Cross Farm, Old Road Walgrave Northamptonshire Archaeological Evaluation

Cross Farm, Old Road Walgrave Northamptonshire

Archaeological Evaluation

for Narinder Hammond

CA Project: 660108 CA Report: 13017

February 2013

Cross Farm, Old Road Walgrave Northamptonshire

Archaeological Evaluation

CA Project: 660108 CA Report: 13017

prepared by Simon Carlyle, Project Manager

date 28 January 2013

checked by Simon Carlyle, Project Manager

date 22 February 2013

approved by Roland Smith, Regional Manager

signed

date 26 February 2013

issue 01

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. © Cotswold Archaeology

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CONTENTS

SUMMARY ...... 4

1. INTRODUCTION...... 5

2. FIELDWORK RESULTS...... 7

3. DISCUSSION...... 12

4. CA PROJECT TEAM...... 12

5. REFERENCES...... 13

APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS ...... 14 APPENDIX B: FINDS ...... 16 APPENDIX C: OASIS REPORT FORM...... 18

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Fig. 1 Site location plan, 1:25,000 Fig. 2 Trench location plan, showing archaeological features, 1:250 Fig. 3 Photographs Fig. 4 Trench 2; section and photographs

3 © Cotswold Archaeology Cross Farm, Old Road, Walgrave, Northamptonshire: Archaeological Evaluation

SUMMARY

Project name: Cross Farm, Walgrave Location: Old Road, Walgrave, Northamptonshire NGR: SP 7999 7206 Type: Evaluation Date: January 2013 Site code: CRG 13

In January 2013, an archaeological evaluation, comprising the excavation of two trial trenches, was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology on a plot of land at Cross Farm, Old Road, Walgrave, Northamptonshire. The work, which was commissioned by Narinder Hammond, is being carried out to fulfil an archaeological condition attached to outline planning consent for the residential development of the site.

The evaluation encountered the remains of a probable medieval plot boundary, aligned perpendicular to Old Road, and seven smaller medieval ditches that may form plot subdivisions or small enclosures within the plots. The alignment of the plot boundary ditch and the greater density of features in the eastern part of the site suggest that these remains are associated with ‘backyard’ activity to the rear of dwellings that fronted on to Old Road in the medieval period. Medieval pottery, dating to the 12th to 14th centuries, was recovered from the ditches, along with animal bones and charcoal that indicates the discard of domestic waste from nearby households. Charred grain recovered from soil samples taken from the ditch fills suggests that crop-processing, possibly grain-drying, may have been carried out on the site. An 18th or 19th-century ditch containing a ceramic land drain crossed the western part of the site and there were two ephemeral, undated features in the same area.

4 © Cotswold Archaeology Cross Farm, Old Road, Walgrave, Northamptonshire: Archaeological Evaluation

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 In January 2013, an archaeological evaluation, comprising the excavation of two trial trenches, was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology on a plot of land at Cross Farm, Old Road, Walgrave, Northamptonshire (site centred on NGR: SP 7999 7206; Fig. 1). The work, which was commissioned by Narinder Hammond, is being carried out to fulfil an archaeological condition attached to outline planning consent for the residential development of the site.

1.2 The archaeological condition, which was requested by Liz Mordue, Northamptonshire County Council’s Assistant Archaeological Advisor (NCCAAA), required a programme of archaeological work to be carried out as the site lies at the edge of the historic core of the village and the development was considered likely to have an impact on any buried archaeological remains that may lie within the area. The scope of the investigation was set out in NCCAAA’s two-part Brief, dated January 2013 (NCCAAA 2013a and b). The fieldwork was monitored by NCCAAA, with a site visit being made on 11 January 2013.

1.3 The project was undertaken in accordance with the Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) issued by CA (2013), the preparation of which followed best practice as set out in the Institute for Archaeologists’ Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Field Evaluation (IfA 2008) and the English Heritage procedural documents Management of Archaeological Projects 2 (EH 1991) and Management of Research Projects in the Historic Environment (MoRPHE): Project Manager’s Guide (EH 2006).

