Monument record 1602/1 - Early-middle Iron Age settlement and late Iron Age Settlement Enclosure, Brigstock Great Park

The well-preserved earthwork ditch and bank of an enclosure c30m in diameter were being levelled by ploughing and in 1979 it was decided to excavate. Some prehistoric worked flint and evidence of an early-middle Iron Age settlement, including at three probable roundhouses, were found. The circular enclosure, with an internal diameter of c20m, was built in the late Iron Age and contained a single round house. The round house was defined by a wall trench, substantial postholes at the entrance and an encircling drainage gully. There was also evidence of stonework inside the house and of chalk for flooring, as well as a stone path from the house doorway through the outer bank. A large pit was located to the north of the structure, but no other contemporary features were identified.

{1} After ploughing for the first time in many years the area of the earthworks revealed late Iron Age pottery (Globular forms) and occupation debris. [Given NGRs appear to be 100m too far east.] The earthworks are in a remarkable state of preservation, due no doubt to their being within one of Brigstock's medieval deer parks.

{2} A field with a number of surviving banks and ditches, including a small circular enclosure, is now under the plough. Pottery from the surface of the field suggests that the site is Iron Age in date.

{3} Prehistoric enclosure consisting of a circular bank with an external ditch and a probable entrance on the east side. Ploughing has reduced the bank to a height of 0.5m. Earthwork plan. Barrow immediately south-west of the enclosure, and in a similar position. It consists of a mound 14m in diameter, surrounded by a shallow ditch, and has been reduced by ploughing to 0.5m in height. Earthwork plan.

{4} Circular enclosure at SP92538422. On high ground is an earth circle with an external ditch and probable entrance to the east, at present under pasture, but has previously been ploughed, thus softening the profile. The circle resembles, both in size and plan, the burial enclosures met with in Derbyshire and probably falls into the same category. It was surveyed at 1:2,500. Adjacent to the south-west is the remains of a small ring ditch, possibly a barrow site.

{5} An earthwork enclosure was excavated in the Autumn of 1979 in order to determine its date and function before it became completely levelled.
Evidence of earlier prehistoric occupation was suggested by the recovery of worked flints, including a barbed and tanged arrowhead. This may indicate a relatively lengthy period of prehistoric occupation in the area. A number of features, including some possible semi-circular structures, were found that pre-date the enclosure bank. Although most of the features contained little dating evidence, the pottery from the area as a whole suggests that occupation occurred on the site from the early to late Iron Age (C5th to the C1st BC), or possibly earlier. There were five ditches or gullies and four pits that were stratigraphically earlier than the enclosure, including three semi-circular gullies presumably roundhouse drip gullies, both containing pottery dating to the middle Iron Age, 5th century BC at the earliest. Within one was a possible central hearth. Another gully and a number of postholes are also assumed to belong to this earlier phase.

The roughly circular earthwork formed by the bank and ditch surrounded an internal area approximately 20m in diameter. V shaped ditch was 2m deep. The bank was considerably eroded at the time of excavation 1979. Locals said that this bank was much higher and had only been ploughed from WWII onwards. In 1979 it survived to 0.3m in height.On the south side of the entrance there was a single posthole which may have supported a gatepost.There was also tentative evidence in the form of stones set on edge, of a shallowly set post situated on the opposite side of the entranceway-fence? Stockade? A stone path ran from the entrance through the bank to the entrance of the round house. Limestone and pebbles.

The round house, which was 7.8m in diameter, was defined by a wall trench 0.12m wide. Some internal postholes survived-most of them occurred near the doorway and none were clearly roof supports. Some flat limestone slabs just east of the centre of the hut which may have supported a central post. Entrance to the house was 2m wide and faced east with deep postholes on either side of the entranceway (this was later modified). A Chalk floor. Also some limestones-another floor? In a later phase the eavesdrip gully was interrupted by a stone path 2m wide, which extended eastwards from the entrance of the hut to a gap in the bank, and presumably to a bridge across the ditch.

A few unstratified sherds of probable Anglo-Saxon date were found during the excavation. As sites of this period are not commonly found on Boulder Clat they may be the result of people camping within the enclosure. (A scatter of Anglos Saxon pottery has also been found by fieldwalking on other Iron Age sites in the area.)

Trench 2 was situated over an adjacent earthwork, thought by RCHME to be a barrow. Only the ditch was still visible on the surface at the time of excavation. The trench was L-shaped and ran from the centre of the earthwork to a line across the ditch on the north-west and south-west sides. The ditch was found to be of Iron Age date, and a few fragments of Iron Age pottery were found beneath the ploughsoil in the interior. The area enclosed by the ditch was about 14m in diameter; no bank survived and no internal features were found.

