Woodcote House (Formerly Happylands) Church Lane, Stoke Bruerne Northamptonshire

Woodcote House (formerly Happylands) Church Lane, Stoke Bruerne Northamptonshire

Archaeological Observation, Investigation, Recording, Analysis and Publication

for Mr Ray Mallock

CA Project: MK0081

CA Report: MK0081_2

Site Code: WOHO19

Event Number: ENN1095154

February 2020

Woodcote House (formerly Happylands) Church Lane, Stoke Bruerne Northamptonshire

Archaeological Observation, Investigation, Recording, Analysis and Publication

CA Project: MK0081 CA Report: MK0081_2 Site Code: WOHO19 Event Number: ENN1095154

Document Control Grid Revision Date Author Checked by Status Reasons for Approved revision by 1 10/6/19 EJB APS - Internal review APS 2 04/02/20 EJB APS - LPA Review APS

This report is confidential to the client. Cotswold Archaeology accepts no responsibility or liability to any third party to whom this report, or any part of it, is made known. Any such party relies upon this report entirely at their own risk. No part of this report may be reproduced by any means without permission.

CONTENTS

SUMMARY ...... 2

1. INTRODUCTION ...... 3

2. ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND ...... 4

3. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ...... 5

4. METHODOLOGY ...... 6

5. RESULTS (FIGS 2-6) ...... 66

6. THE FINDS ...... 8

7. THE BIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE ...... 10

8. DISCUSSION ...... 10

9. CA PROJECT TEAM ...... 11

10. REFERENCES ...... 11

APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS ...... 13

APPENDIX B: THE FINDS ...... 15

APPENDIX C: THE PALAEOENVIRONMENTAL EVIDENCE ...... 16

APPENDIX D: OASIS REPORT FORM ...... 17

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Fig. 1 Site location plan (1:25000) Fig. 2 Location plan showing archaeological features (1:500) Fig. 3 Photograph: Pre-excavation view of site looking east Fig. 4 Ditch 104, section and photograph (1:20) Fig. 5 Ditch terminus 108, section and photograph (1:20) Fig. 6 Pit 110, section and photograph (1:20) Fig. 7 Happylands drainage plan (August 1957) showing position of Iron Age ditch (NtS)

1 © Cotswold Archaeology Woodcote House (formerly Happylands), Church Lane, Stoke Bruerne, Northamptonshire

SUMMARY

Project Name: Woodcote House Location: Stoke Bruerne NGR: 474065 249746 Type: Archaeological Observation, Investigation, Recording, Analysis and Publication Date: 29-30 May 2019 Location of Archive: Northamptonshire Archaeological Resource Centre Accession Number: ENN1095154 Site Code: WOHO19

A programme of Archaeological Observation, Investigation, Recording, Analysis and Publication was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology during groundworks associated with the conservatory element of a new dwelling, Woodcote House, which replaces an existing property on the site known as Happylands. Pits and a ditch of Iron Age date were discovered during the construction of Happylands, in 1957. The investigation, which was preceded by a trial trench evaluation that did not identify any securely dated archaeological remains, took place following the discovery of drainage records identifying the previously unconfirmed location of the Iron Age ditch, which was not encountered in any of the evaluation trenches. The drainage plan indicated that the conservatory element of the new build was likely to disturb the ditch.

Two ditches were exposed, correlating with the predicted path of the Iron Age ditch as shown on the drainage plan, with a gap between the two sections likely forming an entrance way. The western-most ditch had been heavily truncated during the construction of Happylands. Late prehistoric pottery was recovered from both ditches. A pit or tree bole was also exposed truncating the top of one section of the ditch. This had been deliberately backfilled and contained material dating from the 18th and 20th centuries. An environmental sample taken from this feature shows that much of the backfill likely derives from the waste of a hearth/oven.

2 © Cotswold Archaeology Woodcote House (formerly Happylands), Church Lane, Stoke Bruerne, Northamptonshire

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 In May 2019 Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out a programme of Archaeological Observation, Investigation, Recording, Analysis and Publication for Mr Ray Mallock at Woodcote House (formerly Happylands) Church Lane, Stoke Bruene (centred at NGR: 474065, 249746; Fig. 1). The investigation was undertaken to fulfil a condition (Condition 14) attached to planning permission granted by South Northamptonshire Council (SNC) for the Demolition of existing dwelling and erection of replacement dwelling, ancillary swimming pool/gym/plant building, ancillary garage block and all associated works at Woodcote House (Formerly Happylands), Church Lane, Stoke Bruerne, NN12 7SG (ref: S/2018/2115/FUL).

