SNN112854 - Little Houghton House, 53 Bedford Road, Little Houghton, Northamptonshire, NN7 1AB: Archaeological Investigation

In May and June 2021 an archaeological investigation was carried out by Souterrain in the walled kitchen garden of Little Houghton House, Northamptonshire, during groundwork for a new 5-bay garage (c. 296 sq. m). The investigation comprised monitoring and recording during groundwork and a limited open-area excavation. Little Houghton House is a Georgian country mansion which is understood to have originated in the late 18th century, possibly on or near to the site of an earlier manor house of the same name. Based on a past study of Little Houghton’s historic landscape, it was considered that the garden may conceal remains pertaining to the medieval village which suffered contraction in the 14th to 15th centuries. In connection with this hypothesis, one aspect of the investigation was to inspect the ground location of a building mapped in 1829, but gone by 1835, which recent anecdote suggests was a tithe barn. The investigation would also attempt to determine changes to the garden following the removal of the building. The archaeological investigation revealed that the ground in the northern half of the garden was raised substantially in the second half of the 18th century, predominantly with re-deposited geological material, possibly derived from landscape works elsewhere on the estate. The ground modification appears to be contemporary with the construction of the 18th century core of Little Houghton House. The remains of two earlier structures were discovered in two areas of the new garage footprint, buried under c. 0.9 m of made ground. These comprised stone wall-footings capped with puddle clay, denoting a probable timber-framed structure and a stone revetment wall, possibly the remains of a Ha-Ha. The timber-framed structure is considered to have been removed just prior to making up the ground. A few fragments of moulded decorative bricks of late medieval date within the area of the removed structure, may have derived from the antecedent Little Houghton House, while other artefacts dumped against the revetment wall are resonant of horticultural activities. There was no trace of the building mapped in 1829 and no evidence pertaining to the medieval village. It is the first time that archaeological investigation has taken place in the garden and grounds of Little Houghton House and the first positive identification of archaeological remains that pre-date the existing house.