Monument record 8206 - Probable medieval/post-medieval cultivation, east of Oundle Road

A series of parallel ditches identified during trial trench evaluation were dated on the basis of pottery to the early Roman period. Subsequent excavation only identified one ditch observed in the evaluation, which was re-interpreted as a furrow.

{1} Geophysical survey identified parallel linear anomalies relating to the current or former cultivation activity on the site. At the western end of Area 3 were several linear responses, varying in strength and definition. These were on slightly different alignments to the cultivation trends and could represent short sections of ditch. The patterns they form are incomplete and, if archaeological, they are likely to relate to former field systems rather than settlement.

{2} A single ditch in each trench in the western part of the area suggests that there was some Roman activity in this part of the development area. In addition, the upper fill of one of the Roman ditches contained possible early middle Saxon pottery suggesting also the presence of early medieval settlement in the same area as the Roman activity.

{3} The excavation area, which expanded on the 2009 evaluation, identified a number of linear features. However, only one of these equated with a feature from the earlier evaluation. The majority of the features were identified as furrows. There was only one linear feature whose form suggested it was a ditch rather than a furrow, but unfortunately no dating evidence was recovered and so it is uncertain if is contemporary with previously excavated Roman features.

<1> GSB Prospection, 2009, Geophysical Survey Report: Land at Weldon Park, Corby, 2009, p.4 (checked) (Report). SNN109962.

<2> Jones C., 2009, Archaeological Trial Trench Evaluation at Oundle Road, Weldon, Northamptonshire November 2009, p.4 (checked) (Report). SNN107973.

<3> Fairclough, J., 2015, Archaeological strip, map and record excavation at Weldon Park, Corby, Northamptonshire August to November 2015 (Report). SNN110972.

Record last edited

Nov 22 2021 3:27PM