The site 1.4 The site, which covers an area of approximately 0.2ha, lies at the western edge of the village of Walgrave, which is situated at the northern end of Pitsford Reservoir, approximately 10km to the south-west of Kettering town centre. It occupies the site of a now demolished Dutch barn and farmyard, located in the southern part of a pasture field to the west of Old Road and north of properties fronting on to Holcot Road (Fig. 3a). The ground is generally flat, lying at the 110m Ordnance Survey contour, with a slight slope to the south. The geology comprises Jurassic ooidal ironstone of the Northampton Sand Formation, overlain by superficial deposits of mid Pleistocene glacial till (BGS 2013).

5 © Cotswold Archaeology Cross Farm, Old Road, Walgrave, Northamptonshire: Archaeological Evaluation

Archaeological and historical background 1.5 There are no known archaeological sites within the proposed development area, although Roman and medieval pottery has been found during building works nearby, in the centre of the village. The Church of St Peter’s, Walgrave, which dates from the 13th/14th century, is situated c. 200m to the south of the site and the moated site of a probable medieval manor house, thought to be that of ‘North Hall’, lies on the northern edge of the village, north of Zion Hill. Earthworks associated with medieval settlement, including house platforms, closes and a hollow way that runs parallel with Holcot Road, are visible in the field c. 200m to the south of the site.

Archaeological objectives 1.6 The objectives of the evaluation, as set out in Part II of the Brief (NCCAAA 2012b), are to:

• gather information on the location, extent, nature and date of any archaeological features or deposits that may be present;

• establish the integrity and state of preservation of any archaeological features or deposits that may be present.

1.7 The results of the evaluation will assist NCCAAA in making an informed judgement on the significance of the archaeological resource and the likely impact upon it of the proposed development. This will determine if Stages II and III of the programme of archaeological investigation are to be enacted.

Methodology 1.8 The evaluation comprised the excavation and investigation of two trial trenches, Trench 1 measuring 25m long and Trench 2, to the east, 20m long (Fig. 2). The trenches were excavated using a JCB-type mechanical excavator fitted with a 1.6m wide toothless ditching bucket. All machine excavation was undertaken under constant archaeological supervision, to the top of the first significant archaeological horizon or the geological substrate, whichever was encountered first.

1.9 Following machining, the archaeological features and deposits were cleaned, hand- excavated, planned and recorded in accordance with CA’s Technical Manual 1: Fieldwork Recording Manual (CA 2007). Plans and sections were hand-drawn at an appropriate scale and a photographic record of the project was maintained using

6 © Cotswold Archaeology Cross Farm, Old Road, Walgrave, Northamptonshire: Archaeological Evaluation

35mm black & white negative film and digital images. Trenches were surveyed using a Leica 1200 series SmartRover GPS, in accordance with CA’s Technical Manual 4: Survey Manual (CA 2009).

1.10 All recovered artefacts were processed in accordance with Technical Manual 3: Treatment of Finds Immediately after Excavation (CA 2010). Soil samples were taken from archaeological deposits in accordance with Technical Manual 2: The Taking and Processing of Environmental and Other Samples from Archaeological Sites (CA 2003) and Environmental Archaeology: a guide to the theory and practice of methods from sampling and recovery to post excavation (EH 2011).

1.11 All archaeological features and the spoil heaps were scanned with a metal detector to maximise the recovery of archaeologically significant metal objects.

1.12 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 site archive will eventually be deposited in the proposed county museum store, once this service becomes available. A summary of information from this project has been entered onto the OASIS online database of archaeological projects in Britain, reference ‘cotswold2-144586’.

2. FIELDWORK RESULTS

Trench 1 2.1 Located in the western part of the site, Trench 1 was aligned north-west to south- east and measured 25m long (Figs. 2 and 3b). The geological substrate, occurring as light to mid yellow clay, 102, was encountered at a depth of c. 0.4m below current ground level (bcgl). Cut into the clay were five ditches, one of which was extremely large and extended into Trench 2, and a shallow pit or vegetation hollow. The features were covered by a thin layer of subsoil, 101, which was approximately 0.12m thick and covered in turn by a 0.25m thick layer of topsoil, 100.

Medieval 2.2 Possibly the earliest feature was ditch 114, which was aligned east to west, had a steep-sided, splayed profile and measured c. 1.8m wide by 0.46m deep. Sherds of 12th to 14th-century pottery and fragments of animal bone were recovered from its fill, 115. Its northern edge was cut by a large ditch, 112, which was on the same

7 © Cotswold Archaeology Cross Farm, Old Road, Walgrave, Northamptonshire: Archaeological Evaluation

alignment and measured approximately 6m wide. This ditch was not excavated in this trench (see Section 2.4), but sherds of 12th to 14th-century pottery and fragments of animal bone were collected from its surface.

