SNN116220 - Archaeological Investigation at The Retreat, Park Lane, Sulgrave Northmaptonshire

In January 2024 an archaeological monitoring and recording was carried out by Souterrain during groundwork for a small single-storey rear extension at The Retreat, a private dwelling in the village of Sulgrave, Northamptonshire. The Retreat is a two-storeyed stone-built house, which probably originated as a cottage in the 16th century / early 17th century. It was re-developed and converted into three cottages in the second half of the 19th century. Given that the house is located within the historic core of the village and about 35m SE from Sulgrave Castle, a late Saxon to early Norman ringwork, there was potential for significant archaeological remains in the footprint of the new extension. Notably, an archaeological evaluation at the property in 2023, 11m SE of the extension, revealed the former presence of a timber-framed building with a floor of compacted cobbles and soils. Although the function and date of the structure was not established, the pottery assemblage demonstrated that it was in use during the late 17th / early 18th century through to the early 19th century. Although the area under observation for the new extension was confined, it was sufficient to establish that the ground within its footprint had suffered extensive disturbance in the 20th century. There were no deposits, features or finds of archaeological significance and no buried soils of archaeological interest.