Monument record 0963300000 - Rear of Franklin's Farmhouse, Ickford Road

Evaluation trial trenching carried out by John Moore Heritage Services in June 2008 revealed evidence for late Saxon and medieval occupation from the 10th to late 13th century. NW-SE and NE-SW boundary ditches probably representing property boundaries with internal sub-divisions seem to indicate that the current plot may have originated as at least two plots. The absence of 14th century and later pottery suggests that activity ceased before the end of the 13th century. See report for detail (B1).
Subsequent excavations carried out by Archaeological Solutions in April 2010 identified 3 phases of occupation from the 11th to 16th centuries. An 11th to 13th century phase was represented by 3 narrow, shallow, parallel ditches aligned E-W and interpreted as property boundaries at the rear of plots facing onto Ickford Road, while animal bones from the ditch fills comprise food and butchery waste from cattle. A 13th to 14th century phase was represented by 5 more substantial parallel ditches aligned N-S, a N-S gully and a shallow vertical-sided pit or posthole. It is suggested that there was a reorganisation of space associated with redevelopment of the properties fronting Ickford Road at this time. Charred food plant remains include a variety of cereal grains (wheat, barley and rye), legumes and wild species including corcockle, stinking chamomile and grasses. Animal bones comprise food and butchery waste from cattle, sheep/goats, pig and fowl; and hornworking waste. A15th to 16th century phase was represented by a single shallow ditch aligned NE-SW, possibly indicating another re-division of the land. See report for detail (B2).