SNN110459 - Archaeological monitoring and recording at Church Barn, Main Street, Fotheringhay, December 2014

A programme of archaeological investigation was carried out on land at Church Barn, Main Street, Fotheringhay, Northamptonshire as the site lay in an area of known archaeological potential. The site lies within the historic core of the village, immediately west of the 15th century parish church and the site of a 12th century priory. The church was formerly associated with a college, the remains of which lie to the south of the church and are a Scheduled Ancient Monument. During redevelopment of Church Barn in 1983, a number of human burials, possibly indicating the limit of the medieval churchyard, were revealed. The investigations examined the area of a new extension. The investigation revealed that the natural slope had been landscaped and terraced, probably in the medieval period. The terrace was then occupied and used until the post-medieval period, when it was levelled with a series of dumped deposits. The development area was subsequently used as a yard for the farm which previously occupied the site. The final phase indentified comprised modern garden landscaping which was levelled and demolished as part of the present works. No human remains were disturbed. Finds retrieved during the investigation comprised a single sherd of early medieval pottery and two fragments of worked stone of a probable similar date.