SNN116799 - ARCHAEOLOGICAL STRIP, MAP AND RECORD REPORT: LAND AT THE HERMITAGE, DESBOROUGH, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

Alistructures Limited commissioned Allen Archaeology Limited (AAL) to undertake an archaeological strip, map and record on land at The Hermitage, Desborough, Northamptonshire, as a condition of planning consent for a commercial development. In the medieval period a monastic grange and hermitage belonging to Pipewell Abbey was established, extending into the southwestern part of the site. This was surrounded by a moated enclosure, and possible evidence of this enclosure survives to the immediate east and west of the site. A house inside the moat was demolished in 1863, and a chapel to its east was demolished in the late 17th century. A cemetery is said to have been located to the east of the moated site. Trial trenching on the site two large ditches producing finds dating to the 18th and 19th centuries, and corresponding with features shown on historic mapping and likely to relate to the former medieval moated enclosure and monastic grange. As final mitigation, a programme of archaeological strip, map and record was agreed with the Assistant Archaeological Advisor at North Northamptonshire Council, targeting the two ditches identified during the trial trenching, to further date and characterise these features. This programme comprised two areas, with each area targeting the inner and outer ditches respectively. Area 1 was a 10m x 4m rectangular excavation area, facilitating a full sondage into the outer ditch. Area 2 was a large irregularly shaped excavation area along the edges of the extant industrial estate, targeting the suspected alignment of the second inner ditch. The works successfully established the location and alignments of both features. Both ditches were filled with natural silting deposits, and later deliberate backfills. The finds within the infilling deposits suggest different origins for each of the ditches. The northernmost ditch appears to have been relatively late in age containing evidence of only having been backfilled during the 19th – 20th century. The southernmost ditch contained a range of stratified dating evidence suggesting infilling from the mid-16th century and was consistent with this ditch likely being part of an earlier moated enclosure associated with the medieval grange and hermitage. The latest infilling was likely immediately prior to the construction of the Hermitage Farm in the 19th century.