SNN111377 - Land at Higham Ferrers, Northamptonshire: Archaeological Evaluation

In August 2018, Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological evaluation on land at Higham Ferrers, Northamptonshire (Fig. 1). The evaluation, which comprised the excavation of twelve trenches, was undertaken to further inform an outline application for residential development, landscaping open space and associated works on land comprising this site and adjacent land to the south. The scope of these works was agreed in advance with Lesley-Ann Mather, Northamptonshire County Council’s Archaeological Advisor and were monitored by Liz Mordue, also of Northamptonshire County Council's Archaeological Team. Previous archaeological evaluation of this site included a geophysical survey (Sumo 2017), which identified a number of linear anomalies representing archaeological features comprising a sinuous boundary ditch, linear anomalies and ridge and furrow. The fields to the immediate south of the site were the subject of previous geophysical and trial trenching surveys (NA 2007), which identified a number of anomalies representing potential archaeological features. These comprised linear, rectilinear, circular and discrete anomalies, indicative of former settlement activity of probable late prehistoric to Roman date. The results of the evaluation confirmed the results of the geophysical survey. The evaluation identified archaeological remains concentrated within the southern and western parts of the site. The majority of the features can be attributed to one of three broad periods; the Late Iron Age, medieval or post-medieval to modern periods. Early prehistoric activity is represented by residual lithic material recovered from a single ditch and from within the topsoil. The earliest feature identified, located within the southern part of the site, comprised a ditch containing Late Iron Age pottery. This corresponded to an anomaly identified through geophysical survey, which appeared to represent a boundary ditch. This boundary defines the northern extent of a previously identified Middle to Late Iron Age and Roman settlement recorded to the immediate south of the site. The presence of plough furrows of a probable medieval date, identified across the majority of the southern part of the site by the geophysical survey, was confirmed by the results of the evaluation. The evaluation also identified an undated, but probable post-medieval/early modern ditch, located in the southern part of the site. The ditch fits within the general alignment identified within the surrounding field systems and depicted on historic and current Ordnance Survey mapping. A further undated north-west/south-east orientated ditch was identified within the southern part of the site. Within the western part of the site a post-medieval deposit and an undated culvert were identified. Other investigated features were shown to be geological in origin.