1.2 The site is situated in an area of archaeological interest, with remains of Iron Age date, including pits and ditches, having been discovered in 1957, during the construction of the original dwelling on the site, Happylands. An initial archaeological evaluation undertaken in March 2019 (CA 2019a) identified a small number of undated features within the site but no further remains of clear Iron Age date. Following this, a drainage plan was identified that plotted the line of the Iron Age ditch, which was indicated running through the area of the conservatory for the new dwelling, Woodcote House. Subsequent discussions with the Assistant Archaeological Advisor, Northamptonshire County Council (AAANCC – Liz Mordue), in their capacity as archaeological advisor to SNC, determined that a programme of Archaeological Observation, Investigation, Recording, Analysis and Publication was required on the construction of the conservatory, in order to more fully investigate the Iron Age ditch, and any other associated remains, prior to their damage or loss.

1.3 The programme of Archaeological Observation, Investigation, Recording, Analysis and Publication (hereafter the investigation) was informed by a detailed Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) produced by CA (2019b) and approved by the AAANCC and SNC. The fieldwork followed the Standard and guidance for an archaeological watching brief (CIfA 2014). It was monitored by the AAANCC.

The site 1.4 The development area is located on the west side of Church Lane, on the western edge of the village of Stoke Bruerne. The site is bounded to south and west by agricultural land, to the north by the churchyard of the church of St Mary the Virgin, and to the east by Church Lane (Fig. 1). The plot, with an area of approximately 2ha,

3 © Cotswold Archaeology Woodcote House (formerly Happylands), Church Lane, Stoke Bruerne, Northamptonshire

comprises the former site of the dwelling Happylands and its garden which slopes down from west to east, lying between 110 and 105m aOD.

1.5 The underlying bedrock geology of the site is mapped as mudstone of the Rutland Formation formed during the Jurassic Period, with an area of Blisworth Limestone overlain superficial deposits of Oadby Member Diamicton in the north eastern corner (BGS 2019).

2. ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

2.1 The following section is summarised from information contained within Woodcote, Church Lane, Stoke Bruerne, Northamptonshire: Heritage Settings Assessment (CA 2018); and Woodcote House (formally Happylands), Church Lane Stoke Breune, Northamptonshire: Archaeological Evaluation (CA 2019a).

2.2 The site lies within an area of known archaeological potential recorded by the Northamptonshire Historic Environment Record. In 1957 several pits containing Iron Age pottery and iron fragments were found on the site, probably when the existing house was built. Noted as containing a few sherds of Hunsbury ware, pieces of iron, mussel and oyster shells, and fragments of chert, they were recorded as being found 100m south of Stoke Bruerne church on limestone at 107m aOD, and are suggestive of domestic rubbish disposal (MNN 28620, RCHME 1982). A drainage plan from 1957 shows the confirmed and predicted line of an Iron Age ditch running broadly east to west across the site, to the south of the house (Fig. 7 - plan provided courtesy of Mr Ray Mallock).

2.3 The area immediately surrounding the site also appears to have been a focus for Saxon activity and it is likely that the Saxon settlement of Stoke Bruerne was located close to the current medieval Church of St Mary, approximately 75m to the north, which may have replaced an earlier Saxon church. At Domesday (AD 1086), the manor was worth £3, as it had been in 1066, and belonged to Swein, son of Azur. In addition to the priest, there were 14 villagers and 7 smallholders, 10 ploughlands, 30 acres of meadow and woodland; a mill worth 3s 4d is also recorded (opendomesday.org).

4 © Cotswold Archaeology Woodcote House (formerly Happylands), Church Lane, Stoke Bruerne, Northamptonshire

2.4 A single inhumation burial, presumed to be of Saxon date, was discovered to the northwest of the site and to the west of the church of St Mary the Virgin in about 1910 (MNN28619, RCHME 1982). A timber-lined well was found during building work on the east side of Church Lane at the Baker’s House in the 1980s which was dated to the Saxon period based on recovery of a fragment of a Saxon bone comb (MNN143380, NCC 2018a). More recently, work on the east side of Church Lane, on land at Peppercorns, has identified further evidence for Saxon activity, including a quantity of pottery (AAANCC pers comm.).

2.5 The focus of the medieval village was the Grade II* Listed Church of St Mary (NHLE 1040946, MNN 105106), which is located 75m to the northeast of the proposed development site. The Church underwent successive phases of expansion and alteration during the medieval and post-medieval periods; for instance, the tower is thought to date from the early 12th century, while the nave and both aisles were rebuilt together in the later 14th century, with the nave clerestory probably contemporary with the date-stone of 1594 in the south parapet (CA 2018).