2.3 Extending northwards off ditch 112, and presumably of a similar date, was ditch 110. The ditch was not excavated but it measured 1.9m wide and the fill was indistinguishable from the fill of ditch 112.

Post-medieval/modern 2.4 At the south-eastern end of the trench was the eastern terminal of a shallow ditch, 108, which was aligned east to west and measured 0.5m wide by 0.05m deep. It was cut by ditch 106, which was aligned north to south, measured 1.4m wide by 0.38m deep and had steep, short sides and a flat base. There was no artefactual dating evidence in the fills of either feature, but a ceramic land drain had been placed slightly off-centre within the later ditch and on the same alignment. No cut was evident for the insertion of the drain, so it is likely that the ditch dates to the late 18th or 19th century.

Undated 2.5 Feature, 103, which was interpreted as a vegetation hollow or possibly a pit, was located at the south-eastern end of the trench and extended beyond the trench to the west. It was up to 0.38m deep and had a slightly irregular, indistinct profile with an uneven base.

Trench 2 2.6 Trench 2, which was aligned north-west to south-east and measured 20m long, was situated in the eastern part of the site (Figs. 2 and 3c). The geological substrate was identical to that recorded in Trench 1 but there was a deeper cover of subsoil in this area and it lay at c. 0.8m bcgl. The large ditch recorded in Trench 1 passed through the northern end of the trench and there were five further ditches, one of which had been recut. The features were covered in succession by subsoil, 201, which was approximately 0.6m thick, and topsoil, 200, which was 0.20m thick.

Medieval 2.7 The excavation of the large ditch at the northern end of the trench, 221, a continuation of ditch 112 in Trench 1, was hampered by groundwater flooding the deeper part of the trench, so its full profile could not be established. As excavated, it

8 © Cotswold Archaeology Cross Farm, Old Road, Walgrave, Northamptonshire: Archaeological Evaluation

measured over 3.2m wide and was in excess of 0.48m deep. Similarly, flooding prevented the full excavation of ditch 219, which lay immediately to the south of ditch 221. This was on a north-east to south-west alignment, measured 1.9m wide by at least 0.16m deep and was filled with greyish-brown silty clay, similar to that recorded in the other ditches in the trench.

2.8 Near the centre of the trench were ditches 203 and 215, which were spaced c. 1.5m apart and aligned roughly north to south, although with a slight curve to the west. Ditch 203 had a steep-sided, U-shaped profile, measured 0.7m wide by 0.30m deep and its upper fill, 205, contained fragments of animal bone and grains of charred free-threshing wheat and rye (Fig. 4b). Ditch 215 was wider and deeper, measuring 2.5m wide by over 0.44m deep (base not attained), had moderately steep sides and its upper fill, 218, contained a sherd of 12th to 14th-century pottery.

2.9 In the south-western part of the trench was ditch 211, which was aligned north to south, measured approximately 1.3m wide by 0.51m deep and had a steep-sided V- shaped profile with a broad, concave base (Fig. 4a and Fig. 4, Section AA). The ditch appears to have been recut by a shallower, slightly off-centre ditch, 209. Sherds of 12th to 14th-century pottery, including a sherd of 13th to14th-century Brill/Boarstall ware, and fragments of animal bone were recovered from both ditches.

2.10 Ditch 209/211 was cut by the southern terminal of ditch 206 (Fig. 4, Section AA). This ditch was aligned north to south and measured c . 0.5m wide by 0.32m deep, although it tapered towards the terminal and to the north it became broader and deeper, possibly opening out into a pit. Sherds of 12th to 14th-century pottery were recovered from this feature and the basal fill, 207, a thin layer of charcoal-rich silty clay, contained large quantities of burnt cereal grain, which may have been accidentally charred and discarded during the crop-drying process or food preparation.

The finds and palaeoenvironmental evidence

The finds by Angus Crawford

2.11 The finds recovered from the evaluation are summarised in Appendix B, Table 1. The pottery assemblage, consisting of 28 sherds of pottery weighing 371g, was recovered from nine stratified deposits and dates to the medieval period. The level

9 © Cotswold Archaeology Cross Farm, Old Road, Walgrave, Northamptonshire: Archaeological Evaluation

of preservation is good, with the sherds displaying negligible levels of abrasion. Fragments of animal bone were also recovered.

