SNN112035 - Archaeological evaluation at Daventry South West, Northamptonshire

An archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Worcestershire Archaeology during April to May and October 2019 at Daventry South West, Northamptonshire (NGR SP 5592 6155). The project was commissioned by Orion Heritage on behalf of Stepnell Developments Limited in order to inform and support the site as it is promoted through the Local Plan and also to support an application for development. It comprised of the excavation of 119 trenches across the 48ha site. The site comprises nine fields on Malabar Farm which lies to the south west of Daventry between the A425 and the A45. The fields are largely arable and enclosed by hedges. Prior to the evaluation a geophysical survey of the site was undertaken in which anomalies thought to be of archaeological origin were recorded, particularly in the northern and southern parts of the site. To the south the anomalies were complex and were interpreted as deriving from the remains of possible late prehistoric or Roman settlement. The evaluation confirmed that the geophysical anomalies in the northern and southern parts of the site are mostly of archaeological origin; no significant archaeological features were identified in the 'blank' central part of the site. The anomalies in the north-eastern corner of the site appear to mostly be of post-medieval or later date and associated with mineral extraction. The earliest archaeological evidence appears to date to the Mesolithic to early Neolithic periods, and is represented by a possible waterlogged layer in the southern part of the site, which contained flint and organic remains. The next phase of activity was represented by a small number of pits in the north-east part of the site. These pits probably date to the Bronze Age to middle Iron Age. In the northern part of the site are a small number of largely sterile ditches, forming enclosures and boundaries of probable agricultural origin. These may date to the Iron Age period although few datable finds were recovered from these features. A complex series of enclosures and associated features has been identified in the southern part of the site. The dateable finds from the features indicate the complex dates to the 1st to 2nd centuries AD, although the presence of some Iron Age pottery hints at an earlier date of origin. The function of the complex has not been established as there was only limited evidence for possible structural remains surviving within the excavated trenches, and there was no evidence of industrial or other processing activities. The pottery generally appears to be from local coarse wares suggesting that the complex is probably a lower status occupation site. A small part of this complex also includes some waterlogged remains. The remains of a field system, which probably dated to the Roman period, was identified in the northwestern part of the site. No evidence of early medieval activity was identified at the site, and evidence of medieval and later activity appears to largely comprise of remains of agricultural or mineral extraction origin. The methods adopted allow a high degree of confidence that the aims of the project have been archaeological features. It is considered that the nature, density and distribution of archaeological features provides an accurate characterisation of the development site as a whole.