SNN112092 - Thorpe Castle House, Thorpe Waterville, Northamptonshire: Archaeological trial trench evaluation

This report presents the results of an archaeological trial trench evaluation at Thorpe Castle House, Thorpe Waterville, Northamptonshire which lies within the bounds of the Scheduled Monument of Thorpe Castle. Due to the high archaeological potential of the site the Assistant Archaeological Adviser to Northamptonshire County Council and the Inspector of Ancient Monuments for Historic England requested a trial trench evaluation to provide information in support of a proposed planning application and as a condition of Scheduled Monument Consent. A single 10m long trench was excavated within the footprint of a proposed extension to an existing modern garage block located 20m to the east of Thorpe Castle House. The investigation revealed that archaeological deposits of possible medieval date were present from around 0.4m below existing ground level down to at least 1.1m. Below that level waterlogging site conditions limited further investigation, but it is possible that the proposed development area lies within a large cut feature or a substantial undulation in the natural topography. The deposits accumulated in the hollow were truncated by a northwest to south-east aligned ditch, and a larger cut interpreted as the remains of a pond. A pond is recorded at this location on the First Edition Ordnance Survey map. Finds recovered from the investigation comprised 10 sherds of pottery and seven fragments of animal bone. The pottery included sherds of Roman, early to middle Saxon, medieval and post medieval date. Most of the pottery was recovered as single sherds from individual contexts which, along with the mixed date range, indicates that much of the material could be residual.