Series: Souterrain Archaeological Services Ltd unpublished report series

Monitoring and recording during the excavation of foundations for a rear extension, measuring, 4.05m x 3.05m. The main objective was to identify and record features that might be associated with the Roman and / or Late Saxon outer town defences, or the city's historic suburb. There was no evidence of the defensive circuit. Close to (and possibly beneath) the existing building there was a large pit or quarry cut into the geological chalk. This was apparently, backfilled in a single operation sometime in the 17th to 19th centuries. Elsewhere in the area under observation, the geology (chalk) was located directly below the modern surface of concrete and hardcore. A small group of discrete undated 'negative' (i.e. cut and fill) features were also recorded, which were considered to be anthropogenic in origin, having the appearance of timber slots or post-holes, although interpretation was inconclusive in such a limited area under investigation.

In May 2020, two archaeological trial pits, each 2 m x 2 m, were excavated in the rear garden of an early 17th century house at 1A London End, Irchester. The purpose of the investigation has been to assess the significance of any buried archaeological remains that might be affected by a proposed development, and to assist in the determination of the planning application. The property lies immediate southwest of a 13th century manor-house/farm complex which was investigated prior construction of a housing estate in 1967, on ground formerly known as Manor Field. The archaeological remains of the complex included the foundations of many buildings and extended over more than 2 hectares. Notably, archaeology was found c. 10 m to the north of the proposed development area. It was thus considered that the 17th century house may have been built over a part of the medieval manorial site and, if so, the proposed development area has the potential to contain buried remains of archaeological interest pertaining to the manor. The 2020 trial pits were positioned c. 14 m apart. One of the pits revealed a medieval deposit of substantial thickness, which is interpreted as a likely midden, associated with the manor. The deposit was located 0.3 m - 0.36 m below the present ground surface, sealed beneath a former horticultural/garden soil of 17th to 19th century date. The deposit, which has been broadly dated by pottery to the 13th century, yielded an extensive range of plant macrofossils and carbonised cereal. The other trial pit, located a layer of limestone rubble in a clay matrix, which has the appearance of a building foundation. A single sherd of late medieval pottery was found in a thin band of silty soil overlaying the rubble. The discoveries appear resonant with the nearby discoveries made in 1967.

On the 22nd of October 2018, an 'as found' photographic record was made of internal areas of an early 19th century three-storey town house in Olney, Buckinghamshire, in advance of development. Effectively, the record serves to illustrate a 21st century adaptation and re-use of an early 19th century living space. The Grade II listed building was in use as offices at the time of the record; the permitted conversion is to residential apartments. The development concerns the first and second floors, and, as such, the record is confined to these areas. The building has undergone extensive modernisation in recent decades, whereby several partition walls have been inserted, as has a rear stairway, kitchen and toilet. Few non-modern fixtures survive. Those that do, comprise: a 19th century scroll end and curved end stair handrail with rounded newel post; fitted cupboards with four-panelled doors built over the staircase; and twelve-light sash windows. In addition there are three blocked fireplaces on each floor. The report provides a descriptive and illustrative account of observations, by means of digital photographs and scale floor plans showing the direction of view of each photograph.

Excavation of a remedial archaeological exploratory trench by machine, followed by hand-excavation A remedial archaeological exploratory trench was excavated within the footprint of a proposed rear extension of an unlisted stone-built detached house which originated in the 17th century. The property is adjacent to the scheduled site of a former early 17th century manor house with expansive formal gardens. The site was considered to have potential for buried remains pertaining to the medieval settlement Wakerley and/or to the manorial formal gardens. The strip footings for the new extension were dug in 2021, but without archaeological observation and recording, as required by Planning Condition. In order to facilitate compliance with the Condition, the local planning authority advised the excavation of a remedial archaeological exploratory trench. In the event, the investigation exposed a pre-19th century, yet undated cobbled surface, probably a rear yard, but otherwise nothing of archaeological significance.

archaeological monitoring and recording during groundwork; digital photos, GNSS survey Archaeological monitoring was carried out by Souterrain during groundwork for four new semi-detached dwellings in the historic core of Finedon, a Northamptonshire town located c. 2.7 km north of Wellingborough. Despite extensive documentary evidence, archaeology has, so far, contributed little to knowledge of the origin and development of Finedon. The archaeological potential of the Application Site was reasonably inferred from its location at Dolben Square, a place anciently believed to the assembly point of a Saxon hundred (administrative division) from which Finedon derives its place name. Bounded by an ancient main thoroughfare to the south and a former stream course to the north, the site was already enclosed at the time of the parliamentary inclosure of Finedon in the early 19th century. Prior to the planning permission the site was occupied by a 20th century health centre, and before that by tenements and outbuildings ranged around a courtyard, the majority of which were built in the 19th century. Three stages of archaeological monitoring took place between the 3rd of August and the 26th of October 2022, comprised of: trial pits; removal of existing concrete strip footings and ground reduction; and excavation of foundation trenches. The investigation revealed the magnitude of ground modification that took place prior to construction of the health centre; the southern half of the site razed to the upper geological boundary, while the northern half, substantially raised above the bank of the stream with building rubble. There were no significant archaeological features or artefacts, and no buried ancient soil horizons were observed. The steepness of the ancient topography, down to the stream, suggests that the early enclosure was used for grazing as opposed to arable. The report places the Application Site and property into its archaeological and historic context and provides an illustrative, photographic and descriptive account of observations.

