University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS) has carried out an archaeological excavation of an Iron Age settlement at Newlands Road in Welford, Northants on behalf of Mears New Homes.
The initial nine trench evaluation identified several features in the south-east of the proposed development area, including ditches, pits and a narrow gully.
At the site the team recovered Iron Age pottery before the site was then stripped under archaeological control, exposing an Iron Age roundhouse, further structural evidence and part of two enclosure ditches.
The roundhouse measured some 9m in diameter, had an entrance at the east side, and several internal features survived as well.
Further middle Iron Age pottery was recovered, of Scored Ware type, and several querns and stone honestones/rubbers were also found.
Wayne Jarvis, from the University of Leicester, said: “This site is interesting because it is on the edge of the village of Welford, which is a historic medieval village.
“When we came here we were expecting that if we found anything it would probably be medieval archaeology.
“What we have found is archaeology from 2,000 years ago and totally unexpected”.
