Northamptonshire Archaeology
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Northamptonshire Archaeology An archaeological desk-based assessment of land at the Buccleuch Academy Kettering, Northamptonshire Northamptonshire Archaeology 2 Bolton House Wootton Hall Park Northampton NN4 8BE t. 01604 700493 f. 01604 702822 e. [email protected] Charlotte Walker w. www.northantsarchaeology.co.uk Report 10/161 October 2010 WEEKLEY GLEBE ROAD, KETTERING STAFF Project Manager Stephen Parry MA FSA MIfA Text Charlotte Walker BSc AIfA Illustrations Charlotte Walker QUALITY CONTROL Print name Signed Date Checked by P Chapman Verified and approved by A Chapman Northamptonshire Archaeology 10/161 WEEKLEY GLEBE ROAD, KETTERING OASIS REPORT FORM PROJECT DETAILS Project title Archaeological desk-based assessment of land at the Buccleuch Academy, Kettering, Northamptonshire Short description Northamptonshire Archaeology conducted an archaeological desk-based assessment of land at Weekley Glebe Road, Kettering, Northamptonshire. The site is currently occupied by the former Montagu School, now known as the Buccleuch Academy. Many of the current buildings will be demolished and a new academy built to the east of the current school site.The Roman town of Kettering lies just to the west of the site. Much of the town has been destroyed by quarrying and modern housing developments and little is known about the form of the town. Ironworking appears to have been a principal part of the economy and there are numerous quarry pits and ironworking sites, some of which lie adjacent to the current development area. The south-western corner of the site has been identified as having potentially national archaeological importance. The town is not thought to extend much further westwards into the remainder of the site.The Cytringan Saxon Charter Boundary lies to the south of the site and may extend into it; the boundary may have been formed by a double ditch and central bank. The site was part of Weekley’s open field system until enclosure in the early 19th century, when it formed part of Weekley’s glebe land. The site was farmland until the late 20th century, when the school was built. Project type Desk-based assessment Previous work None Future work Unknown Monument type None and period Significant finds None PROJECT LOCATION County Northamptonshire Site address Buccleuch Academy, Weekley Glebe Road, Kettering Easting SP 8767 Northing 8033 Area 11 ha Height OD 90m aOD PROJECT CREATORS Organisation Northamptonshire Archaeology Project brief originator Project Design originator NA Director/Supervisor Charlotte Walker Project Manager Stephen Parry Sponsor or funding body Willmott Dixon Construction Ltd PROJECT DATE Start date 10/10 End date 10/10 Location Content (eg pottery, animal bone etc) ARCHIVES (Accession no.) Physical Paper Northamptonshire Archaeology Map extracts Digital Northamptonshire Archaeology Mapinfo Plans, Word Report BIBLIOGRAPHY Journal/monograph, published or forthcoming, or unpublished client report (NA report) Title Archaeological desk-based assessment of land at the Buccleuch Academy, Kettering, Northamptonshire Serial title & volume 10/161 Author(s) Charlotte Walker Page numbers 15 Date 10/10 Northamptonshire Archaeology 10/161 WEEKLEY GLEBE ROAD, KETTERING Contents 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background 1.2 Topography, location and geology 2 HISTORICAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND 2.1 Historical background 2.2 Previous archaeological work 2.3 Historic maps 3 CONCLUSION BIBLIOGRAPHY Tables Table 1: Historic Environment Record (HER) details data Figures Front cover: The site of the proposed school, looking east Fig 1: Site location Fig 2: The south-western corner of the site, looking south-east Fig 3: Existing school buildings, looking east Fig 4: The site of the proposed school, looking east Fig 5: Historic Environment Record (HER) data Fig 6: The common fields of Weekley (RCHM 1979, based on plan of 1719) Fig 7: 1808 Weekley Inclosure map (Courtesy of Northamptonshire Record Office) Fig 8: Plan of Weekley, 1810 Fig 9: First Edition Ordnance Survey map, 1880s Fig 10: 1950s Ordnance Survey, 1:2,500 Fig 11: Quarried land and Registered park boundary Fig12: Assessment of management and conservation priorities for Kettering Roman town (from the Extensive Urban Survey 2000) Back cover: Existing school buildings, looking east Northamptonshire Archaeology 10/161 Northamptonshire Kettering e n e Northampton N R 880 AA4433 810 WeekleyWeekley WWeeeekkllllleeyy GGllllleebbee RRooaadd KetteringKettering 0 © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Northamptonshire 800 County Council: Licence No. 100019331. Published 500m2010 Scale 1:10,000 Site location Site location Fig 1 ARCHAEOLOGICAL DESK-BASED ASSESSMENT OF LAND AT WEEKLEY GLEBE ROAD, KETTERING NORTHAMPTONSHIRE