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Summary

Very extensive area of cropmarks, associated with both Neolithic/Bronze Age flints, and late Iron Age to Roman pottery

Monument Types

• ENCLOSURE (Unknown date)
• FIELD SYSTEM (Unknown date)
• LINEAR SYSTEM (Unknown date)
• FINDSPOT (Late Neolithic to Earlier Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1201 BC)
• FINDSPOT (Late Iron Age to Late Roman - 100 BC to 409 AD)

Protected Status

• SHINE: LIA/RB occupation and moated site, Bygrave
• Area of Archaeological Significance 14

Full description

Cropmarks of a linear system, most probably a field system and settlement enclosures. Partly regular and planned, partly intercutting ditches incorporating rectangular enclosures <1>. The complex is obviously multi-period and it is not easily split into recognisable elements. A small circular enclosure, probably unrelated to the field system, lies within the linear ditches [2473]. Fieldwalking in 1994 produced a 'reasonable quantity' of late Iron Age and Roman pottery in the area of the cropmarks, but also 'well over 100 flint implements and debitage', the vast majority being late Neolithic to early Bronze Age. Most of the flints and pottery were in the SE corner of the field <1, 2>.
The cropmarks are very extensive and more complex than shown on NMP mapping <4>. The HCC 2010 photomapping <3> shows them in great detail, with additional small ring ditches, pit rows and structures.

CUCAP, Cropmarks including a field system, Bygrave, PNO 3111 (Aerial Photograph). SHT14333.

CUCAP, Cropmarks of a field system, Bygrave, PNO 3179 (Aerial Photograph). SHT14356.

CUCAP, Cropmarks of enclosures, field system and trackway, Bygrave, PNO 3007 (Aerial Photograph). SHT14229.

CUCAP, Cropmarks of field system and ring ditch, Bygrave, PNO 3009 (Aerial Photograph). SHT14231.

CUCAP, Cropmarks of field system and ring ditches, Bygrave, PNO 3114 (Aerial Photograph). SHT14336.

HCC (General/Archaeology), Cropmarks of field system, Bygrave, PNO 3373 (Aerial Photograph). SHT14677.

CUCAP, Cropmarks of field system, ditches and ring ditch, Bygrave, PNO 3110 (Aerial Photograph). SHT14332.

CUCAP, Cropmarks of linear ditches and ring ditch, Bygrave, PNO 3108 (Aerial Photograph). SHT14330.

CUCAP, Cropmarks of linear ditches, enclosure and ring ditch, Bygrave, PNO 3256 (Aerial Photograph). SHT14433.

CUCAP, Cropmarks of ring ditches, linear ditches, and enclosure, Bygrave, PNO 3112 (Aerial Photograph). SHT14334.

CUCAP, Extensive area of cropmarks, Bygrave, PNO 3113 (Aerial Photograph). SHT14335.

HCC (General/Archaeology), Soilmarks of triple ditches and field system, Bygrave, PNO 3637 (Aerial Photograph). SHT14925.

Herts County Council 25" Vertical Photomaps, 1972, Cropmarks of enclosures, ditches and ring ditches, Wallington/Bygrave, PNO 3479 (Aerial Photograph). SHT14767.

Herts County Council 25" Vertical Photomaps, 1972, Cropmarks of enclosures, ditches and ring ditches, Wallington/Bygrave, PNO 3479 (Aerial Photograph). SHT14767.

Ian Stead, 1976, Cropmarks of ring ditches and linear ditches, Bygrave, PNO 3771 (Aerial Photograph). SHT15043.

<1> Ashworth, H, 1994, A505 Baldock bypass eastern route fieldwalking survey: phase 1, RNO 221 (Report). SHT3976.

<2> Ashworth, H, 1994, A505 Baldock bypass northern route fieldwalking: phase 1, RNO 220, p15 (Report). SHT3675.

<3> Hertfordshire County Council, HCC vertical photomapping, 2010 (Aerial Photograph). SHT8853.

<4> Cox, Chris, 2011, Pilot study: interpretation of aerial photographs for archaeology in Hertfordshire, RNO 2983, Example 1 (Report). SHT6386.

Sources and further reading

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