SNN112409 - Land at Banbury Lane, Kings Sutton, Northamptonshire: Geophysical Survey

Detailed magnetic gradiometer survey was undertaken in connection with proposed development on land at Banbury Lane, Kings Sutton, Northamptonshire. The survey area totalled 5250m2, mostly within a single small field, but including an additional area left undisturbed alongside a balancing pond in the field just to the south. Features of potential archaeological origin are well represented by strong responses within the survey. However, in contrast to the plan seen in previous excavations immediately to the east, the magnetometer survey is dominated by linear features with little sign, in the northern half at least, of the smaller ditched enclosures seen there. Linear anomalies indicative of ditched features were recorded and match well the location of ditches recorded in previous excavations to the east and south. However, the general ENE-WSW trend of positive and negative response across the northern field is rather more suggestive of ridge and furrow (although none is evident on the ground). This could potentially mask archaeological remains here, with features only showing where the response is particularly strong or where ploughing has intruded into underlying archaeological deposits. Despite the very small area available for survey, features were much clearer in the southern field. One linear anomaly can be traced through from the eastern excavation area, but other linear and curvilinear features are also visible suggestive of continuing occupation across this area.