SNN116587 - Church of St Mary, Church Lane, Wollaston: An Archaeological Evaluation

Pre-Construct Archaeology was commissioned by the Church of St. Mary, Wollaston Parochial Church Council to undertake an archaeological evaluation at the Church of St Mary, Wollaston, Northamptonshire, NN29 7RJ. The investigations were required to investigate the potential for archaeological remains ahead of a proposed two storey extension, for which a planning application has been submitted to North Northamptonshire Council. Three test pits measuring 1 metre by 1 metre were excavated by hand in the area north of the Chancel ahead of a proposed two storey extension. The principal aims were to determine the presence and extent of the north wall of the original Norman Chancel (Test Pits 2 & 3), as well as whether any burials remained in-situ within the proposed area of development (Test Pit 1). All three test pits yielded positive results, with Test Pits 2 and 3 both recording the medieval foundations at depths between 0.28m to 0.44m below current ground level. Test Pit 1 also revealed the lower half of an in-situ east-west oriented inhumation at a depth of 0.76m below ground level. Across all three test pits, the archaeological remains recorded were overlain by a backfill deposit of 20th century date, likely to derive from the archaeological excavations known to have taken place in this area of the churchyard in the 1960’s, and suggesting that the remains had previously been exposed, and possibly disturbed, at this time.