SNN112754 - Land west of the A43, near Moulton Northamptonshire: Archaeological Evaluation

Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by Elliott Group Ltd to undertake an archaeological evaluation, as part of pre-planning work to develop the site for a proposed school. The site occupies 9.9 hectares of land west of the A43 and south-east of the village of Moulton, Northamptonshire (NGR 478855 265565). The evaluation comprised the excavation of 20 trenches, each 50 m by 2 m, to provide a 2% sample of the site. Archaeological remains were encountered in five of the trenches; the distribution of the remains suggests a focus of archaeological activity in the central part of the site. A single potential cremation grave, comprising a spread of brownish grey clayey sand with charcoal and burnt bone, 0.6m in diameter, was uncovered in one trench. At the request of the County Archaeological Advisor, this feature was left in situ. Other features comprise pits, ditches, a posthole and a quarry pit. All features were undated, with no artefacts recovered or deposits suitable for environmental sampling observed. A ditch in trench 16, and a quarry pit in trench 8 supported the geophysical survey, matching anomalies interpreted as part of a field system and quarrying activity respectively. Geophysical anomalies running through trenches 12, 14 and 15, interpreted in the survey as parts of a field system, were found to have different origins. The anomaly running through trenches 12 and 15 was found to match a geological formation, while the anomaly running through trench 14 was found to be caused by a series of shallow furrows. The evaluation was generally successful in meeting its aims and objectives regarding providing information about the archaeological potential of the site and the character of the remains. It has not been possible to establish the date of the recorded features, however, due to the absence of artefactual material. The archive resulting from the evaluation is currently held at the offices of Wessex Archaeology in Sheffield. Northamptonshire Archaeological Resource Centre has agreed in principle to accept the archive on completion of the project, under the accession code ENN110251.