Lynch Farm 1 1972

Emergency excavations directed by Adrian Challands in advance of the construction of an artificial lake for the Nene Park uncovered

substantial lron-Age linear ditches. These had previously been known from aerial photography. 

 

The site spreads from the parish of Alwalton into Orton Waterville and Orton Longueville. The main large linear ditches ran parallel for some 900 metres, 11 metres apart and around a metre deep. There are four ditches in all.

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The few finds were of late Iron-age date, but a two cremation burials has been made within a rectangular pit cut into the fillings of the two central ditches, and pottery associated with them was similar to that made at the Longthorpe fort pottery kilns. Other ditches butt up to the main series, with a number of entrances, some in-turned,  and pits containing iron slag representing considerable occupation.  The ditches must have remained partially open as the upper levels contained second-century Roman pottery.

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Other finds included a greenstone axe and a polishing stone, both with an origin in Cumberland and dating to the Neolithic.

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Lynch Farm, Site I, 1972-74, excavation by A.Challands (Durobrivae 1, 1973, 22-23;  Durobrivae 2, 1974,   23)