Natural Feature record 6253/0/2 - Late Neolithic to middle Bronze Age marsh deposit, Flore Hill

Evidence of a late Neolithic to middle Bronze Age peat marsh was identified as part of an auger survey undertaken prior to the construction of the A45 link road.

{2} Geoarchaeological investigation was undertaken across the valley to the north of Weedon Bec prior to construction of the A45 link road. A degraded peat deposit located on the river floodplain, adjacent to the north-east side of the Weeden Bec was found from auger hole AH13 (NGR SP 629 645) as part of the geoarchaeological investigation as noted above. Samples were taken from the top and the base of the 200mmm thick peat layer, located at 76.3m aOD which lay 2.55m below the ground surface.
The radiocarbon dates from peat indicated it accumulated from the late Neolithic to middle Bronze Age periods. The lower part of the deposit was composed of humified peat with fragments of reed or wood and produced a late Neolithic date of 2200–2030 cal BC (95% probability, 3017±30BP, Queen’s Belfast UB30300), whereas the middle Bronze Age date for upper part of the deposit was derived from a wood
fragment; 1295–1117 cal BC (95% probability, 2986±29BP, Queen’s Belfast UB30299).
Analysis of pollen from the peat showed that it formed in an alder dominated, marsh environment with clusters of deciduous trees (including lime, oak hazel, elm), typical of a temperate climate growing on the higher ground nearby. The marsh proved a stable environment for approximately a thousand years, with very little change in the vegetation and no indication of settlement or agricultural activity in the area,
throughout this period.
Following the period of peat marsh the water level rose, with the development of mollusc-rich sandy silt, indicating a sluggish water environment such as a pond or lake. Eventually this gave way to a more open, grass dominated environment as the river brought regular, probably seasonal flooding to the floodplain depositing alluvial silts and clays. This treeless environment, similar to the appearance of the valley today, probably dates from after the Bronze Age and may have had a pasture function, but there was little evidence of any human activity.

<1> Brown, J., 2015, Further archaeological evaluation for the A45 Northampton to Daventry Link Road, January 2015, p. 22-28 (Report). SNN110326.

<2> Spurr, G., 2015, Flore and Weedon Bec bypass, Northamptonshire, Geoarchaeological post-excavation assessment (Report). SNN111583.

<3> Morris, S., 2018, Archaeological mitigation along the route of the A45 Northampton to Daventry Link Road Northamptonshire September 2015 to January 2017: Assessment Report and Updated Project Design (Report). SNN111582.

Record last edited

Feb 25 2025 8:09PM