SNN115356 - Archaeological evaluation, Trial Trenching, Upper Heyford Quarry, Upper Heyford, Northamptonshire

During July and August 2022 Phoenix Consulting Archaeology Ltd carried out an archaeological trench evaluation across a proposed new quarry at Upper Heyford, Northamptonshire. The work was carried out on behalf of Mick George Ltd and forms an archaeological evaluation required to assess the archaeological character of the Site in support of a submitted planning application. The Site lies in an area of suggested low-level archaeology, with an earlier evaluation (undertaken in 2000 for a former planning application that was not progressed) having identified a possible prehistoric pit alignment, but little else. A recent (2022) geophysical survey aross the Site suggested the presence of a small number of possible linear features and enclosures; some which had not been targeted by the earlier trenching exercise. Twenty-six trial trenches (Nos 49-74) were therefore requested to be excavated for the current application, in order to enhance the results of the original trench evaluation (Nos 1-48). Archaeological features were identified in five of the twenty-six evaluation trenches (Nos 64, 65, 67, 70 & 74). Elsewhere across the Site there was no evidence of archaeological activity beyond that identified in the 2000 trial trenching exercise (being trenches 2, 9, 22 & 46). Evidence for deep alluvial deposits were encountered in the southern half of the Site; particularly adjacent to the River Nene. The most significant finding was a late pre-Roman Iron Age (LPRIA) enclosure identified in Trench 70. Further evidence of LPRIA and Roman activity was represented by ditches in Trenches 65 and 67. A possible prehistoric enclosure was also recorded in Trench 64. No further evidence of the pit alignment, originally identified in trenches 2 and 9 in 2000, was recovered during this present trenching exercise.