SNN111928 - Rowtree Park, Collingtree, Northamptonshire: Archaeological Evaluation (Phase 1)

Cotswold Archaeology carried out an archaeological evaluation in November 2019 at Rowtree Park, Collingtree, Northamptonshire. Thirty-five trenches (Phase 1) of the proposed 55 trenches were opened with the remaining 20 trenches to be opened and reported on in a separate phase of works (Phase 2). Archaeological interest in the site is derived from the three potential settlement enclosures located to the north-west of the current evaluation area and to the south of the Wootton Brook, identified by a preceding geophysical survey. Based on the morphology the enclosures are considered likely to date from Iron Age to Romano-British periods. Trenching to the north-west of the site targeted one the of the enclosure sites identified by the geophysical survey, revealing two overlapping settlement layouts dating to the mid-1st century AD to early 2nd century AD. A further phase of activity dating to the mid-3rd to 4th century AD was also revealed after an apparent hiatus. The geophysical survey was undertaken across accessible areas during previous works, the central and southern area of the current site was not subject to this survey. No potential archaeological features were identified by the geophysical survey in the area to be trenched by the current phase of works; (Trenches 1, 2, 3, 16-20, 33 and 34). Of the 35 trenches excavated across the site only two trenches contained features of archaeological interest, a ditch and a pit both containing single sherds of abraded pottery, the former dated to the Late Iron Age/early Roman period and the latter to the Roman period. Three unstratified Roman sherds were also recovered from Trench 9.The results from the first phase of trenching confirm that there was very little evidence for activity of archaeological interest across this site. The limited archaeological features revealed, evidenced the levels of truncation on the site and confirm that there was little evidence for archaeological activity across the site. The results of the evaluation, combined with results of previous investigations suggest a limited potential for further archaeological features to be present within the site. The evaluation revealed extensive landscaping across the site associated with the golf course; given the level of truncation to the site any further peripheral archaeological features which may have been present on site are likely to have suffered truncation, or been removed entirely by landscaping associated with the golf course.