Pottery Medieval 2.12 The majority of the sherds are of shell-tempered types, equivalent to Northants CTS fabric F330. This fabric type is widespread throughout the south-east Midlands and believed to originate from a number of production centres (Blinkhorn 2010, 271). The fabrics vary from fine to moderately shell-tempered and, where present, rims are of thickened everted types. Identifiable base sherds have sagging profiles, typical of cooking pots produced during the period. A shell-tempered sherd from the topsoil, 200, in Trench 2 features an under-cut or hooked-like rim, more typical of those seen on Roman storage vessels. While the sherd may be a residual Roman find, it is of good condition and, with the lack of other Roman material within the assemblage, suggests that the sherd is an anomalous medieval type. All of the shell-tempered wares can be broadly dated from the 12th to 14th century.

2.13 A sherd from the fill, 210, of ditch 209 appears to be a Brill/Boarstall fabric type (CTS fabric F324), probably of 13th to 14th-century date.

The palaeoenvironmental evidence by Sarah Cobain 2.14 Three environmental soil samples (100 litres) were taken from medieval deposits in Trench 2; with the agreement of NCCAAA, only two of the more promising samples were processed (Samples 1 and 3). The samples were taken to establish the environmental potential of the medieval features through the recovery of ecofacts pertaining to agricultural, industrial or domestic activity on the site and past land- use. The samples were processed by standard flotation procedures (CA Technical Manual No. 2). The charcoal and plant macrofossil assemblages are summarised in Appendix B, Tables 2 and 3 respectively.

2.15 Deposit 205, taken from the upper fill of ditch 203 (Sample 1), contained a small assemblage of moderately well-preserved free-threshing wheat ( Triticum aestivum/turgidum/ durum ), rye ( Secale cereale ) cereal grains and a dock seed (Rumex spp). The small assemblage of charcoal was well-preserved and consisted of oak ( Quercus spp), alder/hazel (A lnus glutinosa/Corylus avellana ) and hawthorn/rowan/crab apple spp ( Crataegus monogyna/Sorbus spp/ Malus sylvestris ).

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2.16 Deposit 207, taken from the charcoal-rich layer in the base of ditch 206 (Sample 3), contained a very large assemblage of moderately well-preserved cereal grains and a small amount of cereal chaff and weed seeds. Free-threshing wheat was the dominant cereal identified, with large amounts of rye and oat ( Avena spp) also present; barley ( Hordeum vulgare ) was also present, although in much smaller quantities. A small amount of charcoal was present, with one fragment identifiable as oak.

2.17 Free-threshing wheat was used to make the highest quality bread and ale and rye was also used to make bread, with the straw commonly being used for thatch and fodder. The dominance of rye and bread wheat may indicate cultivation of a wheat/rye maslin used to produce bread of a slightly inferior quality. Oats were dominantly used as fodder but were known to be used to make porridge, unleavened bread or oat cakes. Barley was known to have been used to produce bread, ale, to add to stews/pottages and for animal fodder (Stone 2006, 13). Other deliberately cultivated crops include broad bean and possibly vetches. Vetch/vetchlings were often cultivated as a crop due to their nitrogen fixing abilities and may have been grown on rotation to help improve the soil fertility. Broad bean and vetches were also know to have been used as vegetables or added to pottages and soups.

2.18 The cereal chaff from deposit 207 consisted of a single wheat rachis, identified as bread wheat (hexaploid). This indicates the cultivation of bread wheat ( Triticum aestivum ) but does not rule out the possibility of rivet/durum ( Triticum turgidum/durum ) wheat being present. Rye and barley rachis internodes and a number of culm nodes were also identified. The absence of floret bases means it is not possible to ascertain whether the oats were the cultivated or wild forms, although an assemblage of this size does suggest it was being deliberately cultivated. Using cereal processing waste to interpret crop processing stages is often problematic, as waste from an earlier stage may be burnt as fuel within a later processing stage. As there was a small amount of cereal chaff compared to grains within this assemblage it is more likely the grain had been threshed and was being dried prior to storage or milling, resulting in accidental burning of grains.

