SNN100695 - A43 Road Improvement; Biddlesden Bridge, Syresham; Archaeological Evaluations: Stage 3

Proposals for improvement to the A43 between the M40 and Towcester will affect land to the south of the A43 on the outskirts of Syrehams at the proposed Biddlesden Road Bridge (Fig 1). The archaeological implications of the improvement scheme were considered and according Northamptonshire County Council Highways commissioned Northamptonshire Archaeology to undertake an archaeological evaluation. An initial desk-based study, field walking and geophysical survey was undertake in 1996 (Chapman an Shaw, 1996; masters and Shaw, 1997). Further geophysical reconnaissance and detailed survey was conducted over the winter 1999 – 2000. The geophysical survey identified a series of anomalies, which comprised of a dispersed pattern of small enclosures and partial enclosures with some linear features. These were initially interpreted as Iron Age or Romano-British on morphological grounds (Fig.2). Following geophysical survey a specification for six trial trenches was submitted by Northamptonshire Heritage and Northamptonshire Archaeology to the Highways Agency ('A43 Road Improvement Scheme: Silverstone and Brackley Hatch Sections. Specification for Outstanding Archaeological Evaluations' (30.6.2000)). The objectives of the trial-trench evaluations were to establish the date, extent, character and degree of preservation of the archaeology remains on the site. Six trenches, 30m in length were excavate. The trenches were positioned to examine a selection of features showing as geophysical anomalies, and to examine apparently blank areas, taking into account the location of a water main and overheard electric cables. This summary report on this evaluation does not include a detailed assessment of the finds. These are to be included in the overall assessments following the main excavations. The Iron Age pottery has been examined for spot-dating by Dennis Jackson FSA and other finds by Tora Hylton.