SNN116658 - Post Excavation Assessment Report for Archaeological Recording at Stone House and Chipping Warden

This report details a summary of the results of a programme of Archaeological Recording which was carried out by Connect Archaeology between the 12.11.2020 and 23.09.2021. The Archaeological Recording encompassed four parcels of land designated as C32055, C32056, C32057 and C32058 at Stone House and Chipping Warden Airfield, Northamptonshire, hereafter referred to as ‘the Site’ (Site Code 1C20STOAR). The Site is located in an area to the north of the village of Chipping Warden and is within the Greatworth to Lower Boddington Community Forum Area (CFA15). The Archaeological Recording comprised an area which measured 2.69ha in total, broken down as follows: • C32055 1.23ha (NGR 450191, 249797) • C32056 0.66ha (NGR 450084, 249777) • C32057 0.68ha (NGR 449989, 249863) • C32058 0.12 ha (NGR 449700, 249497) Previous geophysical surveys (Document Nos. 1EW03-RPS-GL-MST-CS07_CL13-002338 and 1EW03-FUS-EV-REP- CS07_CL13-004388) identified areas of potential prehistoric and Roman activity in the western part of the Site (C32056-58) whilst possible Romano-British activity was identified in the eastern part of the Site (C32055). Trial trenching carried out between 26/05/2020 and 20/07/2020 (Document No. 1EW03-FUS_CNA-EV-REP-CS07_CL13-000005) confirmed the presence of complex and dense concentrations of settlement activity relating to the Late Iron Age and Early Romano-British periods.The Archaeological Recording at Chipping Warden revealed a site that was dominated by evidence for settlement spanning the Middle Iron Age to the 4th century AD. There was also evidence for activity during the LateNeolithic period and the early BronzeAge, although this was small- scale and ephemeral. The LateNeolithicwas evidenced by the deposition offlintflakes and blades within a pit. Residual Neolithic material was also present in a later gully, suggesting that earlier deposits were disturbed.Evidence for the Bronze Age was found in C32057 and was represented by a gully containing residual comb-impressed Beaker pottery. Residual Bronze Age pottery was also recovered from later features across the site. Iron Age activity was identified within areas C32056 and C32058. In C32056 this was limited to a circular waste pit that contained large amounts of charcoal, a single sherd of Iron Age shelly ware and undated flints. Iron Age activity was also identified c.400m to the southwest, in area C32058. Here, 90 sherds from a single Middle Iron Age jar were recovered from a burial that contained the disarticulated remains of three juveniles. This burial was located at the entrance to a rectilinear enclosure, which may have been constructed as a funerary enclosure.Evidence for more substantial settlement at the Site is related to the digging of a series of ditches and gullies in C32055, C32056 and C32057. Pottery recovered from these features suggests continuous use from the Late Iron Age through to the Roman period, with associated use ending at some point in the 4th century. They are likely to have functioned as enclosures dividing land use and for stock management. Animal bone recovered from across the Site was dominated by cattle and sheep/goat remains, suggesting that these were the focus of the agricultural economy. Smaller amounts of horse, pig and goose remains indicate that these were also managed at the Site. Evidence for domestic structures was most prevalent in the northern part of C32055, where two roundhouses and one rectangular structure were identified. Pottery recovered from these features dated to the Roman period. A possible disturbed roundhouse was identified in C32056. Two Roman holloways, with adjacent drainage gullies, were located in C32055, indicating that the Site was connected to the surrounding Romano-British landscape. These may have connected, forming a junction beside the southeastern limit of excavation. Five inhumations were identified in C32055, all dated to the Roman period. A further burial, in a crouched position, was identified in the northern part of C32056, which may date from the Iron Age/ Roman period. Further work including absolute dating, osteoarchaeological analysis and placing the Site in its wider context will allow a better understanding of how this site aids our understanding of the temporal and regional changes in Iron Age/Roman settlement and agricultural activity in this area of England. The results of the Archaeological Recording have informed the archaeological resource assessment for the Site and identified how the archaeological remains contribute to the delivery of aims, objectives and knowledge gained defined in the Generic Written Scheme of Investigation: Historic Environment Research and Delivery Strategy (Document No. HS2-HS2-EV-STR-000-000015). The Specific objectives were outlined in the Location Specific Written Scheme of Investigation (LSWSI) for Archaeological Mitigation at Stone House and Chipping Warden Airfield, Northamptonshire (AC320) (Document No. 1EW03-FUS_CNA-EV-REPCS07_CL13-000004)