Pre-Roman Horncastle

There is no doubt that the southern wolds in Lincolnshire and in particular the River Bain valley were inhabited from the Neolithic period right through to the late Iron age.

The Lincolnshire Wolds have produced evidence of some of the oldest human remains in Britain. In the Neolithic period, early settlement concentrated on the highest and drier ground. Later, in the Bronze and Iron ages, settlement extended onto chalk in the southern wolds, for example at Skendleby. The evidence of visible archaeology is strong and many barrows cap the hill tops, such as six barrows at Tathwell.

From the Iron age the chalk uplands had a well established network of trackways, for example High Street and the Bluestone Heath Road.

Nearer to Horncastle, the hill surrounds to the Bain valley have produced evidence of perhaps wandering Neolithic hunters. There is also evidence of Bronze age settlement, particularly in the West Ashby area. Iron age settlement and farmstead enclosures have also been identified above Horncastle college and Bonnetable Road on the road to Mareham on the Hill.