SNN106678 - South Meadow Road: report on archaeogeophysical survey 2010

The geophysical survey as described in this report forms part of an archaeological evaluation of a proposed development site on the western edge of Northampton. The survey was commissioned by RSK Environment Ltd on behalf of Taylor Wimpey East Midlands Ltd. Fieldwork for the survey was done on 21st-22nd January 2010. The proposed evaluation area is indicated by red cross hatching on the location plan (figure 1). It covers an area of 4.9ha centred at NGR SP 708609. The evaluation area includes a fenced and wooded enclosure in the SE corner of the site, as well as a fenced-off compound and area of spoil heaps to the east. These could not be surveyed. The remainder of the site is arable land which was ploughed at the time of the survey. The ground slopes down from NE to SW, but is less steep in the southern part of the field, where two cropmarks are recorded. The cropmarks are shown on figure 1 (features 35 and 36), which is reproduced from a site plan supplied to us by RSK Ltd. They have also been traced (in grey) on to the summary plan (figure 4) for comparison with the survey findings. A further cropmark complex is visible in the adjacent field to the SW. The site is on a bedrock of Great Oolite, and there is possibly also a drift deposit of Boulder Clay. Conditions in either case should be favourable for the magnetic detection of archaeological features (although magnetic stones in drift material can sometimes cause an increase in background noise level).