SNN111048 - 52 Weekley Wood Lane, Weekley: An archaeological strip, map and record, January 2015

A programme of staged archaeological works comprising an archaeological observation on geotechnical Test Pitting, a ‘strip map and record’ and a archaeological observation on development groundworks was undertaken as a condition of planning consent in advance of, and during, development at 52 Weekley Wood Lane, Weekley, Northampton. The developer, Polpark Ltd., commissioned Pre-Construct Archaeology (Midlands) to undertake the mitigation works. The mitigation works uncovered a feature containing the cremated remains of an animal (possibly sheep or pig) of possible Romano-British date which may signify an offering at the boundary of a human cemetery. Further, extended machine stripping of the site revealed the footings of the walls of a mid-12th- early 13th century building which contained evidence of intensive burning activity, possibly from ovens or hearths, open at one end for access to a dry-walled stone-lined corn-dryer. A second, possibly contemporary, corn-dryer was located nearby but no evidence of an associated building was found with it. A large pit which may have originated as a stone quarry pit and later served as a refuse pit was located on the site in addition to a number of small posthole features which are attributed to a later phase of medieval activity. The site appears to have been abandoned at some time in the early –mid-15thcentury (possibly as a result of the Black Death) after which the site was levelled and given over to agriculture.