{6} The excavation of a small Iron Age circular earthwork, being levelled by ploughing, was completed in 1981. The area within the bank and ditch contained a well-preserved round house situated on the south side of the enclosure. The round house, which was 7.8m in diameter, was defined by a narrow wall slot, substantial post holes at the entrance, and an encircling drainage gully. There was evidence for the use of stonework inside the house, and of chalk for flooring. A stone path survived between the house doorway and the entrance to the enclosure. The enclosure itself dates to the late Iron Age, but there was evidence of occupation in the area over a long period of time.

{7} Circular earthwork c.100ft in diameter, recorded in 1970.

{8} Within the enclosed area a single round hut 7m in diameter was found close to the bank on the south side. The outer wall of the hut was outlined by a narrow wall slot with substantial post holes at the entrance. The hut was encircles by a drainage gully which in its earliest phase was continuous, deviating at the entrance to enclose a possible porch.

{9} Excavation revealed evidence for a wide internal bank to the enclosure.

{11} Evidence for pre-Iron Age activity included a quantity of prehistoric worked flints which were found during excavation.

{16} Settlement indicated by a significant find scatter. Partly earthwork; the main feature is a circular enclosure with an inner rampart. (Next to it is pottery along with other undefined earthworks. A hill top site, possibly religious since there are no finds inside.

{17} Although evidence for pre-Iron Age settlement is rare on boulder clay, a quantity of prehistoric worked flints were found during the excavation.

{20} Circular enclosure at SP 92538422 and traces of other earthworks are visible on APs.

{21} On high ground c 325ft as 1 at SP 92548423 is an earth circle with an external ditch and probable entrance to the east, at present it is under pasture but has previously been ploughed, thus softening the profile. Adjacent to the SW is the remains of a small ring ditch - possible a barrow site. To the east are amorphus soil disturbances.
The circle resembles, both in size and plan, the burial enclosures met with in Derbyshire and probably falls into the same category. Surveyed at 1:2500.

<1> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1978, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1977, p.13/178 (checked) (Journal). SNN2192.

<2> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1979, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1978, p.102 (checked) (Article). SNN45225.

<3> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1975, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.21 Site 1 & 2 (checked) (Series). SNN77379.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP98SW3 (checked) (Index). SNN443.

<5> Jackson D., 1983, The Excavation of an Iron Age Site at Brigstock, Northants 1979-81, p.9, 18-19+27+fig.10 (checked) (Article). SNN40196.

<6> JACKSON D., 1981, Summary Report For The Department of The Environment, (checked) (Note). SNN51975.

<7> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, Used with NMR & CUCAP collections (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<8> Brown A.E.(ed), 1982, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1981, p.99 Brigstock (checked) (Journal). SNN100413.

<9> Hall D. (Editor), 1980, South Midlands Archaeology: CBA Group 9 Newsletter (10), p.23 (checked) (Journal). SNN22466.

<10> EARTHWORKS AT BRIGSTOCK, (unchecked) (Drawing). SNN59858.

<11> FOARD G.R., 1980, ORAL REPORT TO SMR, (unchecked) (Oral Report). SNN52728.

<12> Jackson D., 1982, The Royal Deer Parks of Brigstock: an Archaeological Landscape Survey, (unchecked) (Report). SNN55152.

<13> BRIGSTOCK ILLUSTRATION, (unchecked) (Drawing). SNN54880.

<14> HOLLOWELL R., 1971, Aerial Photography and Fieldwork in the Upper Nene Valley, p.5 (checked) (Journal). SNN106546.

<15> Rees G., 2008, Enclosure Boundaries and Settlement Individuality in The Iron Age, (unchecked) (Article). SNN106040.

<16> Hall D.N., 1960-1999, Rockingham Forest Project: Archaeological Sites Recorded by David Hall, Brigstock/Site 3 (unchecked) (Database). SNN102279.

<17> JACKSON D., 1981, ORAL REPORT TO SMR, (unchecked) (Oral Report). SNN53102.

<18> Supplementary File, (unchecked) (Notes). SNN52070.

<19> FOSTER P., 1988, Changes in the landscape: an archaeological study of the clay uplands in the Brigstock area of Northamptonshire (Dissertation). SNN71342.

<20> Royal Air Force, Vertical Aerial Photography (Photographs). SNN104890.

<21> Baird, J, 1969, Field Investigators Comments, F1 JB 12-NOV-69 (Note). SNN111452.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 8:02PM