2.19 Other herbaceous taxa included species typical of arable environments such as common corncockle ( Agrostemma githago ), stinking chamomile (Anthemis cotula)

11 © Cotswold Archaeology Cross Farm, Old Road, Walgrave, Northamptonshire: Archaeological Evaluation

and thorow-wax ( Bupleurum rotundifolium ) and species typical of disturbed environments such as thistle spp ( Cirsium spp/ Carduus spp), dock spp ( Rumex spp) and chickweed spp ( Stellaria spp) (Stace, 1997). This, together with the large number of carbonised cereal remains, suggests that part of the landscape was arable in nature. The stinking chamomile indicates that the crops were grown in a heavy clay soil and the presence of sedge ( Carex spp) indicates marshy ground nearby (Stace 1997), perhaps in a waterlogged corner of a field or by a stream near the site.

3. DISCUSSION

3.1 The remains of medieval settlement and activity where identified in both evaluation trenches, although there was a greater density of features in the eastern part of the site, in the area investigated by Trench 2, suggesting that the focus of medieval settlement in this part of the village lay to the east of the site. The remains comprised a wide and presumably deep ditch, probably a plot boundary running perpendicular to Old Road, and seven smaller ditches that may form plot subdivisions or small enclosures within the plot. It is likely that the features are the remains of ‘backyard’ activity to the rear of possible dwellings that may have fronted on to Old Road, which is consistent with the site’s location near the historic centre of the village. Pottery from the site dates this activity to the 12th to 14th centuries.

3.2 The proximity to the site of domestic settlement in the medieval period, possibly comprising stone or timber cottages fronting on to Old Road, is suggested by the relatively frequent occurrence of household waste, typically comprising animal bone, sherds of medieval pottery and the ashes from domestic fires, which had been discarded in the ditches investigated by the evaluation. The presence of sizeable quantities of charred cereal grain, particularly in ditch 206, indicates that crop-processing, and in particular grain-drying, may have been carried out on the site, or alternatively that some grain was accidentally burnt during food preparation and subsequently discarded.

4. CA PROJECT TEAM

4.1 The fieldwork was supervised by Simon Carlyle, assisted by Dan Riley and Rob Scott. The report was written by Simon Carlyle, with contributions from Angus Crawford and Sarah Cobain, and the illustrations were prepared by Lorna Gray. The

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archive will be compiled and prepared for deposition by Derek Evans. The project was managed for CA by Roland Smith.

5. REFERENCES

BGS (British Geological Survey) 2013 Online resource at http://www.bgs.ac.uk/geoindex.html accessed 17 January 2013

Blinkhorn, P, 2010 The Saxon and medieval pottery, in Chapman 2010, 260-328

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2013 Cross Farm, Old Road, Walgrave, Northamptonshire: Written Scheme of Investigation

Chapman, A, 2010 West Cotton Raunds, a study of medieval settlement dynamics AD 450-1450: excavation of a deserted medieval hamlet in Northamptonshire, 1985-89 , Oxbow Books, Oxford

NCCAAA 2013a Brief for a Programme of Archaeological Investigation of Land at Cross Farm, Walgrave, Northamptonshire, 4 January 2013

NCCAAA 2013b Brief for the Archaeological Field Evaluation of Land at Cross Farm, Walgrave, Northamptonshire, 4 January 2013

Stace, C, 1997 A New British Flora, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press

Stone, D J, 2006 The consumption of field crops in late medieval England, in C M Woolgar et al (eds) 2006, 11-26

Woolgar, C M, Serjeantson, D, and Waldron, T, (eds) 2006 Food in medieval England: diet and nutrition, Oxford, Oxford University Press

APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS

Abbreviations: P pottery; B animal bone; n.e. not excavated; l.o.e. limit of excavation

