SNN102280 - Excavation at 14 Rotton Row, Raunds, Northamptonshire

The excavation revealed part of an ealy-middle Saxon to late medieval settlement, which included remains of buildings and plot boundaries. A large sub-rectangular pit on the west edge of the excavation could be part of a sunken-floored building dating from the early-middle Saxon period, though no associated structural remains were found. If so this was the earliest indication of occupation on the site. From the late Saxon through to the post-medieval period east-west aligned ditches formed boundaries defining plots. During the late Saxon period the plots showed little or no activity perhaps suggesting horticultural or agricultural use. From the early to late medieval period the plots enclosed areas of occupation consisting of post-holes and slot features. Some of the features probably formed parts of linear and sub-rectangular structures. The pottery recovered from the site is predominantly of early-middle Saxon and medieval date, with a smaller assemblage of late Saxon and late to post-medieval pottery. Other finds include a redeposited late Neolithic/ early Bronze Age thumb-nail scraper and a burnt flint. A small number of pieces of slag and fired clay were located in and around the sub-rectangular pit, suggesting that metal working was taking place in the vicinity during the early-middle Saxon period.