SNN112673 - Land West of Brackley, Northamptonshire: An Archaeological Evaluation, May 2021

Pre-Construct Archaeology Ltd was commissioned by Ashfield Land Developments Ltd and Vulpes Ltd T/A Vulpes Land to undertake an archaeological evaluation on land to the Land West of Brackley, Northamptonshire. The investigations were required to investigate the potential for archaeological remains ahead of a proposed new development for which a planning application has been submitted to Northamptonshire County Council. The archaeological investigations revealed evidence for a well-defined and localised area of settlement dating from the late Bronze Age through to late Iron Age as well as a small quantity of Romano-British material. The settlement was located upon a small plateau, part way up the main slope that dominates the landscape. It was clear from the evaluation that the area to the south and west would have been wet and so this location would have been easily defensible, sheltered and with access to water. Across the site there were sporadic and isolated finds of field boundaries and drainage ditches that may be related to this settlement and/or later farming activity. The entire area of investigation was also covered in later phases of ridge and furrow of medieval and post medieval date with at least two phases of furrows being noted. This helped to confirm the historic records of the area which noted it as being used for agriculture from at least the medieval period.