2.6 During the medieval period Stoke Bruerne parish comprised two townships; Stoke and Shutlanger. Both townships had their own common fields and common meadow in the medieval period, most of which survived until 1844 when the parish was the last in the south of the county to be enclosed (VCH 2002). During the medieval period the Church would have stood above ‘Church Field’ open field (VCH 2002), which extends southwards across the valley of the River Tove. The Church is likely to have marked the western extent of the medieval settlement.

2.7 An archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology in March 2019. Three undated features of archaeological interest were recorded, comprising one northeast/southwest oriented gully, one isolated post-hole, and one pit. No artefacts were recovered during the investigation (Cotswold Archaeology 2019a).

3. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

3.1 The objectives of the investigation were:

5 © Cotswold Archaeology Woodcote House (formerly Happylands), Church Lane, Stoke Bruerne, Northamptonshire

• to monitor groundworks, and to identify, investigate and record all significant buried archaeological deposits revealed on the site during the course of the development groundworks;

• at the conclusion of the project, to produce an integrated archive for the project work and a report setting out the results of the project and the archaeological conclusions that can be drawn from the recorded data.

4. METHODOLOGY

4.1 The fieldwork varied from the methodology set out within the WSI (CA 2019b). Due to confusion in communication with the groundworkers an archaeological trench, 17m long by 1.8m wide, was excavated across the footprint of the conservatory, following the predicted line of the Iron Age ditch, rather than along the actual footings. This is not thought to have affected the results of the investigation as the excavated trench was considerably wider than the foundation trenches for the conservatory and, due also to the greater length, allowed for a much longer section of the ditch to be exposed than would have been seen in the foundation trenches.

4.2 Non-archaeologically significant deposits were removed by the groundworks contractor, working under archaeological supervision. Where archaeological deposits were encountered written, graphic and photographic records were compiled in accordance with CA Technical Manual 1: Fieldwork Recording Manual.

4.3 The archive and artefacts from the evaluation are currently held by CA at their offices in Milton Keynes. Subject to the agreement of the legal landowner the artefacts will be deposited with the Northamptonshire Archaeological Resource Centre under accession number ENN1095154 along with the site archive. A summary of information from this project, set out within Appendix D, will be entered onto the OASIS online database of archaeological projects in Britain.

5. RESULTS (FIGS 2-7)

5.1 This section provides an overview of the results; detailed summaries of the recorded contexts, finds and environmental samples (palaeoenvironmental evidence) are to be found in Appendices A, B and C respectively

6 © Cotswold Archaeology Woodcote House (formerly Happylands), Church Lane, Stoke Bruerne, Northamptonshire

5.2 Natural geological substrate (103) comprised a mottled mid yellow brown and mid brownish red clay. This was overlain by subsoil 102, a layer of mid grey brown silty clay averaging 0.25m thick; which was in turn overlain by a 0.18m thick layer of made ground (101), comprising dark blue black clay. This was sealed by a layer of constriction debris (100) consisting of mid yellow brown silty sand with frequent rubble inclusions measuring 0.12m thick.

5.3 The trench contained three archaeological features, comprising two ditches and a pit.

5.4 Ditch 104 ran on an east/west alignment along western half of the northern edge of the trench. It measured 1.27m wide; however, the full width was not exposed owing to truncation from a foundation trench (106) of the previous building on the site (Happylands) and the excavation limits of the trench. The eastern end of ditch 104 was entirely truncated by a possible soakaway, modern disturbance 112. Ditch 104 had a straight southern edge with a moderate gradient and concave base, with a depth of 0.65m. It contained a single fill (105), comprising mid grey brown silty clay, from which six sherds of late prehistoric pottery was recovered.

5.5 Probable ditch terminus 108 was located at the eastern end of the trench. It measured 1m wide by 0.47m deep with straight sides and a concave base. The single fill (109) comprised mid grey brown silty clay from which a small quantity of late prehistoric pottery was recovered. In the north part of the trench the top of ditch 108 was truncated by an area of modern disturbance, from which post-medieval CBM was recovered.

