Data from a Trial Trenching at Lower Boddington, Northamptonshire, 2020-2022 (HS2 Phase One)
Connect Archaeology, High Speed Two Ltd., 2025. https://doi.org/10.5284/1126721. How to cite using this DOI
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This work is licensed under a The Open Government Licence (OGL).
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Resource identifiers
- ADS Collection: 4608
- DOI:https://doi.org/10.5284/1126721
- How to cite using this DOI
Introduction
This collection comprises of text, images, spreadsheets and site records from a trial trench evaluation undertaken by Connect Archaeology on land located within the civil Parish of Boddington, between the villages of Upper Boddington and Lower Boddington, Northamptonshire, between December 2020 and February 2021.
Project Summary
The Site comprised a single parcel of land, all under grassland, Fields 7, 8, 12 and 13 moving from south-east to north-west, incorporating parts of four large arable fields and pastures and covering a total area of 20.5 ha. A geophysical survey of the Site revealed several linear anomalies in the central western area (Field 12), which appeared to mark an area of settlement or land-use in this part of the Site that may have pre-dated extant ridge and furrow features. Ridge and furrow features extend across much of the Site, indicating a number of former open fields; in addition to these, at least five large linear features were observed in the eastern part of the Site, some of which appeared to respect areas of ridge and furrow and may be later medieval/post-medieval field boundaries. A total of 133 trenches were excavated, exposing numerous ditches and pits, and largely confirming the results of the geophysical survey and assumptions based on previously recorded archaeology. A number of further, mostly discrete features not previously detected as geophysical anomalies, were also exposed. Most of the features remained undated. Artefactual material recovery was very sparse across much of the site, with the vast majority of dateable finds being of post-medieval date, though a single worked flint of possible Neolithic/Early Bronze Age date and two abraded sherds of medieval pottery were also present. A single sherd of Roman pottery was also noted in an environmental sample. A presence of medieval and post-medieval ridge and furrow cultivation was also confirmed. The concentration of features was not even across the Site, with the majority of features located within Field 12.
Re-Use Value Statement
The Lower Boddington archive can be considered as part of the wider HS2 archive and as such has re-use value.
The evidence recovered on site was sparse but included evidence of medieval and post medieval farming. A ditch of possible Roman date and a possibly late Iron Age ditch were identified and may be valuable for further study in conjunction with other similar features across Britain.
