SNN110216 - Land at Butchers Petcare, Dockham Way, Crick, Northamptonshire: An Archaeological evaluation

This report describes the results of an archaeological trial trench evaluation carried out by Pre-Construct Archaeology on land at Butchers Petcare, Dockham Way, Crick, Northamptonshire (NGR SP 5847 7364) between the 9th and the 17th November 2015. The archaeological work was commissioned by CgMs Consulting Ltd in response to the construction of an extension to the current Butchers Petcare factory with associated services and landscaping. The aim of the work was to characterise the archaeological potential of the proposed development area. The trial trench evaluation has identified features reflecting four periods of activity on the site: prehistoric, Romano-British, middle Saxon and Post-Medieval. The earliest activity was evidenced by a number ditches present in the southern part of the site (Trenches 11-19). Although these ditches produced only a few sherds of pottery as well as fragments of animal bone it is possible these ditches have prehistoric origins. Ditch [147] (Trench 12) produced a small quantity of Iron Age pottery, as well as a small quantity of Saxon pottery within a charcoal rich deposit. The limited amounts of Romano-British and Middle Saxon pottery indicates either longevity of the ditches, with the Romans cleaning out and reusing existing ditches, or multi-period activity on the site. Evidence for occupation was also present in Trenches 12 and 15 which contained a number of small heavily rooted pits and post-holes. A natural hollow [124] was identified in Trenches 10, 11 and 19, aligned north-east to south-west, running towards Clifton Brook at the southern end of the site. The ditches in the southern part of the site are located on the higher ground either side of this hollow, suggesting that it was being exploited for use as drainage or a water source. One segment of ditch was also identified in Trench 2 which was morphologically similar to the ditches located in Trenches 11-20, which returned a possible Iron Age or Saxon date. Two further ditches were present in this part of the site, which were of post-medieval date.