SNN113445 - A Report on a Programme of Geophysical Resistivity Survey and Archaeological Evaluation Excavation (Targeted Trial Trenches) on Land Immediately Adjacent and North-west of Pitsford Churchyard, Church Lane, Pitsford, Northamptonshire, NN6 9AJ

A programme of geophysical survey and archaeological evaluation excavation was carried out in November 2019 and February 2020 by volunteers from the Pitsford Together Community Group, under the direction of David Crawford-White, of Heritage Learning Services, and Derek Roberts, of Pre-Develop Archaeology, to inform decisions on a proposed planning application for a new graveyard on land highlighted for possible donation to the parish of Pitsford, Northamptonshire. Anomalies within the data plot seemed to suggest the presence of cultivation features aligned east west, almost angular, pit-type features immediately west of the targeted area, and large low resistance anomaly running into the walled east boundary. Evaluation trenches targeted on the geophysical survey anomalies, did reveal, a possible ridge and furrow cultivation feature, running, roughly, east west into the area, but failed to identify the large low resistance anomaly running into the east walled boundary. Features that were revealed, other than the ridge and furrow, are suggested to all originate from the late post-medieval period, and comprised a gully, post hole and metalled trackway; all possibly associated with the post enclosure walls and barn to the east of the proposed site. Apart from a coin, clipped to a quarter, found during metal detecting, no finds of any real archaeological significance were revealed.