Monument record 0447400000 - NORTH OF BRADENHAM HILL FARM charcoal burners site

Plan Form - SUBCIRCULAR
GROUP OF 4 ROUGHLY CIRCULAR ENCLOSURES WITH SMALL EXTERNAL DITCH & INTERNAL BANK C.0.5M HIGH. INTERIOR OF 1 SLIGHTLY RAISED BUT FLAT. BANKS SIMILAR TO ADJACENT FIELD BOUNDARIES. MARKED ON 1847 TITHE MAP & OS 1ST EDITION. PERHAPS A CHARCOAL BURNING SITE: COPPICE WOOD NEARBY (B1-5). NAT TRUST SURVEY (B6).
A magnetometer survey carried out in 1978 noted that the site is visible as a dark soil mark against a much lighter subsoil. Within the area there were patches of charcoal and traces of red oxidized clay. The survey noted that the site was covered in anomalies registering 20-30 gamma consistent wtjh a number of hearths or ovens or fired clay dumps affected by dispersal. The larger anomaly in the eastern section could have resulted from a small short-lived kiln, but no evidence of its walls was found in the ploughsoil (B7).
Group of 4 enclosures recorded by Northants Archaeology during woodland survey. Westernmost enclosure described as a circular or sub-circular enclosure 14m to 14.5m wide, defined by a shallow bank 1.3m wide with a shallow external ditch 1m wide. Top of bank from base of ditch is 0.5m. The interior appears dished and there is a possible entrance on the north side, 1m to 1.3m wide. Gazetteer no.150536 (a), Southernmost enclosure described as ovoid, 15m long by 14m wide, defined by a shallow bank 1.6m wide with a shallow external ditch 1m wide. Top of bank from base of ditch is 0.5m. The interior appears dished. Gazetteer no. 150536 (b). Easternmost enclosure described as sub-circular 15m long by 14m wide, defined by a shallow bank 1.6m wide with a shallow external ditch 1m wide. Top of bank from base of ditch is 0.5m. Gazetteer no. 150536 [c). Central enclosure described as circular or sub-circular enclosure 14m to 14.5m wide, defined by a shallow bank 2m wide with a shallow external ditch 1m wide. Top of bank from base of ditch is 0.5m. The interior appears dished with a maximum depth of 1m and there is a possible entrance on the north-east side, 1m to 1.5m wide. The centre was waterlogged and the earthworks considerably degraded at the time of survey. Gazetteer no. 156903. All enclosures interpreted as possible animal pounds associated with the droveway (B8).