ENN109940 - Hill Farm, Grendon, 2020 (Trial trench)

Site code: NHG20 An archaeological evaluation comprising three 15m long trenches was carried out on behalf of Seagrove Developments Ltd in advance of residential development in an area of archaeological potential on the eastern edge of the village of Grendon, Northamptonshire. Geological natural silty clay was exposed in all three trenches, with archaeological features identified in two. A posthole containing a sherd of late Anglo-Saxon St Neot's ware was found. It was sealed beneath a layer of subsoil which also yielded a sherd of early/middle Anglo-Saxon pottery, while an additional small St Neot's ware sherd was recovered from the backfill of a post-medieval wall further to the west. Three post-medieval limestone walls were found, which correspond with an open-fronted building marked on the 1885 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map. An associated compact clay surface could have been the remains of the floor of the building, while two sub-square pits to the east were probably 19th century or later rubbish pits. The excavated evidence suggests that Anglo-Saxon/early medieval activity was taking place in the vicinity, although only a single posthole possibly dating to this period was found in the trenches.