SNN114244 - Site Images and Data from an Archaeological Evaluation at Knotwood Farm Fields, Old Stratford, Northamptonshire, 2015

This collection comprises site data (images and CAD) from an archaeological evaluation which was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology in October 2015 at Knotwood Fields Farm, Northamptonshire. The evaluation was undertaken to inform a planning application to South Northamptonshire Council (SNC; the local planning authority) for the development of a solar farm. The fieldwork comprised the excavation of fourteen trenches. A previous geophysical survey identified a number of anomalies representing potential archaeological features; these comprised sub-circular anomalies, linear anomalies and back-filled pits, indicative of former settlement activity of probable late prehistoric to Roman date. The evaluation recorded a number of curvilinear ditches, which most likely represent small enclosures and a roundhouse. Pottery dating from the Iron Age was recovered from the silted fills of these ditches. Broadly contemporaneous boundary ditches, containing pottery dating to the Iron Age, were also identified. These features probably relate to settlement activity and land division, focused at the north-eastern end of the site. Medieval plough furrows were indicated across the entire site by the geophysical survey; variations in their alignment indicates that the site covers parts two or more former open fields. A number of undated, but probably post-medieval/modern, ditches corresponding to a north-west/south-east oriented field system were identified within the south-eastern part of the site. There was a good correlation between the evaluation and the geophysical survey results, although there were a small number of archaeological features which had not been detected by the survey, as well as limited geophysical anomalies which were not found to correspond to below-ground archaeological remains.