SNN110791 - DIRFT III, Land East of Watling Street (A5), Northants: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design

A programme of archaeological investigation was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology between August 2015 and April 2016 on behalf of Prologis UK Ltd, at DIRFT III Land East of Watling Street. An area of approximately 17.4ha, comprising 11 different excavation areas, was excavated across the 340ha development area. The excavations revealed a landscape of extensive and frequently low key agricultural activity dating to the later prehistoric, Roman and medieval periods. Later prehistoric activity comprised a pit alignment orientated north/south, along (possibly) with two segments of curvilinear ditch, which may have formed parts of trackways or enclosure boundaries. Roman activity was more extensive although also agricultural in origin and comprised a series of rectilinear enclosures probably representing fields interspersed with waterholes. In the medieval period parts of the development area were used for arable agriculture, as evidenced by the remains of ridge-and-furrow cultivation across several of the excavation areas. In the post-medieval period enclosed fields and trackways were once again established in parts of the development area. This document presents a quantification and assessment of the evidence recovered from the excavation. It considers the evidence collectively in its local, regional and national context, and presents an updated project design for a programme of post-excavation analysis to bring the results to appropriate publication.