SNN44235 - Land to The Rear of 6 and 8 Watling Street, Towcester, Northamptonshire: Archaeological Watching Brief

This report presents the results of an archaeological watching brief carried out between May and October 1998 at land to the rear of 6 and 8 Watling Street, Towcester, Northamptonshire (NGR SP 6960 4837; Fig.1). The work was commissioned by English Churches Housing in order to discharge the planning condition placed upon the development. The watching brief was conducted in accordance with a specification of works prepared by Cotswold Archaeological trust (CAT) and approved by Northamptonshire Heritage in November 1998. The watching brief involved monitoring the excavation of trenches for the new services associated with the new housing development, and the observation of the removal of mature tree and root structure. The reduced level excavations beneath Blocks A and B were originally included within the scope of works of the watching brief, but were finally omitted due to a revised lower depth of disturbance. This report follows the earlier evaluation of the site carried out by CAT in May 1997, where evidence of activity dating back to the prehistoric period was retrieved. For details of the archaeological background the evaluation report should be consulted (Barber 1997).