SNN100537 - An Archaeological Evaluation At Pitsford, Northamptonshire, December 1999

Peter Bennie Ltd and British Steel propose to extract various minerals from an area of 88ha located to the south of Pitsford village and west of Moulton College. Northamptonshire Archaeology was commissioned by Samuel Rose Ltd to undertake an evaluation of the archaeological remains within the area of proposed mineral extraction. The study area is situated between the villages of Moulton and Pitsford on the northern side of a tributary of the River Nene. Extending to a maximum of 2.3km east to west by up to 0.7km north-south, the area is 88ha and is centred at NGR 47652 26665. The area adjacent to Bunkers Hill Farm and a land parcel further to the east, known as Debdale, are excluded from the study as they are not affected by the extraction consent. A staged approach was utilised to investigate the archaeology, with desk-based assessment conducted by Samuel Rose Ltd. Northamptonshire Archaeology conducted the geophysical survey and field artefact collection, which were undertaken between October and December 1999, to supplement the existing information from aerial photographs. These results were correlated to produce a trenching strategy to evaluate the potential sites. Trial excavation was undertaken between early December 1999 and early February 2000. A total of 54 trenches were opened with a total length of c.2.6km. The land parcels are often known by different names. Generally those used to identify the parcels during fieldwalking will be used, with reference to other names where appropriate.