Data from an Archaeological Recording at Blackgrounds, Chipping Warden, Northamptonshire, 2020-2022 (HS2 Phase One)
High Speed Two Ltd., MOLA Headland Infrastructure, 2025. https://doi.org/10.5284/1122770. How to cite using this DOI
- HS2 Phase One: London to West Midlands Historic Environment Digital Archive
- Curated Collection: Homes of Iron Age and Romans
Data copyright © High Speed Two Ltd. unless otherwise stated
This work is licensed under a The Open Government Licence (OGL).
Primary contact
High Speed Two Ltd.
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Tel: 08081 434 434
Resource identifiers
- ADS Collection: 5948
- DOI:https://doi.org/10.5284/1122770
- How to cite using this DOI
Introduction
This collection comprises spreadsheets, primary site records, site photographs, sketches, photogrammetry 3D models, harris matrices, digital x-rays, and specialist reports from archaeological recording undertaken at Blackgrounds North, Culworth Road, Chipping Warden, Nr Banbury, Northamptonshire. These works were carried out by MHI for Fusion-JV on behalf of High Speed 2 Ltd (hereafter HS2) from March to October 2021.
Project Summary
The work was undertaken within two adjacent parcels of land C31048 and C31049 which were located across two former fields. The site collectively covered a total area of 3.86ha and the site code was 1C20BLGAR.
In the Blackgrounds North AR areas there were substantial archaeological remains dating from the middle Iron Age into the Roman period. This consisted of part of a substantial middle to late Iron Age agglomerate settlement which spanned both areas and also continued into the adjacent Blackgrounds East and Central site. Agglomerate sites are not common within the East Midlands area, although Northamptonshire seems to have the most with around ten examples, with far fewer recorded in Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire. Of special interest is that Blackgrounds North is possibly the earliest agglomerate settlement in the county, and it was one of the three largest, possibly of village size. The Blackgrounds Site as a whole was the only agglomerate site from Northamptonshire that continued in use into the Roman period as a similar sized settlement; it became a Roman small town.
The aims of the archaeological investigation were to further understand the Iron Age settlement in C31048 and C31049 and its possible association with the north-west to south-east aligned trackway. This Iron Age settlement may have been a precursor to the Roman settlement located approximately 400m south-east of the Site in Blackgrounds East and Central. A Roman settlement was recorded during the evaluation and the pottery dates this site to the early/middle and late Roman period. This Roman settlement may have been associated with the scheduled Edgcote Roman villa (GLB138; HE: 1006616) located 300m south of the Site.
The Archaeological Recording aimed to recover more dating evidence to investigate the nature and phasing of the Iron Age settlement within the Site. The Archaeological Recording included an appropriate percentage of hand investigation in order to recover sufficient material to be able to properly refine the dating of features. MHI has recorded the volume of the material sampled to allow analysis of the ratio of artefacts and other finds per cubic metre.
Comparative volumetric data will be used to assess the relative abundance or scarcity of artefacts between different types of sites across different regions. This will be particularly useful in comparing the similarities and differences between the Iron Age settlement within the Site and the Roman settlement south of the Site.
Re-Use Value Statement
This archive can be used independently and/or in in conjunction with the rest of HS2 datasets in order to inform the archaeological features and periods unearthed on this route as interpretations of landscape archaeology. This can also function as a guide to digital archiving for future infrastructure projects benefiting both the commercial sector and the research community.
