ENN108466 - Land west of Irthlingborough, 2012 (Trial trench)

Between the 10th and 20th October 2012, Oxford Archaeology East conducted an archaeological evaluation in advance of potential residential development at land to the west of Irthlingborough, Northamptonshire (centred on SP 936 708). The archaeological evaluation revealed that large parts of the proposed development area had undergone significant modern disturbance as a result of subsidence associated with localised iron mining and subsequent attempts to reinstate and stabilise the ground. A concentration of archaeological features, including possible boundary and enclosure ditches and a small number of pits were recorded on the high ground close to the centre of the development area. These remains may represent the surviving remnant of a wider settlement truncated by modern activity. Conversely, they might also indicate the presence of a putative Roman or prehistoric settlement on the high ground. A Neolithic arrowhead was recovered from this area which is of note as it provides rare evidence for Prehistoric activity in the vicinity. Other than this find, very little material culture was recovered by the evaluation, which may suggest that the site formed part of the wider agricultural landscape rather than being an area of settlement and habitation. Information from OASIS Online Form.