SNN105330 - Proposed Agricultural Reservoir, Elton Estate, Warmington, Northamptonshire: An Archaeological Desk Based Assessment

In April, 2002 Hertfordshire Archaeological Trust conducted an archaeological desk-based assessment at the Elton Estate, Warmington, Northamptonshire. The site is located to the north of the village of Warmington, close to the small outlying hamlet of Eaglethorpe. The desk-based assessment indicated the possibility of prehistoric, Roman, Saxon, medieval and later remains in the vicinity of the site and discussed the likely nature of surviving deposits. The available documentary evidence showed that the area has exhibited some changes over the last 400 years and is surrounded by evidence of a variety of human activity from the Neolithic to the present. The assessment site is situated fronting the Warmington by-pass, in an area of the Nene valley known to contain traces of Prehistoric, Roman, Saxon and medieval activity. The area was a meadow from at least the early 17th century, before part of it became a plantation in the 20th century. It is also understood that the western part of the site was used for a compound/materials storage area during the construction of the Warmington bypass, and an area of ground disturbance is clearly visible in this area. Archaeological finds and cropmarks are known close to the site, confirming that the area has a low to moderate archaeological potential. No archaeological remains are known from the site itself. Ten sherds of post-medieval pottery were found on the site during fieldwalking in 1991.