SNN114348 - Archaeological monitoring and recording report: Flood alleviation works: Bugbrooke Brooke, Nether Heyford, Northamptonshire

Allen Archaeology Limited were commissioned to undertake a scheme of archaeological monitoring and recording for J. N. Bentley during flood alleviation works at Bugbrooke Brooke, Nether Heyford, Northamptonshire. The site lies in an area of archaeological interest, with significant evidence for Roman activity in the local landscape, focussed on a villa complex immediately to the east of the site. In addition, Nether Heyford has been a settlement from at least the late Saxon period, with two pieces of Anglo-Saxon pottery recovered from close by and there are possible earthworks of medieval or post-medieval date located to the east. The monitoring revealed three linear ditches, a pit and a concrete ramp. Material recovered from some of the features revealed they were modern in date, whilst two of the small gullies remained undated but probably represent drainage channels. The representative sections through the former river bank revealed either dredged deposits from the river channel or episodes of flood deposition during flooding events. Small amounts of Roman pottery and ceramic building material were recovered from the topsoil in one area and are likely to originate from the nearby Roman villa site. The monitoring and recording has indicated that the development has had a negligible impact upon the local archaeological resource.