Northamptonshire Archaeology 39

A major complex of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments lying along the Nene valley between Raunds and Stanwick, was investigated in the 1980s as part of the Raunds Area Project. An outlying circular enclosure on higher ground to the east of the prehistoric monuments beneath West Cotton deserted medieval village, the Cotton ‘Henge’, was trial trenched in 1993, but a firm date was not obtained. Recent extensive trial trenching in advance of a proposed extension to the Warth Park industrial and warehouse complex provided a further opportunity to examine this enclosure. A section across the outer ditch produced primary and lower secondary fills containing quantities of mature oak charcoal. Charcoal from the primary fill has provided a radiocarbon date within the early 4th millennium, 3965–3800 Cal BC at 95% confidence. Even allowing for an old wood effect, this indicates that at least the outer enclosure, at 70–75m diameter, most probably dates to the early Neolithic. It lies directly in line with the long mound at West Cotton, with which it was broadly contemporary. More widely, it would also have been broadly contemporary with the known causewayed enclosure at Briar Hill, Northampton and a newly discovered causewayed enclosure east of Wellingborough, both of which also lie on the slopes of the Nene valley. The smaller inner enclosure, which may have enclosed a mound, as well the flint scatter across the surrounding slopes, probably date to the late Neolithic to early Bronze Age, so that, like the rest of the Raunds monument complex, there was use and reuse throughout the Neolithic and early Bronze Age.

At Harlestone Quarry five areas were excavated in advance of ironstone extraction between 2006 and 2014, a total area of 4.1ha. This took in part of a Bronze Age to early Iron Age landscape, uncluttered by later activity apart from medieval field boundaries and furrows of the former field system. A single pit and residual charcoal from a pit alignment have been radiocarbon dated to the early Bronze Age. A system of shallow linear boundary ditches and a curvilinear ditch, perhaps forming part of a large enclosure, are undated but are most likely to date to the late Bronze Age. A scatter of pits, largely within the enclosure, contained domestic material including pottery and hearth debris. Two pits contained pyramidal fired clay loomweights, and one of these pits has been radiocarbon dated to the late Bronze Age. A pit alignment lay to the south of the ditched boundaries. It is undated but probably had an origin in the early Iron Age. An area to the south of the pit alignment contained two possible four-post structures and scattered pits containing late Bronze Age to early Iron Age pottery. To the north, a loose cluster of pits included another possible four-post structure and an outlying pit has been radiocarbon dated to the end of the early Iron Age. To the east, beyond the excavated area, the pit alignment appears to terminate at a triple-ditched boundary system.

Excavations prior to housing development to the northwest of Crick located probable middle to late Bronze Age activity with the discovery of a possible burnt mound. These are uncommon features in Northamptonshire and this one, with an associated stake- or post-built structure, brings the total to three from recent work in the area. An Iron Age settlement enclosure, built over earlier Iron Age boundary ditches, contained the remains of ring gullies (roundhouses) and ancillary buildings or structures represented by ditches and postholes. The inside of the enclosure was reorganised in the Roman period, with a ditch bisecting the interior and truncating earlier features. A relatively small amount of pottery and animal bone was recovered, but the environmental evidence was good and points to a mixed pastoral/agricultural economy. Pottery shows that the main period of use was early Roman, with no indication of activity beyond c.AD 200. The enclosure ditch gradually silted up, its banks slumped inwards and a later trackway cut through its south-eastern side. A small amount of Anglo-Saxon pottery in later features, including what may have been a quarry pit, shows that there was later activity.

A late Iron Age to early Roman rectilinear enclosure, boundary ditch and field system produced pottery and animal bone suggesting that the settlement was of average status. Evidence for craft production included two triangular loomweights. The postholes of a small timber hall and other probable timber structures have been radiocarbon dated to the middle Anglo-Saxon period (mid to late 7th to 8thbcenturies AD). The settlement had been abandoned before the late Saxon period, but it may have been a precursor to medieval settlement at nearby Thorpe End.

Excavation on land north of Brick Kiln Road, Raunds uncovered a late Iron Age unenclosed farmstead. The domestic area included a roundhouse ring ditch and two ancillary ring ditches. A separate livestock zone comprised a much maintained rectangular enclosure and field system. The ring ditches and enclosure went out of use sometime before AD100 although a linear boundary ditch survived longer. In the medieval period the site was under plough and lay near the parish boundary of Raunds and Ringstead. The late Iron Age boundary was respected into the medieval period, with a headland in roughly the same location, with a medieval post mill located on the headland. This post mill ceased to be used before the 18th century as it does not appear on the historic maps. Another nearby post mill trial trenched in the 1990s is also described, and comparison is made with other excavated examples in Northamptonshire.

An archaeological excavation was undertaken on the site of St John’s Car Park, St John’s Street, Northampton, within the former precinct of the medieval Hospital of St John. Two clusters of medieval pits found were probably used for the disposal of domestic rubbish, and contained pottery dating from the 12th to the early 14th centuries. Assemblages of bone included meat-rich cuts from sheep and cattle, a variety of fish including both marine and freshwater species, and the presence of squirrel and cat may indicate the preparation of pelts for fur clothing. Botanical remains included the common range of cereals but also more unusual items such as figs, plums and cherries. It is possible, but by no means certain, that these remains relate to the diet and economy of the Hospital inhabitants. Later features included a wall probably relating to an 18th-century building, and pits and wells containing 19th-century rubbish.

Location map for published sites