SNN114384 - Great Lane, Hackleton, South Northamptonshire: Archaeological Excavation

Between March and May 2021 Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological investigation on land at Great Lane, Hackleton, South Northamptonshire (centred at NGR: 481030 255213). It comprised the excavation of 0.45ha of the approximately 0.90ha development site. The earliest recorded archaeological features identified during the excavation (Period 1.1) comprised enclosures that were established during the medieval period. The layout of the enclosures was modified at least once over the course of the medieval period, which resulted in the creation of two narrow rectilinear enclosures. Evidence for at least one building was identified within the excavation area but other pits and postholes could represent the remains of further buildings. The medieval enclosures were abandoned in the post-medieval period when two buildings were established. Late 18th century cartographic evidence suggests that at least one of the medieval boundaries was retained, however. The buildings were accompanied by wells, a fenceline, a sump pit and an associated drainage channel. By the early 20th century, the buildings had been demolished and the stone foundations of one building were preserved beneath demolition-related material. The location of the other building was represented by two irregular hollows and domestic material in the south-east corner of the excavation area. Medieval, post-medieval and modern pottery (1087 sherds, 15532g) was recovered from the excavation area. The medieval assemblage has a wide date range that has hindered precise dating of the medieval sequence of activity, although the largest proportion of the assemblage comprises shelly coarseware pottery of 11th–14th century date. A small early medieval component was also represented by St Neots and Northamptonshire wares. No features of this date were definitively identified but the pottery suggests that settlement within the development site could have Late Saxon origins. The post-medieval assemblage was dominated by creamware and iron-glazed earthenware that span the late 17th century to the 19th century. The results will be presented in an excavation report (the current document), and a summary account to be published in CBA South Midlands.