundations of new County Archive building exposed a series of features. Steep-sided, flat-bottomed pits containing middle to late Iron Age pottery. Also a U-shaped pit & 2 small cuts of possible gullies.

{2} Watching brief of Oct/Nov 1992 by D.Jackson. 3 small pits seen in sides of a modern ditch. Early Iron Age pottery from one pit. Beneath c.2-3m of topsoil. Watching brief continues;

{3} Pits of early/middle Iron Age date have been revealed during development to the south of Mere Way. The site was first revealed in 1990 when four pits and other undiagnostic features were found when the foundations for the new record office were excavated.

In 1993 a further 20 pits were revealed during housing development on the Penvale Estate immediately to the west of the Record Office. No posthole groupings were located and it seems unlikely that the site was ever enclosed by ditches. Most of the recorded pits appeared to be in small and scattered groups, with one group of five pits arranged in a semi-circle facing east.

This site appears to date from the early/middle Iron Age and is the only settlement in the area to produce quantities of pottery that can be dated to this period. There were no finds other than pottery. Limestone was found in some of the pits which had been brought to the site from elsewhere. It is possible that it is contemporary with the earliest phase of the hillfort at Hunsbury.

<1> CADMAN G.E., 1990, SMR REPORT FORM, (unchecked) (Note). SNN50240.

<2> CADMAN G.E., 1992, SMR REPORT FORM, (unchecked) (Note). SNN50147.

<3> Jackson D, 1993-4, Iron Age and Anglo Saxon Settlement and Activity Around the Hunsbury Hillfort, Northampton, p.40/site 14 Mereway (Article). SNN104120.

<4> Dix B., 1992, Recent Work in Northamptonshire Archaeology, P125 (Checked) (Article). SNN104441.

<5> Rees G., 2008, Enclosure Boundaries and Settlement Individuality in The Iron Age, (unchecked) (Article). SNN106040.

<6> Cadman G, 1989, Features in side of foundations for County Records Office (Photographic prints (B&W)). SNN110899.

Record last edited

Apr 23 2025 7:51PM