A Late Iron Age settlement at Park Farm Way, Wellingborough

Between 9th and 23rd September 2015 Oxford Archaeology East conducted an archaeological evaluation on land off Park Farm Way, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire (centred on SP 870 670) in advance of a proposed planning application for residential development of the area.
A total of 32 trenches were opened (1568m) across an area of 15.8ha in the south-eastern half of the site. These trenches were targeted predominantly on anomalies identified by a prior geophysical survey. Archaeology was primarily uncovered at the south-west of the area with ditches pits and postholes dating to the Late Iron Age (c.0-50AD) present in Trenches 46 to 51. Along with the pottery assemblage, the environmental and faunal remains recovered from these features, particularly those in Trench 51, tend to indicate that domestic activities were taking place on the site. Three worked bone weaving tools recovered from Trench 48 and 51 are further evidence of occupation in the vicinity of these trenches.
A spread of material that may also date to the Late Iron Age was uncovered to the south-east of the site in Trench 61 whilst undated linear features were uncovered in Trenches 52, 53, 55 and 56 at the south of the site. There was very little archaeology identified to the north of the proposed development area, however an undated pit and posthole were uncovered in Trench 36.