SNN116348 - Oakley Bush Solar Farm, Northamptonshire: Geophysical Survey Report

Headland Archaeology (UK) Ltd was commissioned by Oakley Bush Solar Limited (the Client) to undertake a geophysical (magnetometer) survey at the proposed site of Oakley Bush Solar Farm, Northamptonshire, where the Client intends to submit a planning application to construct a new solar farm comprising of ground mounted solar panels, internal access tracks, and other associated infrastructure. This geophysical survey report will be submitted as part of the planning application for the proposed development. The results may also inform future archaeological strategy, if required. In the western part of the site a spread of high magnitude anomalies confrms the location and extent of extraction at, and the remediation of, a former ironstone quarry. This part of the site has no archaeological potential. In the eastern half of the site anomalies due to both historical and recent agricultural activity (ridge and furrow and modern ploughing, drainage, and boundary rationalisation), geology and modern activity have been recorded. Several anomalies of uncertain origin have also been identifed. These latter anomalies are most likely modern, natural, or agricultural in origin, but due to the archaeological activity within this part of the site and surrounding landscape, an archaeological origin cannot be discounted.In the eastern half of the site two main foci of archaeological activity have been identifed. The frst comprises a probable washing-line type settlement comprising multiple enclosures appended either side of a ditch broadly aligned east/west. The second area of archaeological activity lies slightly further to the north and also comprises numerous discontinuous anomalies also likely forming a cluster of enclosures. These areas of activity correlate with the location and position of cropmarks and areas of signifcant scatters of pottery recorded on the Northamptonshire Historic Environment Record and both dated to the Iron Age/Romano-British period. This survey has provided further detail on both the extent and complexity of these remains. Other anomalies of possible archaeological origin are recorded in close proximity to both areas of archaeological activity but are more fragmentary and lack a clear pattern or morphology to allow for a more confdent interpretation. From the fragmentary and discontinuous nature of the recorded anomalies it is considered likely that the areas of activity would have been more extensive than has been revealed by the survey. What is not certain is whether the survey results reveal the full extent of any surviving sub-surface archaeological remains or whether some sub-surface features are too weak to detect or have been degraded or destroyed by modern agricultural practice. Nevertheless, based solely on the results of the geophysical survey, the archaeological potential of this eastern part of the site is assessed as moderate to high and low across the remaining areas within the eastern part of the PDA