Monument record 4140/12/1 - Possible Saxon to Medieval activity, land north-west of Warren Close

Witham Archaeology undertook archaeological trial trenching on land to the north-west of Warren Close, Gretton. The works uncovered a possible Saxon posthole and several medieval features, including postholes likely forming part of a timber structure, a refuse pit and a later pit with two broken cooking pots. Two large pits interpreted as a limestone extraction features were also found, one containing 15th century pottery.

{1} Trial trenching on land north-west of Warren Close, Gretton revealed evidence of activity spanning the early Saxon to later medieval periods. The earliest feature was a posthole containing early to middle Saxon pottery, suggesting possible occupation in the vicinity. A cluster of postholes in Trench 1, with associated pottery dating to the 11th century, may represent a timber structure, accompanied by a refuse pit of similar date. A second pit contained two Lyveden/Stanion Ware cooking pots, indicating domestic activity during the 13th-14th centuries. A boundary ditch in Trench 2 may relate to agricultural subdivision, while two large pits in Trench 3, one with 15th-century pottery, were likely for limestone extraction, possibly linked to later medieval building activity. Overall, the site indicates domestic occupation focused to the north, with later resource exploitation to the south and west.

<1> R Neale, 2025, Land to the north-west of Warren Close, Gretton, Northamptonshire: Archaeological Trial Trench (Report). SNN116953.

Record last edited

Jan 29 2026 9:58AM