Abstract Northamptonshire Archaeology conducted an archaeological desk-based assessment of land at Weekley Glebe Road, Kettering, Northamptonshire. The site is currently occupied by the former Montagu School, now known as the Buccleuch Academy. Many of the current buildings will be demolished and a new academy built to the east of the current school site. The Roman town of Kettering lies just to the west of the site. Much of the town has been destroyed by quarrying and modern housing developments and little is known about the form of the town. Ironworking appears to have been a principal part of the economy and there are numerous quarry pits and ironworking sites, some of which lie adjacent to the current development area. The south-western corner of the site has been identified as having potentially national archaeological importance, although this part of the site will not be developed. The town is not thought to extend much further westwards into the remainder of the site. The Cytringan Saxon Charter Boundary lies to the south of the site and may extend into it; the boundary may have been formed by a double ditch and central bank. The site was part of Weekley’s open field system until enclosure in the early 19th century, when it formed part of Weekley’s glebe land. The site was farmland until the late 20th century, when the school was built. 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background Northamptonshire Archaeology was commissioned by Willmott Dixon Construction Ltd to conduct a desk-based assessment of land at Weekley Glebe Road, Kettering, Northamptonshire (NGR SP 8767 8033; Fig 1). The site has existing outline planning permission (10/00003/CCD) for the construction of an academy, demolition of existing school, retention of existing sports centre and provision of new and improved sports facilities. While current plans are for a different building to that in the outline permission, it will be located in the same position. The present report has considered the evidence of Northamptonshire Record Office, Northamptonshire Historic Environment Record and that of relevant published and archived documentary and cartographic sources. Internet sources consulted included the Archaeology Data Service (ads.ahds.ac.uk) to check National Monument Record (NMR) information and National Archives (nationalarchives.gov.uk). The aim of the assessment was to collate information about the known or potential archaeological resource within the development area (including its presence or absence, character and extent, date, integrity, state of preservation and relative quality). The work has been undertaken in accordance with the Institute for Archaeologists Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment (IfA 1994, revised 2008). Northamptonshire Archaeology 10/161 Page 1 of 15 WEEKLEY GLEBE ROAD, KETTERING The south-western corner of the site, looking south-east Fig 2 1.2 Topography, location and geology The development site lies on the northern-eastern edge of the borough of Kettering, although historically it was part of the parish of Weekley. The site is currently occupied by the buildings relating to the former Montagu School and associated facilities (Figs 2 and 3). The land to the east, including the site of the proposed new academy, is known as Weekley Glebe Playing Field (Fig 4). It is bounded to the north-west by allotment gardens, to the north-east and east by further playing fields and to the south and west by residential development. The geology of the site is Great Oolite Limestone and Limestone and Marl. The site is generally flat and lies at c 90m above Ordnance Datum, but it sits on the southern edge of a promontory, with the land falling away to the west, south and east. Northamptonshire Archaeology 10/161 Page 2 of 17 WEEKLEY GLEBE ROAD, KETTERING Existing school buildings, looking east Fig 3 The site of the proposed school, looking east Fig 4 2 HISTORICAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND 2.1 Historical background Kettering There has so far been little evidence of continuity of settlement between the Roman and early Saxon periods in Kettering. However, there is some evidence that it did occur, perhaps the most persuasive of which is the location of a Saxon cemetery less than 1km south of the Roman town adjacent to the Stamford Road (Foard and Ballinger 2000). Finds from the cemetery dated from the early 5th century until well into the 6th century. A number of Saxon coins have also been found at the site of the Roman villa. The late Saxon township was mentioned in a charter of 963 where bishop Aethelwold made a foundation grant to Medeshamstede, later known as Peterborough Abbey, of various properties, including Kettering. Prior to this Kettering had been in royal hands. During the late Saxon and early medieval period Kettering was essentially a large village