SNN116988 - Observation, Investigation, Recording, Analysis and Publication (OIRAP): The Shambles, Bulwick

In May 2023, Archaeology England was commissioned by Heritage Archaeology to carry out an Observation, Investigation, Recording, Analysis and Publication (OIRAP) at 12 Main Street, Bulwick, Northamptonshire NN17 3EA. The OIRAP was aimed at locating and recording the buried remains of a former village well and pump.The location of the well was identified through a previous phase of desk-based research (Kelly 2022). An area measuring 14.3m² was stripped, revealing its remains. The well was 1.9m in diameter and was lined with limestone blocks. A number of deposits were observed within it, all of them containing fragments of modern materials within redeposited topsoil suggesting a number of backfill events. Once recorded, the area of the well was further reduced to investigate its stability and to comply with health and safety recommendations set by Northamptonshire Archaeology Officer.