SNN108260 - Land to the East of Station Road, Long Buckby, Northamptonshire: Archaeological Trial Trench Evaluation

Trial trenching was carried out in relation to a planning application for development of the site. The results revealed considerable contrasts across the site. The main concentration of archaeological features was located in trenches 6 and 7, near the top of the slope in the central part of the site. As well as ditches, pits and a masonry structure, an extensive dumped deposit occupied the base of the western elongated depression. Residual flintwork as well as sherds of early-middle Iron Age pottery hint at earlier activity in the vicinity. The main focus of activity was in the Roman period with several phases being identified. In this area there was good correlation with the geophysical anomalies, elsewhere the correlation was poorer, possibly due to the variations in the geological strata. A small number of features were revealed in the south eastern part of the site - trenches 1, 3, 4 and 5 with a further two features beyond this area in trenches 8 and 10. These features were less securely dated with occasional abraded Roman pottery sherds being recovered. Traces of medieval cultivation furrows survived intermittently across the site, with traces of the subsequent, enclosed post medieval field pattern also being identified.