5.6 Pit or tree bole 110 was exposed in the western half of the trench and truncated the top of ditch 104. It was sub circular as seen, with shallow concave sides and a slightly uneven base. It measured 3m in length by more than 0.7m wide with a depth of 0.24m. The single fill (111) comprised a dark blue black sandy clay containing a small quantity of glass, ceramic building material and pottery dating to the post-medieval period. Three sherds of late prehistoric pottery were also recovered, likely related to ditch 104. Industrial waste, fired clay and iron nails and unidentified iron objects were also recovered. A sample was taken from fill (111) which revealed moderate and high concentrations of charcoal and coal respectively indicating possible deliberate deposition of waste from a hearth or oven.

7 © Cotswold Archaeology Woodcote House (formerly Happylands), Church Lane, Stoke Bruerne, Northamptonshire

6. THE FINDS

6.1 The artefactual material is recorded from seven deposits; the fill of pits and ditches (Appendix B). The material was recovered by hand.

Pottery 6.2 The pottery recovered from the investigation is recorded in Appendix B and discussed below. Recording of the finds assemblage was direct to an Excel spreadsheet; this now forms the basis of Appendix B (Table 1). The pottery was examined by context, using a x40 hand lens and quantified according to sherd count and weight per fabric type. The fabrics are described in Appendix B (Table 2) in accordance with the Historic England guidelines (Barclay et al. 2016) and the Prehistoric Ceramics Research Group Guidelines (PCRG 2010). The assemblage comprises 16 sherds (126g) of pottery recorded from the fills of a pit and ditches. The condition of the assemblage is poor to moderate; most surfaces and fractures have been subjected to moderate abrasion. The mean sherd weight is average even for a largely late prehistoric assemblage (7.9g).

Late Prehistoric Pottery 6.3 A total of 13 sherds (94g) of handmade pottery are recorded from three deposits. The late prehistoric pottery is recorded in three fabrics; shell tempered (SH), shell and grog-tempered (SHGR) and Limestone and mudstone-tempered (LMU). The most frequently occurring of these are the shell-tempered fabrics (9 sherds, 61g). Ditch fill 105 produced a plain rim sherd (SH), probably from a bowl, dating to Iron Age. The sherd is small and a more refined dating is not possible. Fabric LMU (3 sherds, 16g) is tempered with coarse inclusions of shelly limestone and calcareous mudstone, probably produced from locally sourced clays associated with rutland formations. One plain body sherd (17g) of shelly grog-tempered pottery dates to the Late Iron Age. There are no other diagnostic sherds recorded in the assemblage.

Post-medieval Pottery 6.4 A total of three sherds (32g) of post-medieval pottery are recorded from the pit fill 111. One plain sherd (4g) of glazed red earthenware (GRE) dates between the 16th and 18th centuries. Two sherds of refined red earthenware (REFR), one of which may be the base of a flower pot, date between the late 18th and 20th centuries.

8 © Cotswold Archaeology Woodcote House (formerly Happylands), Church Lane, Stoke Bruerne, Northamptonshire

Summary 6.5 The pottery evidence suggests that there was activity at the site during the late prehistoric period; however, due to the small size of the assemblage and lack of forms, it is not possible to offer any meaningful commentary about the nature of this activity. Subsequent post-medieval pottery is consistent with urban activity, most likely from the 18th century onwards. Again, due to the small size of the post-medieval assemblage, it is not possible to provide a more detailed discussion of this activity.

Ceramic Building Material 6.3 A total of 14 fragments (373g) of post-medieval ceramic building material are recorded from pit fills 109 and 111. The material is made in fine (fs), medium (ms) or coarse (cs) sandy fabrics, some with inclusions of iron ore (fe) or calcareous grits (c). Pit fill 109 produced one fragment of tile and pit fill 111 produced two fragments of brick. There are no other diagnostic forms.

Fired Clay 6.4 Pit fill 111 produced two fragments (53g) of fired clay made in a coarse sandy fabric with calcareous inclusions (csc). Both are amorphous in shape with no marks or impressions on the surfaces. One fragment does appear to have been pressed onto a surface using fingers and it is possible that this represents a fragment of daub.

Industrial Waste 6.5 Two fragments (13g) of post-medieval coke are recorded from pit fill 111. It is not possible to provide any more detailed discussion regarding these fragments.

Glass 6.6 Two fragments (41g) of glass are recorded from pit fill 111. One fragment of transparent window glass is in good condition and most likely dates to the 19th or 20th centuries. The base of a green bottle, possibly a wine bottle, probably dates to the same period.

Metalwork 6.7 Four fragments (46g) of iron are recorded from pit fill 111. Two nails and two flat strips of iron, one rectangular and one tear drop shaped, are recorded. All fragments are heavily encrusted and corroded and it is not possible to determine their function or date precisely.

