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Summary

Small multivallate enclosure, 340m south of North Road Farm, Tattershall Thorpe

Full description

An Iron Age defended enclosure that is one quarter quarried away and three quarters now scheduled. Excavation in 1979 discovered two ditches, the outer being 2m deep and U-shaped, the inner 1.8m deep and flat bottomed. The ditches were rich in wood and other organic material with a 0.5m peat layer in the ditches. Few artefacts were found and all of them were lying above or on the peat; pottery dating from the early to middle Iron Age was found, including a virtually complete base of a pedestal urn, with a cordon at the base/wall junction. A triangular loomweight and a beehive quern were also found. {1}{2}{3}{4}{5}

The monument includes the buried remains of a small multivallate hillfort located 340m south-east of North Road Farm. It is situated in a commanding position on the Southrey gravel terrace above the River Bain to the south-east and the River Witham to the south-west. It has been suggested that although the system of ditches and ramparts was clearly defensive in form, the site may not have had any true military function. It is thought that, while the monument may have served as a refuge for the local Iron Age population in times of threat, it is more likely that its primary use was for the seasonal corralling of grazing animals. The banks and ditches would have enclosed the animals and provided a deterrent to cattle rustlers and predators. {6}

A small area of the south-eastern outer ditch was excavated in 1986 in advance of further gravel extraction. The ditch itself was investigated, including the possible entrance. Again, organic remains were present including wood, although only one fragment of worked wood was recovered. A small amount of leather was also recovered, although it is uncertain whether it had been worked. Other finds included pottery, a small amount of animal bone and an iron object, possibly a chisel. {7}

<1> A.J. White (ed.), 1980, 'Archaeology in Lincolnshire and South Humberside, 1979' in Lincolnshire History and Archaeology, vol.15, p.79 (Article in Serial). SLI766.

<2> HBMC, 1978, AM 7, SAM 329 (Scheduling Record). SLI4138.

<3> ST JOSEPH, J.K.S., 1945-79, CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY COLLECTION, BU175 (Aerial Photograph). SLI111.

<4> Paul Everson, 1975-90, RCHM, 2957/29, 32 (Aerial Photograph). SLI196.

<5> CHOWNE, P., GIRLING, M. AND GRIEG, J., 1986, PROCEEDINGS OF THE PREHISTORIC SOCIETY, vol.52, pp.159-88 (Article in Serial). SLI585.

<6> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 1998, REVISED SCHEDULING DOCUMENT 29725, MPP 23 (Scheduling Record). SLI4322.

<7> Seager Smith, Rachael, 1998, 'Further Excavations at the Iron Age Enclosure at Tattershall Thorpe, Lincolnshire, by Peter Chowne, 1986' in Lincolnshire History and Archaeology, vol.33, pp.7-19 (Article in Serial). SLI10999.

Monument Types

• ENCLOSURE (Undated)
• DITCH (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
• HILLFORT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)

Associated Finds

• BEEHIVE QUERN (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
• CHISEL (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
• LOOMWEIGHT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
• UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Iron Age - 800 BC to 42 AD)
• SHERD (Middle Iron Age - 400 BC to 101 BC)

Associated Events

• Further excavations at Tattershall Thorpe Iron Age enclosure
• Excavations at Tattershall Thorpe hillfort

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument

Sources and further reading

Related records

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