Archaeologists will descend on two car parks in Daventry next week for a series of small-scale digs as plans to redevelop part of the town centre move forward.
The team, from AC Archaeology, will carry out up to 10 archaeological digs over a month-long period at Primrose Hill, High Street and Chapel Lane car parks, beginning on November 10.
They have been appointed by Henry Boot PLC, Daventry District Council’s preferred developer for Site 1 of the town centre, where there are plans to build a new library and retail complex north of High Street. The archaeological digs will form part of investigation works that need to be carried out by the developer before a planning application is submitted for the site.
The district council has agreed the locations for 10 trenches to be dug on the car parks – two in the Chapel Lane car park and eight in the High Street and Primrose Hill car parks. To minimise disruption to motorists using the car parks, archaeologists will carry out the work two days a week, and up to only ten car parking spaces will be sealed off at any one time.
Alan Jones, Development Surveyor at Henry Boot, said: “The archaeological digs are a requirement to investigate the site before a planning application can be made. The team from AC Archaeology will share its findings with the county council’s archaeologist to determine the historical interest of the area that will be redeveloped.
“We are liaising with the council to ensure that the digs will be carried out with minimal disruption to people who use the car parks.”
Peter Cox, Director of AC Archaeology, said: “Investigations of this type are required routinely these days but there’s particular interest in Daventry because there has been very little archaeological work done in this part of the town.
“It’s just preliminary work and we are not going to any great depth but we might find some Saxon or Roman artefacts.”
Councillor Chris Over, Daventry District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Economic, Regeneration and Employment, said: “It's good news that the plans for site 1 are moving forward with these necessary preliminary works on site.
The excavations could shed more light on Daventry's past, as we look to the future, and extend the town's retail, cultural and leisure facilities, not least of these the new and enhanced library.”
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