9 © Cotswold Archaeology Woodcote House (formerly Happylands), Church Lane, Stoke Bruerne, Northamptonshire

7. THE BIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE

Palaeoenvironmental Report by Emma Aitken 7.1 A single sample (2 litres of soil) was processed from fill 111 of pit 110. This was done with the intention of recovering environmental evidence of industrial or domestic activity taking place on the site. The sample was processed by standard flotation procedures (CA Technical Manual No. 2).

7.2 Identifications of plant macrofossils are noted in Table 1, following nomenclature of Stace (1997) for wild plants, and traditional nomenclature, as provided by Zohary et al (2012) for cereals. The presence of mollusc shells has also been recorded, following nomenclature is according to Anderson (2005) and habitat preferences according to Kerney (1999) and Davies (2008).

7.3 The late 18th Century – 20th century date for pit 110 has been obtained from pottery recovered from fill 111 (see 6.4 above).

7.4 Fill 111 (sample 1) of pit 110 contained a single charred barley (Hordeum vulgare) grain and a single charred spurge (Euphorbia sp.) weed seed. A moderate quantity of charcoal fragments greater than 2mm was recorded during the examination of the flot alongside a very high number of coal fragments. This indicates that burning activities were taking place within the nearby vicinity and may suggest that this environmental assemblage could be representative of a dump of hearth/oven waste. Low quantities of terrestrial snail shells belonging to the open country species Vallonia sp. were also noted during assessment.

8. DISCUSSION

8.1 Ditch 104 and ditch terminus 108 correlate well with the east/west orientation of the Iron Age ditch identified on the 1957 drainage plan of the site (Fig 7). Both ditches align with one another, with a gap between the two sections likely forming an entrance way, although it is noted that the terminus of ditch 104 had been entirely truncated by a modern soakaway. Late prehistoric pottery was recovered from both ditches, further confirming the Iron Age date attached to the ditch exposed during the 1957 drainage works.

10 © Cotswold Archaeology Woodcote House (formerly Happylands), Church Lane, Stoke Bruerne, Northamptonshire

8.2 The only other feature revealed within the trench was possible pit or tree bole 110, truncating the top of ditch 104. This was filled with waste likely from a hearth/oven and included post-medieval pottery, iron objects, glass and CBM. Dating for this material spans the 18th to the 20th centuries. Three sherds of late prehistoric pottery were recovered from this feature but are likely to derive from underlying ditch 104, through which the feature was cut.

8.3 The preceding evaluation found limited evidence for other archaeological activity on site and it is likely that ditches 104 and 108 represent a field boundary or outlying enclosure ditch. However, the moderate quantities of pottery and animal bone recovered from the ditches suggest that the settlement of some form was situated within close proximity. Alternatively, any other associated remains may have been removed during the construction of Happylands, including associated terracing and landscaping works.

9. CA PROJECT TEAM

Fieldwork was undertaken by Eilidh Barr. The report was written by Eilidh Barr and Ralph Brown. The finds and biological evidence reports were written by Peter Banks and Emma Aitken respectively. The illustrations were prepared by Esther Escudero. The archive has been compiled by Emily Evans, and prepared for deposition by Hazel O’Neill. The project was managed for CA by Adrian Scruby.

10. REFERENCES

Anderson, R. 2005 ‘An annotated list of the non-marine Mollusca of Britain and Ireland’, Journal of Conchology 38, 607-637

Barclay, A., Booth, P., Knight, D., Evans, J., Brown, D.H. and Wood, I. 2016 A Standard for Pottery Studies in Archaeology Historic England

BGS (British Geological Survey) 2015 Geology of Britain Viewer http://mapapps.bgs.ac.uk/geologyofbritain/home.html Accessed 10/6/19

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2012 The taking and processing of environmental and other samples from archaeological sites: Technical Manual No. 2

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2018 Woodcote, Church Lane, Stoke Bruerne, Northamptonshire: Heritage Settings Assessment. Cotswold Archaeology report no. 18412

11 © Cotswold Archaeology Woodcote House (formerly Happylands), Church Lane, Stoke Bruerne, Northamptonshire

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2019a. Woodcote House (formally Happylands), Church Lane, Stoke Bruerne, Northamptonshire: Archaeological Investigation, CA report No. 661219_01

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2019b. Woodcote House (formally Happylands), Church Lane, Stoke Bruerne, Northamptonshire: Written scheme of investigation for a programme of Archaeological Observation, Investigation, Recording, Analysis and Publication