Trench 1

Context Type Description Length Width Depth Finds Spot-date no. (m) (m) (m) 100 Topsoil Soft dark greyish-brown organic - - 0.25 - Modern clayey silt with occ. to mod. pebbles. 101 Subsoil Soft mid brownish-grey clayey silt - - 0.12 - - with occ. ironstone pebbles. 102 Geological Firm light to mid yellow clay. - - - - - substrate 103 Pit/ Curving edge of a shallow, slightly 1.4+ 0.5+ 0.38 - Undated vegetation irregular feature partially exposed hollow at SE end of trench. 104 Fill of 103 Soft mid greyish-brown clayey silt - - 0.17 - - with occ. ironstone pebbles. 105 Fill of 103 Soft mid to dark brownish-grey - - 0.21 - - clayey silt with mod. pebbles. 106 Ditch Linear cut, aligned N-S, edges 2.0+ 1.4 0.38 - Post-med/ parallel and well-defined with modern short, steeply sloping sides and a broad, flat base. Cuts 109. Land drain within cut runs parallel to edges of feature. 107 Fill of 106 Soft dark greyish-brown silty clay - - 0.38 - - with occ. ironstone pebbles. 108 Ditch Shallow, linear cut, aligned E-W, 2.3+ 0.5 0.05 - Undated edges parallel and well-defined, rounded terminal to E, short, steep sides and concave base. 109 Fill of 108 Soft mid greyish-brown silty clay - - 0.05 - - with mod. ironstone pebbles. Cut by 106. 110 Ditch Linear cut, aligned N-S, edges 2.0+ 1.9 n.e. - Medieval roughly parallel, not excavated. 111 Fill of 110 Soft mid greyish-brown silty clay. - - n.e. - - 112 Ditch Large linear cut, aligned E-W, 2.0+ c. 6.0 0.19+ - Medieval edges roughly parallel, not C12-14 excavated. 113 Fill of 112 Soft mid brown clayey silt with - - 0.19+ P, B - occ. pebbles. 114 Ditch Linear cut, aligned E-W, edges 2.0+ 1.8 0.46 Medieval parallel and well-defined with C12-14 steeply sloping sides, splays out towards the top of the cut, creating a slightly stepped profile, concave base. 115 Fill of 114 Soft mid yellowish-brown slightly - - 0.46 P, B - silty clay with bluish-grey mottles, occ. charcoal flecks and mod. pebbles.

Trench 2

Context Type Description Length Width Depth Finds Spot-date no. (m) (m) (m) 200 Topsoil Soft dark greyish-brown organic - - 0.26 P Modern clayey silt with occ. to mod. pebbles. 201 Subsoil Soft mid brownish-grey clayey silt - - 0.13 - - with occ. ironstone pebbles. 202 Layer Layer of compacted ironstone - - 0.10 - Undated rubble. 203 Ditch Slightly curvilinear cut, aligned 1.9+ 0.7 0.30 - Medieval? NNE-SSW, curves to west, edges parallel and well-defined, steep- sided U-shaped profile. 204 Fill of 203 Soft mid grey sandy silty clay with - - 0.16 - - brownish-yellow mottles, occ. pebbles and mod. charcoal flecks. 205 Fill of 203 Soft mid grey silty clay with occ. - - 0.14 B - pebbles and mod. charcoal flecks. 206 Ditch Linear cut, aligned N-S, rounded 3.0+ c. 0.5 0.60 - Medieval terminal terminal to S, edges taper to S, C12-14 not excavated. 207 Fill of 206 Thin layer of charcoal-rich silty - - 0.04 P - clay in base of ditch. 208 Fill of 206 Soft mid brown silty clay with mod. - - 0.56 P, B - ironstone pebbles. 209 Ditch Linear cut (possibly a recut), 3.0+ c. 0.8 0.24 - Medieval aligned NNE-SSW, edges poorly- C13-14 defined, cuts 213. 210 Fill of 209 Soft dark brown silty clay with occ. - - 0.24 P, B - pebbles. 211 Ditch Linear cut, aligned N-S, edges 3.0+ c. 1.3 0.51 - Medieval parallel and well-defined, steep- C12-14 sided with gently concave base, partly obscured by ditch 209. 212 Fill of 211 Soft dark greyish-brown silty clay. - - 0.21 P - 213 Fill of 211 Soft mid greyish-brown clayey silt - - 0.21 - - with occ. pebbles. 214 Geological Firm light to mid yellow clay. - - substrate 215 Ditch Slightly curvilinear cut, aligned 2.1+ 2.5 0.44+ - Medieval NNE-SSW, curves to west, edges C12-14 parallel and well-defined, steep- sided, base not attained. 216 Fill of 215 Soft light orangey-yellow clayey - - 0.18 - - sand with occ. pebbles 217 Fill of 215 Soft dark bluish-grey silty sand - - 0.13+ - - with occ pebbles and v. occ. charcoal flecks. 218 Fill of 215 Soft mid brownish-grey silty clay - - 0.30 P - with mod. ironstone pebbles and v. occ. charcoal flecks. 219 Ditch Linear cut, aligned NE-SW, edges 1.6+ 1.1 0.16+ - Medieval? parallel and well-defined, only partly excavated due to flooding. 220 Fill of 219 Soft mid greyish-brown clayey silt - - 0.16+ - - with occ. pebbles. 221 Ditch Large linear cut (same as 112), 1.6+ 3.2+ 0.48+ - Medieval aligned E-W, S edge well-defined, C12-14 N edge beyond l.o.e., only partly excavated due to flooding. 222 Fill of 221 Soft mid brown clayey silt with - - 0.48+ - - occ. pebbles.

