SNN111464 - An archaeological evaluation at Burwell Farm, Turweston Road, Brackley, Northamptonshire

During January and February 2013, University of Leicester Archaeological Services undertook a 3rd stage of archaeological assessment comprising a 43 trench field evaluation on land at Burwell Farm, south of Turweston Road, Brackley, Northamptonshire, prior to the proposed development of the site. This followed desk-based assessment (Stage 1) and geophysical survey (Stage 2) that suggested the site had the potential for Iron Age and Roman settlement remains. Archaeological features were recorded within 18 of the excavated trenches. Within Area 1 and the northern part of Area 3 evidence of Mid-Late Iron Age settlement activity was recorded. This was located on the top of the same east facing slope as Iron Age activity previously recorded to the north of the site at Foxhills. Although there was no evidence to suggest this activity continued into the Early Roman period, part of the site does then appear to have been subsequently re-used during the Early Anglo-Saxon period. The trenches within the southern part of Area 3 and Area 4 contained very little archaeological evidence, consisting of isolated ditches and stakeholes. Extensive fluvial deposits were recorded at the southern end of the site, within Area 5 that may date to the Iron Age and Roman periods. Evidence of pitting that dated to the Mid-Late Iron Age was recorded in association with these river deposits and may relate to specialised activities rather than indicating actual settlement activity on this floodplain area. Within the north-western corner of Area 5 part of a stone building was recorded that correlated with a building marked on the First Edition Ordnance Survey map of 1885. The site archive will be held by ULAS, accession number NH_TRB13, until an appropriate recipient organization is established for Northamptonshire.