Davies, P. 2008 Snails Archaeology and Landscape Change, Oxford, Oxbow Books

Greig, J. 1991 ‘The British Isles’ in van Zeist, W., Wasylikowa,K. and Behre, K-E. (eds) Progress in Old World Palaeoethnobotany, Rotterdam 229-334

PCRG, 2010 Prehistoric ceramics research group guidelines Occasional Papers 1 and 2

Stace, C. 1997 New flora of the British Isles (2nd edition), Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Wakely, J., Manchester, K. and Roberts, C. 1985 ‘Scanning electron microscope study of normal vertebrae and ribs from early medieval human skeletons’, J. Archaeol. Sci. 16, 627-42 van Zeist, W., Wasylikowa, K. and Behre, K-E. (eds) 1991 Progress in Old World Palaeoethnobotany, Rotterdam, Balkema

Zohary, D., Hopf, M. and Weiss, E. 2012 Domestication of plants in the Old World: the origin and spread of cultivated plants in West Asia, Europe, and the Nile Valley, 4th edition, Oxford, Clarendon Press

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APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS

Context Fill Type Context Description Length Width Depth Number of interpretation (m) (m) (m) 100 - Layer Demolition Loose mid yellow >17 >1.8 0.12 rubble brown silt sand with ceramic building material inclusions 101 - Layer Made ground Firm dark blue black, >17 >1.8 0.18 clay with rare sub rounded stone inclusions 102 - Layer Subsoil Firm mid grey brown >17 >1.8 0.25 sand silt with rare sounded stone inclusions 103 - Layer Natural Firm mottled mid >17 >1.8 - yellow brown and brown red clay with gravel patches. 104 - Cut Ditch E-W linear with >1 1.27 0.65 moderate sides and a concave base 105 104 Fill Secondary Firm mid grey brown >1 1.27 0.65 silting silt clay with large sub-angular and sub rounded stone inclusions 106 - Cut House Steep straight edges, >0.5 >0.36 >0.4 foundations and a flat base, limited view due to edge of trench 107 106 Fill Deliberate Firm mid grey brown >0.5 >0.36 >0.4 backfill silt clay with frequent CBM inclusions 108 - Cut Terminus E-W linear with >1 1 0.42 straight sides, steep edge to the north, moderate to the south, with a concave base 109 108 Fill Secondary Disuse fill, that is mid >1 1 0.42 silting grey brown, silt clay moderately firm composition, with animal bone, pottery, C.B.M , occasional medium angular

13 © Cotswold Archaeology Woodcote House (formerly Happylands), Church Lane, Stoke Bruerne, Northamptonshire

stones and sub rounded stones 110 - Cut Pit/Tree bole Sub circular with >1.5 >0.7 0.24 slightly concave shallow sides and an irregular/flat base 111 110 Fill Fill of Dump deposit, dark >1.5 >0.7 0.24 pit/spread blue black in colour, clay charcoal, C.B.M pot, iron nails, with large angular stone inclusions 112 - Cut Soakaway Circular as seen, not 3 >1.8 - excavated 113 112 Fill Deliberate Rubble backfill 3 >1.8 - deposition

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APPENDIX B: THE FINDS

Table 1: Finds concordance Fabric Weight Context Class Description Count Spot-date Code (g) 105 Late Prehistoric Pottery Shell-tempered fabric SH 3 12 IA Late Prehistoric Pottery Limestone & mudstone-tempered fabric LMU 3 16 109 Late Prehistoric Pottery Shell-tempered fabric SH 4 21 POST-MED CBM Tile x 1 fsfe/csc 5 34 111 Post-medieval Pottery Glazed red earthenware GRE 1 4 LC18-C20 Post-medieval Pottery Refined red earthenware REFR 2 28 Late Prehistoric Pottery Shell-tempered fabric SH 2 28 Late Prehistoric Pottery Shelly grog-tempered fabric SHGR 1 17 CBM Perforated brick x 1, brick x 1, fs/fsx/fsc/ 9 339 msfe Fired/burnt clay csc 2 53 Glass Transparent window glass x 1, green 2 41 bottle glass x 1 Industrial waste Coke x 2 2 13 Iron Nails x 2,Objects x 2 4 46

Table 2: Fabric description

Fabric Weight Period Fabric Description Count Code (g) Late Prehistoric Moderate (10%) moderately sorted coarse shelly limestone LMU 3 16 Pottery ≤2mm occ ≤5mm Sparse (5%) poorly sorted angular very coarse calcareous mudstone ≤6mm Common (20%) moderately sorted medium shell ≤2mm SH 9 61 Common (20%) moderately sorted medium shell ≤2mm SHGR 1 17 Moderate (10%) moderately well sorted sub rounded medium grog ≤1mm Post-medieval Pottery Glazed Red Earthenware GRE 1 4 Refined Red Earthenware REFR 2 28 Grand Total 16 126

