Monument record 2009 - Possible Bronze Age barrow cemetery with potential later Roman activity, north-west of Cowpasture Spinney

Cropmark of circular enclosures have identified on aerial photographs and geophysical survey. Trial trench excavation confirmed that at least one of the circular features was Bronze Age in date, indicating that it was probably a round barrow. Roman pottery also indicates the site of a possible settlement.

{2} Fieldwalking pre 1982 recovered Roman pottery from an area of dark soil, possibly indicating a Roman settlement. Info: D.N. Hall.

{4} Unspecified cropmarks. (SP 802672 & 803670) Cropmarks seen by R Hollowell 13.8.63

{3} Geophysical survey identified a series of archaeological features; comprising at least three elements- an ovoid enclosure measuring c28m by 20m across, a D-shaped enclosure measuring c16m by 18m across and a roundhouse with a diameter of c14m. The roundhouse has a south facing entrance. Possible unenclosed settlement and therefore more likely to be of an Iron Age date rather than Roman.
Further anomalies in the same area may be geological or archaeological.

{4} Archaeological trial trench evaluation was undertaken in 2018. Three potential barrows were identified within the geophysical survey; one was confirmed through the trenching, no traces of the
second barrow could be found and the third was not investigated due to the presence of overhead power cables. No central burials or buried soils were found associated with the barrow remains, which had been ploughed flat. Bronze Age pottery and charred cereal grains recovered from the ditch fills, indicated later cultivation of the surrounding fields, potentially from the middle-late Bronze Age through to the Roman period.

{8} This site is under pasture and potatoes; no visible remains and no surface finds made.

<1> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP86NW15 (unchecked) (Index). SNN443.

<2> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.200 Site 11 (checked) (Series). SNN77382.

<3> HALL D.N., 1982, Oral report to SMR, (unchecked) (Oral Report). SNN50751.

<4> Northampton Museum 6 Inch Map, (unchecked) (Map). SNN10162.

<5> Walford, J, 2017, Archaeological geophysical survey at Overstone Green, Northamptonshire, August to October 2017 (Report). SNN111109.

<6> Champness, C, 2018, Overstone Green, Northamptonshire: Archaeological Evaluation Report (Report). SNN112171.

<7> Oxford Archaeology (South), 2024, Data from an Archaeological Evaluation at Overstone Green, Northamptonshire, 2018-2019, https://doi.org/10.5284/1117726 (Digital archive). SNN116196.

<8> Baird, J., 1970, Field investigators comments, 18-JUN-70 (Notes). SNN110341.

Record last edited

Jan 31 2025 3:18PM