APPENDIX B: FINDS

Table 1: Summary of finds by context Context Feature Description Ct. Wt. Date (g) 113 Ditch 112 Medieval pottery: shell-tempered ware 3 13 C12-C14 Bone: animal 1 2 115 Ditch 114 Medieval pottery: shell-tempered ware 1 11 C12-C14 Bone: animal 1 7 200 Topsoil Medieval pottery: shell-tempered ware 8 99 C12-C14 205 Ditch 203 Bone: animal 4 4 207 Ditch 206 Medieval pottery: shell-tempered ware 4 102 C12-C14 208 Ditch 206 Medieval pottery: shell-tempered ware 4 36 C12-C14 Bone: animal 5 353 210 Ditch 209 Medieval pottery: shell-tempered ware; 6 76 C13-C14 Brill/Boarstall Bone: animal 16 253 212 Ditch 211 Medieval pottery: shell-tempered ware 1 17 C12-C14 218 Ditch 215 Medieval pottery: shell-tempered ware 1 17 C12-C14

Table 2: Summary of charcoal from medieval deposits 205 and 207 Context number 205 207 Feature number 203 206 Sample number 1 3 Flot weight (g) 2 80 Sample volume (l) 20 40 Percentage of sample processed 100% 100% Charcoal quantity +++ + Charcoal weight (g) 1 2 Charcoal preservation Good Moderate Family Species Common Name Alnus glutinosa/Corylus Betulaceae Alder/hazel 2 avellana Fagaceae Quercus robur/petraea Sessile/pedunculate oak 3 1 Quercus robur/petraea h/w Sessile/pedunculate oak h/w 1 Crataegus monogyna/Sorbus Rosaceae Hawthorn/rowan/ crab apple 3 spp /Malus sylvestris Crataegus monogyna/Sorbus Hawthorn/rowan/ crab apple 1 spp /Malus sylvestris r/w r/w Indeterminate 2 Number of identifiable fragments: 10 1

Table 3: Plant macrofossils from medieval deposits 205 and 207 Context number 205 207 Feature number 203 206 Sample number 1 3 Flot weight (g) 2 80 Plant macrofossil weight (hand picked from residue) 0.5 6 Sample volume (l) 20 40 Percentage of sample processed 100% 100% Plant macrofossil preservation Moderate Moderate Habitat Family Species Common Name Code HSW Adoxaceae Sambucus nigra Elder (modern) + D/A Amaranthaceae Chenopodium spp Fat hen/goosefoot spp (modern) ++ ++ D/A Apiaceae Aethusa cynapium Fool's parsley (modern) + + Bupleurum A Thorow-wax + rotundifolium A/D Asteraceae Anthemis cotula Stinking chamomile ++ Cirsium/Carduus D/P Thistle spp + spp Agrostemma A Caryophyllaceae Common corncockle (whole) + githago Agrostemma A Common corncockle (fragment) + githago D/A Stellaria media Common chickweed + M/D Cyperaceae Carex spp Sedge ++ E Fabaceae Vicia faba Broad bean + Vicia spp /Lathyrus Vetches/vetchlings (1-2mm) A/P/D ++ spp (whole) Vicia spp /Lathyrus A/P/D Vetches/vetchlings (2-3mm) (half) ++ spp Vicia spp /Lathyrus Vetches/vetchlings (3-4mm) A/P/D + spp (whole) P/D Plantaginaceae Plantago lanceolata Ribwort plantain + E Poaceae Avena spp Oat ++++ A Bromus spp Chess + E Hordeum vulgare Hulled barley ++ E Hordeum vulgare Barley rachis internodes + E Secale cereale Rye + +++ E Secale cereale Rye rachis + Triticum aestivum/ E Free threshing wheat ++ ++++ turgidum/durum Bread wheat - rachis internode E Triticum aestivum + (hexaploid wheat) E Poaceae Culm node ++ E Poaceae Rachis ++ A/D/HSW Polygonaceae Rumex spp Dock spp + +