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APPENDIX C: THE PALAEOENVIRONMENTAL EVIDENCE

Table 1: Assessment of Environmental Evidence Flot Vol size Roots Cereal Charred Notes for Charcoal Feature Context Sample (L) (ml) % Grain Chaff Notes Other Table > 4/2mm Other coal*****; moll-t*; Pit/spread Euphorbia sab**; frd 110 111 1 2 115 2 * - Barley * sp. ***/*** clay*

Key: * = 1–4 items; ** = 4–20 items; *** = 21–49 items; **** = 50–99 items; ***** = >100 items moll-t = terrestrial mollusc, sab = small animal bone, frd clay = fired clay

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APPENDIX E: OASIS REPORT FORM

PROJECT DETAILS Project Name Woodcote House (formerly Happylands), Church Lane, Stoke Bruerne, Northamptonshire: Archaeological Observation, Investigation, Recording, Analysis and Publication Short description A programme of Archaeological Observation, Investigation, Recording, Analysis and Publication was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology during groundworks associated with the conservatory element of a new dwelling, Woodcote House, which replaced an existing property on the site known as Happylands. Pits and a ditch of Iron Age date were discovered during the construction of Happylands, in 1957. The investigation, which was preceded by a phase of evaluation trenching that did not identify any securely dated archaeological remains, took place following the discovery of drainage records from 1957 identifying the previously unconfirmed location of the Iron Age ditch, which was not encountered in any of the evaluation trenches. The plan indicated that the conservatory element of the new build was likely to disturb the ditch.

Two ditches were exposed, correlating with the predicted path of the Iron Age ditch as shown on the drainage plan, with a gap between the two sections likely forming an entrance way. The western-most ditch had been heavily truncated during the construction of Happylands. Late prehistoric pottery was recovered from both ditches. A pit or tree bole was exposed truncating the top of one section of the ditch. This had been deliberately backfilled and contained material dating from the 18th and 20th centuries. An environmental sample taken from this feature shows that much of the backfill likely derives from the waste of a hearth/oven.

The lack of any other significant archaeological activity in the evaluation trenches could be taken to suggest that the ditch is likely part of a field boundary or outlying enclosure ditch, with a settlement situated within close proximity, or that any other associated remains were removed during the construction of Happylands, in 1957. Project dates 29/05/19 – 30/05/19 Project type Archaeological Observation, Investigation, Recording, Analysis and Publication Previous work Heritage Settings Assessment (CA 2018) Field evaluation (CA 2019) Future work Unknown PROJECT LOCATION Site Location Woodcote House, Church Lane, Stoke Bruerne, Northamptonshire Study area (M2/ha) 2ha Site co-ordinates 474065 249746 PROJECT CREATORS Name of organisation Cotswold Archaeology Project Brief originator - Project Design (WSI) originator Cotswold Archaeology Project Manager Adrian Scruby Project Supervisor Eilidh Barr MONUMENT TYPE None SIGNIFICANT FINDS None PROJECT ARCHIVES Intended final location of archive Content (e.g. pottery, (museum/Accession no.) animal bone etc) Physical NARC ceramics, animal bone, glass, iron CBM Paper NARC Context sheets, Trench sheet sections

17 © Cotswold Archaeology Woodcote House (formerly Happylands), Church Lane, Stoke Bruerne, Northamptonshire

Digital ADS Database, digital photos report BIBLIOGRAPHY CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2019 Woodcote House (formerly Happylands), Church Lane, Stoke Bruerne, Northamptonshire: Archaeological Observation, Investigation, Recording, Analysis and Publication CA typescript report MK0081_1

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225000050000

224800048000

LE CITY OF Andover 01264 347630 PETERBOROUGH N Cirencester 01285 771022 CITY OF Cotswold LEICESTER Exeter 01392 573970 CAMBRIDGESHIRE Archaeology Milton Keynes 01908 564660 w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected]

PROJECT TITLE WARWICKSHIRE Woodcote House (formerly Happylands), Church Lane, Stoke Bruerne, Northamptonshire NORTHAMPTONSHIREMILTON KEYNES FIGURE TITLE BUCKINGHAMSHIRE Site location plan LUTON BEDFORDSHIRE E 0 1km