Analytical study: Written account (including historical context, building's originator and approximate date of construction); measured drawings; comprehensive 'as found' photographic record; collation of associated surveys carried out in the course of the planning application This report presents an illustrated and descriptive record of a late Victorian decorative timber-built carriage house, prior to its conversion to private ancillary accommodation. The structure is situated in the rear garden of Manor Farm, near the village of Thurleigh, in the Borough of Bedford. Known today as the Waggon House, the timber structure is Grade II-listed. It was erected at some time between 1882 and 1886, by Mr William Thompson a wealthy industrial entrepreneur, who purchased the farm in 1880. The Waggon House is cruciform in plan and is comprised of three bays. One of the bays is understood to have housed a family trap, another was for a cart, and the third bay was a harness room. The structure has steep gables with barge boards and facias decorated with fretted reversed scallops. The walls, which are stud-framed, feature horizontal and diagonal panelling, and a continuous band of lozenge-shaped ventilation holes. Notably, the structure employs an idiosyncratic blend of time-honoured carpentry techniques, namely a pegged mortise-and-tenon frame, and modernity, in the form of a steel-sheeted roof and a king-bolt truss. The style, resonant of Arts and Crafts, undoubtedly reflects the contemporary artistic and architecture tastes of the Mr and Mrs Thompson, the structure’s creators. The report is essentially a collation of surveys and reports commissioned by the present owner for the purposes of Planning Permission and Listed Building Consent for the conversion. The report places the building into its historic context and identifies the main phases of alterations. The illustrated record is comprised of digital photographs and scale drawings and plans. The criterion of the record is in accord with Historic England Level III.

On the 16th March 2021, an 'as found' photographic record was made of a 19th century stable block at The Manor House, Mears Ashby, prior to alterations to the building. The building falls within the grade II listed curtilage of the 18th century Manor House. The stable block is a rectangular, 3 bay, single storey structure, brick-built with slated roof. It was formerly a two-storey building, comprised of harness room, loose box and stalls on the ground floor, with hay loft above. Consent was granted in 1977 to reduce the upper storey. The proposed development will return the building to a two-storey structure for use as a workshop and store. The interior of the stable block witnessed refurbishment and alterations post-2005, and consequently very few original fixtures and fittings survive. The report provides a descriptive and illustrative account of observations, by means of digital photographs, scale drawings and plans showing the direction of view of each photograph. Comparative analysis shows that the building, in many ways, conformed to prevailing ethos of the period for good stable design. It is considered that the building is likely to have been erected in the mid-Victorian period, quite possibly in the late 1870s.

Excavation of a late Iron Age enclosure at Colley Hill, Colmworth, Bedfordshire (TL 106 582) in May 2012. The work took place in advance of development., with c. 265 sq,m of the Iron Age being investigate. Pottery attested to settlement during the Middle Iron Age (c.400 - c.1000BC) and the Late Iron Age (c.100BC to AD43). The late Iron Age ditch proved to share characteristics of the 'Wooton Hill' style of enclosure and it is understood to have defines a sub-rectangular site of about 0.2 hectares. A second phase of Iron Age activity was also present. The artefactual evidence suggests abandonment of the settlement before he Roman conquest. In view of the lacunae in present knowledge about the charater and extent of Iron Age settlement beyond the valley and gravel areas of Bedfordshire, the discovery is considered to be both locally and regionally significant. The excavation also revealed that during the medieval period the site was within the open field system of Colmworth.

A watching brief was carried out during ground preparation for a single storey rear extension to The Old Milking Parlour, a recently converted barn, Long Martson, Buckinghamshire. The watching brief revealed the foundations of a brick wall which is considered to have been remains of a farm outbuilding, possibly of c. 18th / 19th century date, which had suffered from 20th century disturbance.

Investigation and recording of c.13th century structural evidence during the ground works for a new building. The work took place about 20m east of a medieval kiln which was excavated in 1979. Structural evidence in the form of a series of post-holes and post-settings and a suspected sill beam trench were investigated during the recent work. The features, broadly dated by pottery, are interpreted as an extent of the pottery production area.