Key + = 1-5 items; ++ = 6-20 items; +++ = 21-40 items; ++++ = 40+ items

A = arable weeds; D = opportunistic/disturbed species; P = weeds indicative of pasture; M = marshland species; HSW = hedgerow/scrub/woodland spp; E = economic plants

APPENDIX C: OASIS REPORT FORM PROJECT DETAILS Project name Cross Farm, Walgrave

Short description The evaluation encountered the remains of a probable medieval plot boundary, aligned perpendicular to Old Road, and seven smaller medieval ditches that may form plot sub-divisions or small enclosures within the plots. The alignment of the plot boundary ditch and the greater density of features in the eastern part of the site suggest that these remains are associated with ‘backyard’ activity to the rear of dwellings that fronted on to Old Road in the medieval period. Medieval pottery, dating to the 12th to 14th centuries, was recovered from the ditches, along with animal bones and charcoal that indicates the discard of domestic waste from nearby households. Charred grain recovered from soil samples taken from the ditch fills suggests that crop-processing, possibly grain-drying, may have been carried out on the site. An 18th or 19th-century ditch containing a ceramic land drain crossed the western part of the site and there were two ephemeral, undated features in the same area. Project dates 17-18 January 2013 Project type Field evaluation Previous work None Future work Excavation Monument type Medieval ditches Significant finds Medieval pottery and animal bone PROJECT LOCATION Site location Cross Farm, Walgrave, Northamptonshire Study area c. 0.2ha Site co-ordinates SP 7999 7206 PROJECT CREATORS Name of organisation Cotswold Archaeology (CA) Project Brief originator Liz Mordue (NCC) Project Design (WSI) originator CA Project Manager Roland Smith (CA) Project Supervisor Simon Carlyle (CA) PROJECT ARCHIVE Accession no: - Content Physical CA stores Pottery, animal bone Paper Site records Digital Northamptonshire HER Report, digital photos OASIS reference no. cotswold2-144586 BIBLIOGRAPHY

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2013 Cross Farm, Walgrave, Northamptonshire: Archaeological Evaluation. CA typescript report 13017

18 site

N Cirencester 01285 771022 Milton Keynes 01908 218320 Cotswold Andover 01264 326549 Archaeology w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected]

PROJECT TITLE Cross Farm (off Old Road), Walgrave Northamptonshire

FIGURE TITLE Site location plan Northamptonshire

0 1km

FIGURE NO. Reproduced from the 2005 Ordnance Survey Explorer map with PROJECT NO. 660108 DATE 30-01-2013 the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller DRAWN BY LG REVISION 00 of Her Majesty's Stationery Office c Crown copyright Cotswold Archaeology Ltd 100002109 APPROVED BY PJM SCALE@A4 1:25,000 1

a) General view of site, looking north

b) Trench 1, looking north-west. (Scales 1m) c) Trench 2, looking north-west. (Scales 1m)

Cirencester 01285 771022 Milton Keynes 01908 218320 Cotswold Andover 01264 326549 Archaeology w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected]

PROJECT TITLE Cross Farm (off Old Road), Walgrave Northamptonshire

FIGURE TITLE Photographs

PROJECT NO. 660108 DATE 30-01-2013 FIGURE NO. DRAWN BY LG REVISION 00 APPROVED BY PJM SCALE@A3 N/A 3 a) Ditch 211, looking south. (Scale 1m)

Section AA

W E

109.5m 210 AOD recut? 209 208 213

212 b) Ditch 203, looking north. (Scale 0.4m) ditch 211 ditch 206 207

01m

Cirencester 01285 771022 Milton Keynes 01908 218320 Cotswold Andover 01264 326549 Archaeology w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected]

PROJECT TITLE Cross Farm (off Old Road), Walgrave Northamptonshire

FIGURE TITLE Trench 2; section and photographs

PROJECT NO. 660108 DATE 30-01-2013 FIGURE NO. DRAWN BY LG REVISION 00 APPROVED BY PJM SCALE@A3 1:20 4