DRAWN BY EE PROJECT NO. MK0081 FIGURE NO. OXFORDSHIRE © Crown copyright and database rights 2019 CHECKED BY DJB DATE 09/01/2020 HERTFORDSHIR Ordnance Survey 0100031673 APPROVED BY AS SCALE@A4 1:25,000 1 4474050 4474100 4474000 7 7 7 N 4 4 4 0 1 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 CChurchhurch GGraveyardraveyard SStt MMaryary tthehe VVirginirgin CChurchhurch

224980049800

Site boundary

Investigation area

Previous evaluation trench (CA 2019)

CChurch Lane Previous archaeological feature h u r c h Archaeological feature

L (excavated/unexcavated) a T1 n e Modern feature

A A Section location T2 Potential alignment of Iron Age ditch (from Happylands Stoke Bruerne T3 drainage plan, August 1957) 224975049750 T4 OHP (9m buffer)

d x HHappylandsappylands

m ((demolished)demolished)

r_190307.

te s B C C T1 A

y_ma

ve ditch terminus ur B pit ditch 108 foundation A 104 106 110

61219_s

GIS\CA_

T6 01:500 25m

,Nort

ern

,Stok Andover 01264 347630

a Cirencester 01285 771022 Exeter 01392 573970 hL Cotswold rc Milton Keynes 01908 564660

h Archaeology w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk

,C e [email protected] ouse PROJECT TITLE

eH t 224970049700 Woodcote House (formerly Happylands), Church Lane, Stoke Bruerne, Northamptonshire

oodco

9 FIGURE TITLE

1 Location plan showing archaeological

\6 : features

DRAWN BY EE PROJECT NO. MK0081 FIGURE NO. CHECKED BY DJB DATE 09/01/2020

ment Path: P

cu APPROVED BY AS SCALE@A3 1:500 2

D Pre-excavation view of site, looking east

Andover 01264 347630 Cirencester 01285 771022 Exeter 01392 573970 Cotswold Milton Keynes 01908 564660 Archaeology Suffolk 01449 900120 w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected]

PROJECT TITLE Woodcote House (formerly Happylands), Church Lane, Stoke Bruerne, Northamptonshire

FIGURE TITLE Photograph

DRAWN BY EE PROJECT NO. MK0081 FIGURE NO. CHECKED BY DJB DATE 09/01/2020 APPROVED BY AS SCALE@A4 NA 3 Section AA

SE NW 107.6m AOD

110707

110505 mmodernodern foundationfoundation 110606

dditchitch 104104

01m1:20

Ditch 104, looking south-west (1m scale)

Andover 01264 347630 Cirencester 01285 771022 Exeter 01392 573970 Cotswold Milton Keynes 01908 564660 Archaeology Suffolk 01449 900120 w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected]

PROJECT TITLE Woodcote House (formerly Happylands), Church Lane, Stoke Bruerne, Northamptonshire

FIGURE TITLE Ditch 104, section and photograph

DRAWN BY EE PROJECT NO. MK0081 FIGURE NO. CHECKED BY DJB DATE 09/01/2020 APPROVED BY AS SCALE@A4 1:20 4 Section BB

NS 106.6m AOD

110909

dditchitch tterminuserminus 110808

stone

01m1:20

Ditch terminus108, looking east (0.5m scale)

Andover 01264 347630 Cirencester 01285 771022 Exeter 01392 573970 Cotswold Milton Keynes 01908 564660 Archaeology Suffolk 01449 900120 w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected]

PROJECT TITLE Woodcote House (formerly Happylands), Church Lane, Stoke Bruerne, Northamptonshire

FIGURE TITLE Pit 108, section and photograph

DRAWN BY EE PROJECT NO. MK0081 FIGURE NO. CHECKED BY DJB DATE 09/01/2020 APPROVED BY AS SCALE@A4 1:20 5 Section CC

WE 107.8m AOD

110101

111111

ppitit 111010

01m1:20

Pit 110 and ditch 104, looking north-east (0.5m scale)

Andover 01264 347630 Cirencester 01285 771022 Exeter 01392 573970 Cotswold Milton Keynes 01908 564660 Archaeology Suffolk 01449 900120 w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected]

PROJECT TITLE Woodcote House (formerly Happylands), Church Lane, Stoke Bruerne, Northamptonshire

FIGURE TITLE Pit 110, section and photograph

DRAWN BY EE PROJECT NO. MK0081 FIGURE NO. CHECKED BY DJB DATE 09/01/2020 APPROVED BY AS SCALE@A4 1:20 6

Figure 7. Happylands drainage plan – August 1957, showing location of Iron Age “trench”