SNN116839 - Glapthorn Road, Oundle, Northamptonshire. Archaeological Desk Based Assessment

This archaeological desk-based assessment considers land at Oundle, Northamptonshire, forming land west of Glapthorn Road, which is proposed for the erection of up to 33 extra care apartments for older people. In accordance with government policy (National Planning Policy Framework), this assessment draws together the available archaeological, historic, topographic and land-use information in order to clarify the heritage significance and archaeological potential of the study site. The study site has been the subject of a recent archaeological desk-based assessment by Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) in November 2015. The current assessment is based on that previous report with updated policy, impact and Historic Environment Record information of relevance. A review of the available baseline evidence shows that the study site is located within a known archaeological landscape and suggests that the study site has some potential to contain occupation remains dating to the Prehistoric, Roman, Saxon and Medieval periods. Prehistoric and Roman settlement features have been identified c.660m to the north of the study site and the later Medieval core of the town is likely to have developed from an earlier Saxon enclosed settlement c.170m distant to the south. The proximity of these areas of known occupation dictates that the possibility of finding associated archaeological features from these periods cannot be completely discounted. However given that the evidence points to these settlements being defined by bounded enclosures or representing small rural farmsteads, it is unlikely that they would have spread far outside their currently identified extents.The significance of any archaeology within the study site, if present, is as yet unknown. On the basis of the available evidence the site remained part of the rural hinterland surrounding settlement in the Prehistoric, Roman and Saxon periods and remained undeveloped up to Modern times. Therefore any archaeological material found within the study site, is expected to comprise remnants of agricultural activity or residual material and is unlikely to represent in-situ remains of more than local importance.The proposed development has the potential to impact on below-ground deposits within the building footprint; there may also be impacts associated with utilities and carpark drainage at the south eastern corner of the site. It is noted that there will be no impacts across the western part of the study site. From the evidence provided by historic mapping no building has taken place on the area of the study site proposed for the construction of the extra-care apartments and there is therefore potential for archaeological deposits remaining within this part of the study site. In a previous planning application for the development of the study site the Northamptonshire County Council Archaeologist was content for the application to be informed by an archaeological desk-based assessment, with any further work to confirm the presence/absence of significant archaeology and mitigate any impacts secured by a condition to planning consent. The current assessment has reviewed updated evidence from the historic environment record and no new information of relevance to the archaeological potential of the study site has been identified. It is therefore considered that the same approach as adopted before, comprising a programme of archaeological works secured via condition to planning consent, can be taken in relation to the current planning application.