SNN115534 - Land off Northampton Road, Rushden, Northamptonshire: Heritage Statement. Version II with revised illustrations to reflect 2018 Masterplan and Application Boundary

This report presents the results of research carried out by Witham Archaeology in relation to a proposed commercial development of land off Northampton Road, Rushden, Northamptonshire. The report, commissioned by Ashfield Land Developments Limited, will form part of a submission for planning permission to East Northamptonshire District Council. This is essentially the same report as Version 1 compiled in 2016 with only the illustrations revised to reflect an updated Masterplan and Application Boundary. The proposed development site lies on the northern outskirts of the town, and comprises 11.825 hectares of rough pasture situated in the angle of Northampton Road and the A45 Birmingham to Ipswich road. As part of the Heritage Statement a search of the Northamptonshire Council Historic Environment Record was undertaken for all known Heritage Assets located within a 1km radius area centred on the proposed area of development. In addition, a search was undertaken at the Northamptonshire Record Office for relevant cartographic and documentary evidence. A walkover survey of the site did not identify any extant archaeological features although a number of hedges which date to the period of parliamentary enclosure are still present. Historically, the settlement of Rushden comprised a nucleated village set within open fields. During the medieval period the proposed development site lay at the northern limit of the open fields, immediately to the south of meadow lands located on the floodplain of the River Nene. The Historic Environment Record contains 104 records defined as monuments, a single record of a Listed Building and 29 records listed as events. There are no known archaeological sites located within the proposed area of development. Within the surrounding Assessment Area the Historic Environment Record records of prehistoric, Roman, Saxon, medieval, post medieval and modern activity. However, except for the modern period, this evidence is sparse and thinly scattered. Of most significance to the proposed development is documentary and cartographic evidence for a medieval watermill located on the stream which defines the northeastern boundary of the site. The illustrative development plan provided by the client places this site within an area of retained open space. Occupation during the prehistoric and Roman periods in Northamptonshire tends to concentrate on the permeable geologies of the river terrace gravels. The proposed development site lies in an area of predominantly clay soils which are likely to have been avoided in favour of the more workable soils. During the medieval period the site was located in the arable, open fields at a considerable distance from the village. It seems likely that evidence of occupation from Saxon period will be focused within the historic core of the village