SNN116263 - Site E, Land at Northdale End, Raunds, Northamptonshire: Archaeological Field Evaluation

East Northamptonshire Council granted planning permission for a large-scale residential development at Northdale End, Raunds, Northamptonshire. The then Northamptonshire County Council Archaeological Advisor required archaeological investigation prior to development of the site, in accordance with an agreed Written Scheme of Investigation. Investigations in Areas A–C, E and F were undertaken in 2019–2020 (Albion Archaeology 2021), along with the northern part of Area D (the ‘Employment Area’) (Albion Archaeology 2019b). Albion Archaeology was commissioned by Snowdon Homes Ltd to undertake trial trenching in the southern part of Area D, known as Site E. This report presents the results. The trial trenching demonstrated that Anglo-Saxon remains, previously identified to the east, continue into Site E. Identified remains include ditches, buried soils and a dumped deposit. They likely represent a continuation of the settlement activity previously identified to the east. While the buried soils are probably of low intrinsic archaeological value, their presence suggests that any underlying deposits are well protected, reducing the likelihood that any modern cultivation methods or groundworks have had a significant adverse impact on any potential remains. The results of this investigation demonstrate that there is a high likelihood that further, well preserved, late Anglo-Saxon remains survive within Site E. These remains have the potential to enhance our knowledge of the development of late Anglo-Saxon and early medieval Raunds and, therefore, contribute to a number of local and regional research aims. 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 albionar1-509179).