SNN107261 - The Bungalow, Higham Road, Burton Latimer, Northamptonshire: Archaeological Field Evaluation

A planning application was made for residential development at The Bungalow. Seven 14m long trial trenches were opened within the 0.43ha development area. The trench layout was targeted on the continuation of a large Roman boundary ditch, known to exist from archaeological investigation on the adjacent land and to provide coverage in areas most likely to be impacted by the proposed development. The trial trenching located furrows indicating the development area was once within medieval open fields. A small number of undated or modern features were also identified. However, the most significant evidence comprised the continuation of the Romano-British settlement identified in archaeological investigations on adjacent land. This comprised part of a ditched enclosure and evidence for more dispersed activity outside the enclosure. The density and type of features, presence of only small quantites of domestic debris and absence of significant charred plant remains sugget that the development area ia away from the main domestic function or core of the settlement. However, the discoverey of a part of a Romano-British settlement is significant because, although such settlements are considered to be relatively common in the region, there are very unevenly distributed and poorly understood.