SNN103967 - Archaeological Recording Action: The Shoulder of Mutton Public House, High Street, Welford

During October 2003 an archaeological recording action was carried out at The Shoulder of Mutton, Welford, Northamptonshire. Twelve archaeological features were identified and recorded. These comprised one animal burial, four pits, two of which contained significant quantities of animal bone, two postholes and five intercutting ditches. It is considered highly likely that these ditches had originally functioned as boundary markers. Excavation demonstrated that this activity could be split into several distinct phases. It is thought that these boundaries relate to divisions between the backplots of properties lining the High Street, which lies a short distance to the east. Medieval and Post Medieval pottery sherds were recovered from archaeology at the site. The quantities of pottery, particularly of Medieval sherds, were very low, especially when considering the proximity of the site to the historic core of Welford. Other artefactual material included Post Medieval horseshoes, glass fragments, two metal buttons and clay pipe fragments. It is thought that the majority of activity at the site dated to the Post medieval period. However, there remains a possiblity that the earliest phases may date to the Medieval period.