SNN106507 - An archaeological evaluation of land near Wootton, Northampton October 2007 to January 2008

Three areas of archaeological interest were identified and investigated. The first area was situated on Hunsbury Ridge, at the northen end of the site, where two, possibly three, Bronze Age ring ditches, probably the remains of round barrows, were encountered. A dispersed pattern of Iron Age field or enclosure ditches were identified in the same area. The second area was located on the lower slopes to the north of Wootton Brook, where a Bronze Age pit, containing cremated animal bone and three flint arrowheads was identified, along with an Iron Age ring ditch and several late Iron Age ditches. The third area lay at the far southern end of the site, on a low prominence south of Wootton Brook. Here, a middle/ late Iron Age settlement was investigated. It comprised a sub-rectangular, bi-vallate enclosure and a number of subsidiary enclosures and pits. A ring ditch, possibly the remains of a Bronze Age barrow, was located in the same area. Elsewhere, there was a thin distribution of undated pits, gullies and ditches, several of which may be of Iron Age date. Medieval/ post medieval ridge and furrow survived as earthworks in the field immediately north of Wootton Brook and furrows were encountered in the majority of trenches in the central and northern parts of the proposed development area. There was evidence of 19th century quarrying to the west of Hardingstone.