ANCIENT EARTHWORKS 



Northamptonshire is probably richer in mediaeval earthworks than in 

 those of an earlier time. In the present state of our knowledge, however, it 

 is impossible to assign to many of them even approximately exact dates, and 

 the arrangement here adopted accords with that of the Earthworks Com- 

 mittee of the Congress of Archaeological Societies, which is as follows : — 



Class A. Fortresses partially inaccessible by reason of precipices, cliffs, 

 or water, and additionally defended by artificial banks or walls, 

 usually known as promontory fortresses, of which none are recorded 

 in the county of Northampton. 



Class B. Fortresses on hill-tops with artificial defences, following the 

 natural line of the hill or, though usually on high ground, less 

 dependent on natural slopes for protection. The few Northamp- 

 tonshire examples belong rather to the second than the first 

 section of the class. Of these Borough Hill is not only unique in 

 form, but one of the largest trenched enclosures in the country, 

 though, unfortunately, in poor preservation. 



Class C. Rectangular or other simple enclosures including forts and 

 towns of the Romano-British period. Here this county is but 

 scantily represented. Irchester takes rank as the most important 

 Roman work, since Towcester has lost nearly all traces of its 

 walls. 



Class D. Forts consisting only of a mount with encircling ditch or fosse, 

 of which Clifford Hill is a particularly fine example.^ 



Class E. Fortified mounts either artificial or partly natural with traces 

 of an attached court or bailey, or of two or more such courts. 

 Castle Dykes is well preserved, and perhaps the most generally 

 interesting in the county. 



Class F. Homestead moats, such as abound in some lowland districts, 

 consisting of simple enclosures formed into artificial islands by 

 water-moats. Here we have a fair number, but Northamptonshire 

 cannot compare with either Suffolk or Essex, where these simple 

 moats are particularly abundant. 



Class G. Enclosures, mostly rectangular, partaking of the form of Class F, 

 but protected by stronger defensive works, ramparted and fossed, and 

 in some instances provided with outworks. These were generally 

 the sites of the castles or fortified manor houses. 



Class H. Ancient village sites protected by walls, ramparts, or fosses. 

 Of these Northamptonshire furnishes no certain example. 



Class X. Defensive works which fall under none of these headings. 



' It is possible that some mounts placed in this class had at one time courts of which now no traces 

 remain. 



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