Hillforts Map

Home / England / Northamptonshire / Rainsborough Camp

Rainsborough Camp

Northamptonshire, England · Atlas EN0778

Rainsborough Camp is a partial contour fort in Charlton, Northamptonshire, England.

Other names on the record: Charlton Camp.

It is recorded as extant, with a bivallate rampart form, surface evidence of earthen bank, and an enclosed area of 2.6 hectares.

Banks or ramparts are the remains most likely to be visible.

The topographic record places it on a hilltop and at 147 m.

The aspect is recorded as level.

Recorded land use includes pasture and scrub or bracken.

Dating evidence is recorded for 800–400 BC and 400 BC–AD 50 (Artefactual, C14, and Other). Reliability is recorded as A - High.

A scheduled monument number is recorded (1003914).

Location

Atlas number
EN0778 (778)
Country
England
Current county or unitary authority
Northamptonshire
Historic county
Northamptonshire
Parish, community, or townland
Charlton
National Grid reference
SP 5263 3483
Latitude
52.00942
Longitude
-1.23457
Altitude
147 m

Form and condition

Type
partial contour fort
Condition
Extant
Morphology
bivallate
Complete rampart circuit
Yes
Number of ramparts
2
Number of ditches
2
Possible original entrances
1
Breaks through the ramparts
5
Enclosed area
2.6 ha
Enclosing works, as visible
earthen bank
Enclosing works, excavated
earthen bank and stone wall
Also recorded
guard chambers and ditches
Entrance forms
In-turned (West)

Landscape

Topographic position
hilltop
Aspect
level
Land use
pasture and scrub or bracken

Dating

Dating
800–400 BC and 400 BC–AD 50
Dating evidence
Artefactual, C14, and Other
Dating reliability
A - High

Interior and investigation

Interior excavation
pits, postholes, and roundhouses
Finds
pottery, human bones, and animal bones
Investigations
1st Identified Written Reference (1841); 1st Identified Map Depiction (1885-1900); Geophysical Survey (1961-1962); Excavation (1961-1965)

Identifiers

Scheduled monument number
1003914
HER
Northamptonshire 57/1 (second identifier MNN138378)
National record
record SP 5 3 SW 11; monument 339180
Wikidata
Q31113949

Sources

References

  1. Avery, M., Sutton, J. and Banks, J. 1967. Rainsborough, Northants, England: Excavations 1961-5. Proc Prehist Soc
  2. XXXIII, 207-306.
  3. Beesley, A. 1841. The history of Banbury: including copious historical and antiquarian notices of the neighbourhood.
  4. Clelland, S-J. and Batt, C.M. 2010. A re-investigation of the scientific dating evidence from the hillfort at Rainsborough. Northamptonshire Archaeol. 36, 1-7.
  5. RCHME. 1982. An inventory of the Historical Monuments in the county of Northampton, 4, An inventory of Archaeological sites in South-West Northamptonshire. Royal Commission on Historical Monuments England, London, HMSO.