SNN110633 - An archaeological desk-based assessment and geophysical survey of land adjacent to Stoke Albany Gold and Country Club, Stoke Albany, Northamptonshire

A desk-based archaeological assessment has been carried out by John Samuels Archaeological Consultants on behalf of Stoke Albany Golf and Country Club in June 2001, in connection with the proposed extension to the existing golf course at Stoke Albany Golf and Country Club, Stoke Albany, Northamptonshire. The proposed development site and study area is centred at NGR SP 7950 8870. The proposed development area covers about 28ha. The desk-based assessment has indicated that there has been a considerable amount of archaeological survey work carried out in the area. Field walking has been undertaken and aerial photographs have been plotted. Field walking suggests that there was apparently relatively little prehistoric and Roman activity in the area. Aerial photography has defined four sites of potential archaeological interest within the proposed golf course extension site. These are of unknown date and uncertain function(s). There was a settlement at Stoke Albany by the time of the Domesday Book in 1086. Substantial evidence of settlement and economy during the medieval period survives around the present village. None of these remains will be affected by the development of the golf course extension. The golf course extension has been designed with the preservation of archaeological remains in situ in mind. Of our four areas of known archaeology, only site 2 lies within the 50metres of any area of possible ground disturbance. The maximum total area of ground disturbance caused by the extension will be about 1.4ha and it is intended to reduce this total by careful design so that structures such as the ninth tee are raised over the existing ground surface, rather than cut into it. The geophysical survey has identified two zones of archaeological interest and it is the intention that these should be preserved in situ. A boundary has been drawn around each of them, about 15m outside the edge of the zones of archaeological intest. No groundworks within these areas will be to a depth greater than current ploughing on site; tees, greens and bunkers within these areas will be built up with imported material and no tree planting will take place here. It is recommended that archaeological mitigation can be secured through a negative planning condition.