SNN116941 - Watching Brief at Ivy House, Hardingstone, Northamptonshire

Arthian Ltd (formerly Mabbett & Associates Ltd and Crestwood Environmental Ltd) were appointed by Clayson Country Homes (‘the Client’) to undertake an archaeological watching brief at Land at Ivy House, Hardingstone, Northamptonshire, NN4 6DR– centred at National Grid Reference (NGR) SP 7682 5798, (‘the Site’) – where the Client plans to refurbish and convert the Grade II Listed Ivy House and two of its curtilage listed outbuildings, as well as construct two new single storey dwellings. The work was carried out in response to planning condition 6 of Listed Building Consent (LBC ref: WNN/2022/0244), which required a qualified archaeological contractor to monitor and record any below ground archaeological remains within the Site, as well as monitor and record the removal of elements of the curtilage listed outbuildings. The scope of works was further defined following consultation with the Assistant Archaeological Advisor (AAA) for North Northamptonshire Council (NNC).No archaeological deposits or artefacts were uncovered as a result of this investigation. A mixed, modern overburden deposit was found to cover much of the watching brief area. However, the removal of later outbuildings abutting the barn to the southeast of Ivy House revealed that the barn had two, large parallel doorways which were blocked up/partially infilled when the barn was converted for residential use. This indicates that the original function of the barn was as a cart shed, or perhaps a threshing barn