Land to the North of Brackley Northamptonshire

During November and December of 2009, Oxford archaeology (South) completed
an eighty trench field evaluation of land situated to the north of Brackley,
Northamptonshire. This followed a geophysical survey that had suggested the
presence of an Iron Age settlement within part of the site and limited potential within
the remainder of the boundary. The evaluation confirmed the results of the
geophysical survey with only a single possible early Prehistoric pit being identified
beyond the limits of the settlement.
The Iron Age settlement comprised a series of roughly circular or penannular
enclosures as suggested by the geophysical survey. Each targeted enclosure was
identified with multiple phases of ditch cuts and recuts recorded in most. Some
smaller features were also recorded immediately beyond the larger enclosures
suggesting that the settlement and related activities extend very slightly beyond the
limits suggested by the geophysical survey. A range of smaller gullies, pits and
postholes were also recorded suggesting that a range of features are preserved.
Moderate assemblages of middle Iron Age pottery were recovered from the
excavated features with only a hint of possible early Iron Age influences and no
obvious late Iron Age material. A significant individual assemblage comprising a
bronze finger ring and a complete upper part of a beehive quern was recovered
from a pit near the core of the settlement adjacent to a well preserved limestone
surface. This hints at special or ritualised deposits being present. Environmental
remains were also well represented although the range of deposits sampled within
the evaluation was not particularly conducive to the recovery of secure results.
Overall, the preservation of the archaeological deposits was demonstrably good and
the Iron Age settlement exists in its entirety within Field 3 although the relationships
and possible associations with the remains known within Field 1 to the west and
Field 10 to the east are not known. The range of activities undertaken may also
include specialised metalworking although this has not been confirmed by this
evaluation. Combined, the range of evidence suggests that this site has significant
potential to address many of the key issues raised within the regional research
agenda for the Iron Age in Northamptonshire.
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