SNN116071 - Archaeological Excavation, Monitoring and Recording Report: Land on Grafton Road

Groundworks Archaeology undertook an archaeological evaluation on land to the rear of 14 Grafton Road, Brigstock, Northamptonshire. The work was carried out at the proposed development site between the 19th and 20th October 2022. The evaluation identified Iron Age and Early-medieval activity within the site which necessitated a further phase of archaeological mitigation. This comprised of targeted excavation on the proposed new access road where the majority of identified archaeological features were located and a small excavation in the northern corner of the site to further investigate an un-dated linear feature. The remaining area was subject to a watching brief during the groundworks phase. This second phase of investigation was undertaken between the 20th February and the 6th October 2023. The investigation established that the Iron Age ditch identified in the evaluation was in use over a long period of time spanning the Early Iron Age right through into potentially the early Romano-British period. Although there were no other features that could be positively identified as contemporary, the environmental and artefactual data from the fills of the ditch indicate the presence of settlement activity in close proximity. A series of Early-medieval gullies with an associated alignment of postholes was interpreted as enclosures likely associated with animal husbandry. The dating of these features to the 5th - 7th centuries AD pre-dates the established Anglo-Saxon activity hitherto identified within Brigstock suggesting an earlier foundation date than originally thought. Occupation within the site continued throughout the Medieval and Post-medieval period as evidenced by pits and other cut features. The latest evidence for occupation was a stone cottage probably originating in the 18th century fronting onto Grafton Road. It was continuously occupied well into the 20th century with an extension to the rear built in the 1960’s to house a bathroom. The cottage was finally demolished in the late 20th century.