SNN101224 - Archaeological Investigations At Upton, Northampton South West District

Archaeological excavation in advance of proposed major residential development of land south of the A45 between Sixfields and Upton. Three areas (totalling about 3ha) were stripped under archaeological supervision to the south of the A45. Additional trial trenching was also undertaken in a small area north of the A45 to investigate any possible northern extension of settlement activity. Geophysical survey was undertaken to the south of the excavation areas, closer to the River Nene, in order to assess its archaeological potential. Further work will be carried out during the construction phase of this development, and the report received provides an interim statement of project results to date. Area A1 (NW part of site) contained part of a late Bronze Age/ early Iron Age pit alignment and a series of Late Iron Age enclosures, with an associated droveway and contemporary pitting. These formed parts of a small farmstead with evidence of later Roman and medieval agriculture associated with settlement foci to the east and west respectively. Areas A2 & A3 (NE part of site) contained a series of ditches & gullies forming small oval and roughly=square enclosures, possibly used for stock management. Additional activity included areas of pits, wells, and a pottery kiln. The latter lay inside a roughly-circular ditched enclosure. Two inhumations were also recorded in Area A2. The archaeological remains in Areas A2 & A3 may be best interpreted as evidence for domestic and agricultural activity on the periphery of a farmstead. North of the A45, no evidence for archaeological activity was recovered The geophysical survey did not identify significant anomalies in the southern area. NORTHAMPTON SW DISTRICT AT UPTON SP 724597 c EVALUATION Northamptonshire Archaeology Further trial trenching was undertaken to the south of the areas investigated through area excavation in Autumn 2000. An additional thirteen trenches were opened over five fields. Most trenches were empty, or contained only field drains; one post-medieval ditch and one small, undated, ditch terminal were identified.