SNN110852 - Land East of Northampton Road Brixworth Northamptonshire: Archaeological Evaluation, 2012

In May 2012, an archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology on land to the east of Northampton Road, Brixworth, Northamptonshire. The work was commissioned by Barratt Northampton and was carried out in support of an outline planning application submitted to Daventry District Council for the residential development of the site. Fifteen trial trenches were positioned to test the nature of a series of anomalies recorded by geophysical survey. In most trenches it was demonstrated that the anomalies corresponded to buried features or deposits. In most instances these buried remains comprised linear ditches, probably forming a coherent field system. The limited dating evidence suggests a later prehistoric date for the principal elements of this field system. A circular enclosure was recorded in the geophysical survey and was shown in the evaluation to comprise a shallow ditched enclosure. Its function is uncertain but it may represent the remnants of a round house. A number of geophysical anomalies may be geological features, while evidence for ridge and furrow field systems, post-medieval ironstone quarries and land drains were also recorded. There was no certain evidence that a Saxon settlement to the north-west extends into the site although features associated with such settlement are frequently wide spread and isolated.