SNN107939 - Archaeological Trial Trench Evaluation on Land at Overstone Leys, Overstone, Northamptonshire Phase 2

A second phase of trial trenching on 56ha of land within the development area. 114 trenches, between 25m and 68m long by 1.7m wide, were excavated. The archaeological features comprised a pit containing an Early Bronze Age beaker assemblage, five ring ditches of putative Bronze Age date with Saxon burial next to one of the ring ditches, From one of the graves a 6th century Saxon shield boss was recovered. The geophysical survey and the trenching suggest a number of ditches and enclosures with internal features, including a pit or ditch with Anglo-Saxon pottery. Many of the ditches were undated. Evidence for the medieval and post medieval farming is indicated by the presence of two headlands surviving as earthwork banks. The clays, limestone, sands and ironstone were extensively quarried and a number of extractio pits were found.