Thorpe End Iron Age, Saxon and Medieval settlement

Reasons for Designation

There are only some 150 slight univallate hillforts known in Britain, as such, they are a particularly rare monument type. The Thorpe End Iron Age hillfort is one such enclosure. It is located only 4km east of the similar enclosure at Crow Hill, Irthlingborough, which is also considered to be of national importance. They form an unusual pair on either side of the River Nene. The overlying Saxon settlement, along with the contemporary North Raunds site, offers a high potential for understanding the origin, development and selective decline of a Midlands rural settlement. Good archaeological documentation further enhances the value of the site adding significantly to the understanding of the nature of prehistoric and later settlement patterns in this area.

Details

The monument includes the remains of both Iron Age and Early Medieval settlements. The site is located in a prominent position on the top of south side of the Thorpe Street valley. The monument is known from archaeological survey and excavations carried out as part of the Raunds Area Project. These revealed the remains of ditches, buildings, features and finds. The earliest features date from the Iron Age (650 BC to 43 AD) and include a single ditched enclosure measuring some 95m by 65m. The enclosure contains a number of circular buildings which indicate the site was occupied at some point in this period. Located on the same site is the Thorpe End early Saxon and late Saxon settlement, occupied in the Early Medieval period (6th century to 1066 AD). At this time the site formed one part of the larger Raunds village, a settlement with two centres of occupation, the other located at north Raunds. The more extensive remains of later Saxon settlement are also known from adjacent areas. Broadfield House, which is currently occupied, lies within the scheduled area but is excluded from the scheduling. However, the ground beneath it is included.

MAP EXTRACT The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

11508

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
Parker Pearson, Mike, The Raunds Area Project: A Reassessment of the Research Design, 1989,

End of official list entry

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