Information for record number MWA12395:
Settlement with pits, linear ditches and ditched enclosures in the parish of Long Compton

Summary Settlement with pits, linear ditches and ditched enclosures are apparent on aerial photographs near South Hill Farm near Long Compton.
What Is It?  
Type: Pit Alignment, Boundary Ditch, Ditched Enclosure, Pit, Pit Cluster, Rectangular Enclosure
Period: Early Neolithic - Romano-British (4000 BC - 409 AD)
Where Is It?  
Parish: Long Compton
District: Stratford on Avon, Warwickshire
Grid Reference: SP 28 31
(Data represented on this map shows the current selected record as a single point, this is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent an accurate or complete representation of archaeological sites or features)
Level of Protection National - Old SMR PrefRef (Grade: )
Sites & Monuments Record
Description

  
Source Number  

1 Crop marks seen on aerial photographs indicate a small multiphase settlement consisting of three rectilinear enclosures, numerous pits and a curvilinear boundary ditch, which partially defines the site. The largest trapezium shaped enclosure is approximately 64 meters long and 42m wide, narrowing to 28m wide at its western end. It appears not to have any entrance. The curvilinear ditch that arcs around the northern and western side of the site is interrupted by this enclosure. To the east of the single enclosure a length of bank can be seen on the northeastern side of the curvilinear ditch. The two small rectilinear enclosures overlap giving the appearance of being created in succession. Both enclosures has internal features in the form of pits with diameters less than 10m and what may be a partition in the larger of the two. They both have well defined entrances. The pits appear be disposed in nine loosely defined groups with a small number of outliers. They vary in size from approximately1m diameter to around 8m. One group on the northern side of the double enclosures appears to form an alignment. Although the pits drawn are fairly convincing as archaeology the geology in this area can also produce circular crop marks that look very similar. A narrow linear ditch can be seen aligned in an east west direction to the north of the twin enclosures. Its relationship with the other features is uncertain.
2 enclosures show up on Google Earth satellite imagery layer, c.2009.
 
Sources
Source No: 1
Source Type: Aerial Photograph
Title: SP2831 3
Author/originator: NMR
Date: 17 Jul 1966
Page Number: 3
Volume/Sheet: SP2831
   
Source No: 2
Source Type: Internet Data
Title: Google Earth Aerial and Street View
Author/originator: Google Earth
Date: 1945-present
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Images:  
There are no images associated with this record.  
back to top

Glossary

 
Word or Phrase
Description  
technique Aerial Photograph Aerial photographs are taken during an aerial survey, which involves looking at the ground from above. It is usually easier to see cropmarks and earthworks when they are viewed from above. Aerial photographs help archaeologists to record what they see and to identify new sites. There are two kinds of aerial photographs; oblique and vertical. back
period Neolithic About 4000 BC to 2351 BC

The word ‘Neolithic’ means ‘New Stone Age’. Archaeologists split up the Neolithic period into three phases; early, middle and late. The Neolithic period comes after the Mesolithic period and before the Bronze Age.

People in the Neolithic period hunted and gathered food as their ancestors had but they were also began to farm. They kept animals and grew crops. This meant that they were able to settle more permanently in one location instead of constantly moving from place to place to look for food.
more -> 		back
monument LAYER * An archaeological unit of soil in a horizontal plane which may seal features or be cut through by other features. back
monument SITE * Unclassifiable site with minimal information. Specify site type wherever possible. back
monument SETTLEMENT * A small concentration of dwellings. back
monument RECTILINEAR ENCLOSURE * A monument consisting of an area of land enclosed by a ditch, bank, wall, palisade or similar barrier, where the barrier consists of several straight or near straight sections. back
monument FEATURE * Areas of indeterminate function. back
monument DITCHED ENCLOSURE * An area of land enclosed by one or several boundary ditches. Double index with a term to indicate the shape of the enclosure where known. back
monument RECTANGULAR ENCLOSURE * A rectangular shaped area of land enclosed by a boundary ditch, bank, wall, palisade or similar barrier. back
monument PIT CLUSTER * A spatially discrete group of pits usually containing artefactual material with little or no accompanying evidence for structural features. back
monument BOUNDARY DITCH * A ditch that indicates the limit of an area or a piece of land. back
monument PIT * A hole or cavity in the ground, either natural or the result of excavation. Use more specific type where known. back
monument PIT ALIGNMENT * A single line, or pair of roughly parallel lines, of pits set at intervals along a common axis or series of axes. The pits are not thought to have held posts. back
monument WELL * A shaft or pit dug in the ground over a supply of spring-water. back
monument ENCLOSURE * An area of land enclosed by a boundary ditch, bank, wall, palisade or other similar barrier. Use specific type where known. back
monument DITCH * A long and narrow hollow or trench dug in the ground, often used to carry water though it may be dry for much of the year. back
monument FARM * A tract of land, often including a farmhouse and ancillary buildings, used for the purpose of cultivation and the rearing of livestock, etc. Use more specific type where known. back

* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)

English Heritage National Monuments Record