SNN110871 - An Archaeological Evaluation on Land at Oundle Road, Northamptonshire, January 2017

An archaeological excavation was undertaken in January 2017 by University of Leicester Archaeological Services on behalf of Mulberry Homes Ltd at Oundle Road, Weldon, Northamptonshire. The fieldwork was a post-determination requirement on a proposed planning application for a residential development. A preliminary Desk-based Assessment assessed a low to moderate potential for archaeological activity associated with the Neolithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age and Roman periods, and a scheme of archaeological excavation was undertaken in order to mitigate the potential impact of the development on any such archaeological remains as might be present. The archaeological evaluation revealed archaeological activity across the eastern part of the proposed development in the form of several small ditches of Romano-British date oriented north-south or east-west. These likely represent component parts of field boundaries and/or land division. The heavily abraded character of the 2nd and 4th century pottery recovered from a number of these features suggests that these derived from manuring spreads rather than from on-site domestic occupation. The presence of a single possible medieval linear could hint at later land use. The site archive will be deposited with Northamptonshire County Council under the accession number ENN 08382.