SNN105416 - Land off Cranford Road, Burton Latimer, Kettering, Northamptonshire: AN Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment

In october 2005, Archaeological Solutions Ltd condusted an archaeological desk-based assessment of land at Cranford Road, Burton Latimer, Kettering. The site lies on the north eastern edge of Burton Latimer and is bounded to the west by the line of Cranford Road and to the ease by the A6. There is little evidence for prehistoric activity in the area, although an Iron Age to Romano-British settlement site has been subject to a trial excavation close by. From the medieval period onwards there are numerous sites recorded in the area around the assessment site. However, none are recorded within the assessment site until the 19th century when ironstone extraction was carried out within the site and a tramway was constructed to link all of the ironstone quarries in the area. The site has now been returned to agricultural usage and is currently under arable cultivation. Previous ground disturbance within the assessment site is believed to be extensive. Most of this occurred during the 19th century: cartographic evidence indicated two phases of quarrying at the site, after which a tramway was laid down. Such activities are likely to have had a destructive impact on any pre-existing sub-surface structures or archaeological deposits. In the case of the quarrying activity this impact will have taken the form of complete destruction or truncation as the site was dug out.