Monument record 5843 - Middle to Late Iron Age Settlement and periphery activity, near Saucebridge farm

Cropmarks of a series of conjoined curvilinear enclosures identified on aerial photographs. Cropmarks of several rectilinear enclosures have also been identified nearby. Geophysical survey targeted the cropmarks and found evidence of two main groups of settlement enclosures. Trial trenching confirmed the geophysical survey and cropmarks results by identifying an area of Middle to Late Iron Age settlement and peripheral activity to the south and west.

{1} Cropmarks. A series of sub-circular conjoined enclosures with other isolated sub-rectangular enclosures elsewhere within the field. One enclosure in double-ditched. Two ditches running across the site are probably recent field boundaries.

{4} Geophysical survey found two main groups of activity that are approximately 100m apart, both with a series of curvilinear ditches forming smaller enclosures, and some potential double ditched enclosures. There are also circular features representing Iron Age roundhouses both within and slightly away from the loci of the settlements, and a couple of rectangular enclosures slightly further to the south. It is likely that the features represent several phases of activity, possibly from the Iron Age to the Roman age.

{5} The southern settlement core extended over at least 2.55ha, around Trenches 46, 48–51, 57–59, 60, 67–69, 71-72 and 75–79. It comprised interlinked enclosures, some of which contained evidence of posthole structures, pitting, roundhouses and subdivisions. Some of the interlinked enclosures appear to have had double-ditched boundaries, with smaller enclosures or roundhouses directly adjacent, marking a clear definition between the settlement core and its more peripheral activity.The enclosures varied in shape, potentially suggesting multiple phases of settlement, which is supported by the presence of intercutting features. Pottery dating suggests that most of the activity took place in the middle to late Iron Age, with a hint that the settlement may have had its origins in the early Iron Age and may have persisted into the later Iron Age. The wares were locally produced, as is common for the region in this period.The evidence is typical of rural settlement, exploiting local resources, with little evidence for more distant trade/contacts.

Trenches 47–49, 62–66, 73–74, 76, 81 and 86 contained more sparsely distributed evidence for features associated with the middle to late Iron Age settlement. The presence of a sub-circular enclosure, multiple field boundaries and isolated pits were indicated by trial trench and geophysical survey results. Trenches 104–106 contained more sparsely distributed evidence for features dating to the middle to late Iron Age. When combined with the geophysical survey, this evidence indicates the presence of a trackway, field boundaries and an isolated pit. These areas of archaeological features represent their peripheal remains around the southern settlement.

<1> Northamptonshire HER Collection of Aerial Photographs, NCCAP:SP7957/001-4 (unchecked) (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<2> Cox C., 1996, Brackmills Employment and Extension Site, Northamptonshire: Aerial Photographic Assessment (Archaeology), (unchecked) (Report). SNN103077.

<3> Rees G., 2008, Enclosure Boundaries and Settlement Individuality in The Iron Age, (unchecked) (Article). SNN106040.

<4> Robert Evershed, 2023, ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION REPORT: GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY BY MAGNETOMETRY ON LAND AT THE GREEN, GREAT HOUGHTON, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE (Report). SNN116496.

<5> M. Palombelli, J. Wells, I. Sala, 2024, LAND AT GREAT HOUGHTON NORTHAMPTONSHIRE: ARCHAEOLOGICAL TRIAL TRENCHING (Report). SNN116942.

Record last edited

Nov 14 2025 3:18PM