SNN112881 - Archaeological Test Pit Survey: Orient House, 30-32 Kettering Road, Northampton, Northamptonshire NN1 4AH

In order to assist and advise the Local Planning Authority at West Northants Council with regard to potential heritage impacts caused by the planned development on the proposed future development at Orient House, 30-32 Kettering Road, Northampton, Northamptonshire NN1 4AH, drp archaeology was commissioned by Fortis Vision to undertake a test pit survey as the first stage in archaeological mitigation work on the site. The site is located towards the center of Northampton on its north eastern side. The site sits in a heavily urbanised residential area but is immediately surrounded by retail and other commercial buildings. The site itself is virtually entirely built over with three existing and vacant buildings and forms an island border by main roads. The proposed development was highly expected to be located above or within the immediate vicinity of a now demolished 12th St Edmonds Church (HER1160/18), a non-designated heritage asset. A previous Heritage Impact Assessment (CCVS, 2020) established through cartographic evidence that the location of the development site was once occupied by Victorian terraced houses fronting Kettering Road at least dated to 1880 and which were demolished at some point after 1960. Due to the potential sensitivity of the site as well as the lack of available open space, a test pit survey was advised by the archaeological advisor to West Northants Council as a first stage in any archaeological mitigation of the approved development. The key aim of the survey was to establish what archaeological remains exist and if they do, do they relate to St Edmonds Church in any way and if so in what condition. Whilst the test pit survey was limited in its scope to assess the entire development footprint, it did provide valuable information to further assist future guidance. All three test pits demonstrated a large quantity of late PostMedieval made ground at least up to 1m thick which has been interpreted as material related to the demolition of the Victorian terraced house in the late 20th century. Within Test Pits 1 and 2 evidence of the former Victorian houses were revealed in the form of limestone walls that probably represent cellars for these dwellings. Where natural geology was revealed, it had been impaced by Post-Medieval made ground. No evidence for the Church of St Edmond or its activities were revealed during the investigation and it has been concluded that either the church exists further to the southwest, where it is noted on the HER or possibly to the northeast under what is not the Unitarian Chapel, built in 1896 and where the 1880 map labels this site as St Edmonds Square.