SNN115664 - Blotts Barn, Brooks Road, Raunds, Northamptonshire: Archaeological Trial Trenching

East Northamptonshire District Council granted planning permission (20/00486/FUL) for construction of an office unit and ancillary storage along with associated parking and landscaping at Blotts Barn, Brooks Road, Raunds. The North Northamptonshire Council Lead Planning Archaeologist (NNCLPA) recommended a condition was attached to the planning consent (Condition 8), requiring the implementation of a programme of archaeological investigation prior to development of the site, in accordance with an agreed Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI). Albion Archaeology was commissioned by RPS Consulting UK & Ireland to undertake archaeological trial trenching, the results of which are set out in this report, in order to assist the NNCLPA in advising the local planning authority (LPA) on the potential archaeological impacts of the development and on any further mitigation works that might be required. The archaeological trial trenching was undertaken between 29th and 30th March 2023. It comprised five trial trenches. Trenches 1–3 were 20 x 1.8m, targeting the footprint of the new offices. Trenches 4 and 5 were 15 x 1.8m, targeting the storage barn and parking. The trenching revealed evidence of two ditched boundaries, likely dating from the post-medieval period to the 19th century and associated with land division for agriculture. The revealed remains are considered to be of negligible significance with no further potential to address regional research objectives. The project archive will be deposited with the Northamptonshire Archaeological Resource Centre (ARC). The digital archive will be submitted to the Archaeology Data Service (ADS). Details of the project and its findings will be submitted to the OASIS database in accordance with the guidelines issued by Historic England and the ADS (reference albionar1-513566).