SNN115355 - Excavations at Wakerley Quarry, Area B, Northamptonshire

Between February and April 2022, Phoenix Consulting Archaeology Ltd carried out a programme of archaeological works across part of a permitted quarry (Area B) at Wakerley, Northamptonshire (centred on NGR SP 946 9780). The works were conducted on behalf of Mick George Ltd in accordance with a condition of planning permission. The results of a previous desk-based assessment, field walking, geophysical survey and trial-trench evaluation had shown Area B to have potential for Iron Age and Saxon period remains. The Site is located within an area that has produced significant evidence of iron manufacture dating to the Iron Age and Saxon period (Fell 2003; Jackson 1981; Jackson and Ambrose 1978), including within the extant area of Wakerley quarry (Mustchin & Richmond 2018; Mustchin et al. 2022). Previously excavated areas of the quarry were found to contain features relating to Saxon period iron manufacture, including ore roasting pits and smelting furnaces (ibid.). Early Roman pits were also encountered. The Area A excavation, located 1km to the south-west of Area B, also contained inhumation burials, one of which returned a calibrated radiocarbon date range of 642–710 calAD (89.9%) at 95.4% probability. Excavation of Area B encountered Late Iron Age and Early Roman features, including a substantive ditched enclosure and a small number of ore roasting pits, albeit generally poorly preserved. These appeared to be distributed between two separate industrial zones. A small gully and other ditches were also recorded, including a large post-Medieval ditch. A single post-Medieval pit truncated the fill of this ditch, while a large number of undated pits were found distributed across the Site. There was a notable paucity of securely stratified datable material.