SNN110856 - Land East of Northampton Road (Saxon Rise I), Brixworth, Northamptonshire: Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design, 2016

A programme of archaeological investigation was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology between September and November 2013 at the request of Barratt Northampton at Land East of Northampton Road (Saxon Rise I), Brixworth, Northamptonshire. Archaeological excavation of three individual areas within the site was undertaken prior to residential development. In addition to small numbers of residual earlier prehistoric flint artefacts, the excavations revealed archaeological features dating to the Late Bronze Age and Iron Age. These included two Late Bronze Age four-post structures indicating settlement activity during this period. An Iron Age field system, remodelled and managed over time comprised a possible trackway, boundary ditches, field divisions and two enclosures. Settlement evidence from this period was also recorded, including two ring ditches and associated storage/waste pits within one of the enclosures, from which a modest assemblage of pottery was recovered. No features relating to any activity continuing into the Roman period were found, with only a small amount of Roman residual pottery recovered. Despite the potential for Anglo-Saxon activity within the site (an Anglo-Saxon settlement was excavated immediately north-east of the site in 1994), no features or artefacts were identified which could be attributed to this period. Furrows relating to agricultural activity in the post-medieval periods, when the site was used as arable land, were found across all three excavation areas. This document presents a quantification and assessment of the evidence recovered from the excavation. It considers the evidence collectively in its local and regional context, and presents an updated project design for a programme of post-excavation analysis to bring the results to appropriate publication.