Monument record 3457/0/4 - Late Saxon/medieval and post-medieval activity, Great Lane

Archaeological investigation was undertaken in advance of development. In the medieval period five enclosures were created that contained the remains of at least one building, as well as pits and lines of postholes. The enclosures were positioned perpendicular to Great Lane and appear to continue beyond the excavation area to the north and south. In the post-medieval period, a rectangular, stone-founded building was constructed along with possible outbuildings, wells and associated drainage features. The building may be depicted on a map of 1788, but appears to have been demolished at the start of the 19th century.

{2} Trial trench excavation was undertaken in a plot of land to the north of an area of former medieval/post-medieval settlement remains. There were archaeological features in six of the eight trenches, mostly comprising ditches or gullies, with a small number of postholes. Late Saxon and medieval pottery was only recovered from some of the features but the similarity of composition and orientation of seven others probably indicates that they were contemporary. The ditches probably represent field or property boundaries on the periphery of the village core, while the postholes may be the remains of structures.

Charred plant remains, including bread wheat, barley and hazelnut, were recovered from samples taken from the late Saxon and medieval contexts but these were not in abundance.

Masonry remains identified in two trenches at the western end of the site, while undated, were considered likely to be the remains of a post-medieval building of agricultural function.

{3} Archaeological excavation was undertaken in 2021. A small amount of early medieval pottery, represented by St Neots and Northamptonshire wares, was found but no features of this date were definitively identified. A series of five enclosures, likely denoting plot boundaries, were laid out, possibly in the late Saxon period, and modified at least once between the 11th-14th centuries, which resulted in the creation of two narrow rectilinear enclosures. At least one building was identified, characterised by a rectangular arrangement of six postholes, but other pits and postholes may indicate the presence of further buildings.
In the 15th-16th centuries, a small amount of pottery suggests some degree of activity associated with the enclosures, but these had fallen out of use by the time two buildings were constructed around the 18th century. Associated with the buildings were wells, a fenceline, a sump pit and drainage channel. The buildings had been demolished by the early 20th century and the foundations of one had been preserved beneath demolition material.

<1> Richardson, T., 2013, Geophysical Survey: Land at Hackleton, Northamptonshire (Report). SNN111285.

<2> Clay, P, 2014, An Archaeological Evaluation at Great Lane, Hackleton, Northamptonshire (Report). SNN111284.

<3> Barker, J & Brown, R, 2022, Great Lane, Hackleton, South Northamptonshire: Archaeological Excavation, https://doi.org/10.5284/1112478 (Report). SNN114384.

<4> Cotswold Archaeology, 2023, Digital Archive from an Archaeological Investigation and Excavation at Great Lane, Hackleton, South Northamptonshire, 2021, https://doi.org/10.5284/1106781 (Digital archive). SNN115693.

<5> Crank, N. (Editor), 2023, South Midlands Archaeology (53), P. 56 - 60 (Journal). SNN116414.

Record last edited

Jul 23 2024 2:57PM