SNN115184 - Elton 2, Warmington, Northamptonshire, Extension to existing plant site: Archaeological evaluation and 'strip, map and sample' excavation

Wardell Armstrong LLP (WA) was commissioned by Ingrebourne Valley, to undertake an archaeological evaluation by trial trenching and ‘strip, map and sample’ excavation at Elton 2, Warmington, Northamptonshire. The site is centred at National Grid Reference (NGR): TL 0800 9229. The investigation was required by the Northamptonshire County Archaeological Advisor (NCC CAA) on behalf of the LPA, to comply with a condition of NCC Planning Approval 19/00035/MINFUL. The trial trench evaluation comprised the excavation of thirteen trenches across the development area. The data recovered indicated past activity on the site principally dating to the Iron Age and the 1st century BC or AD. Following the trial-trench evaluation, a phase of excavation was conducted within two areas of the site. Six broad phases of archaeological activity were identified, the earliest of which comprised a middle Neolithic pit cluster found in association with sherds of hand-made grog-and-shell-tempered ware and struck flint (Phase 1). A series of pits and a natural hollow were likewise found in associated with handmade grog-and-shell-tempered ware, but the lack of diagnostic sherds means that the sherds are less-precisely dated to the Neolithic to early Bronze Age period (Phase 2); the features may have been contemporaneous with the middle Neolithic features. The first substantial phase of activity on the site occurred between the middle and late Iron Age (Phase 3). The archaeological remains comprise a series of relatively narrow north-east to south-west and north-west to south-east ditches that form a wider system of land division. The coaxial ditch system appears to be indicative of a series of small livestock management plots. A series of pits, and a small number of postholes, of this date were also encountered. Relatively limited assemblages of Iron Age shell-tempered ware were recovered from the features. No domestic features or structures were encountered, but the findings may allude to their existence within the surrounding landscape. The continuation of a probable droveway of late Iron Age to early Romano-British date, which was encountered to the east during a previous archaeological investigation, was encountered running west-north-west to east-south-east across the excavation area (Phase 4). Two heavily truncated triple-ditched boundaries were also encountered, the earliest of which extended perpendicular to the droveway and the latter of which extended parallel to the droveway. A notable paucity of artefactual evidence was recovered from the features, though one of the ditches contained a small assemblage of Belgic’ grog-and-shell-tempered ware of 1st century BC or AD date. A comparably small number of archaeological remains dating to the 12th to 14th centuries, comprising a single ditch and a tree hollow, were encountered (Phase 5). Post-medieval remains were likewise limited (Phase 6); these features comprised a series of co-axial ditches found in association with post-medieval glazed earthenware, indicative of an 18th century or later date, and post-medieval red earthen ware field drain or water pipe. In addition to relatively substantial truncation likely caused by agricultural activity, modern landscaping efforts appeared to have truncated earlier archaeological remains (Phase 7).