LAND NORTH OF THE OLD RECTORY ELKSTONE
GLOUCESTERSHIRE
ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION
For
MR ALEX LETTS
CA PROJECT: 2752 CA REPORT: 08236
DECEMBER 2008
LAND NORTH OF THE OLD RECTORY ELKSTONE GLOUCESTERSHIRE
ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION
CA PROJECT: 2752 CA REPORT: 08236
prepared by Philippa Mitcheson, Project Supervisor
date 2 December 2008
checked by Laurent Coleman, Project Manager
date 15 December 2008
approved by Mark Collard, Head of Contracts
signed
date 15 December 2008
issue 01
This report is confidential to the client. Cotswold Archaeology accepts no responsibility or liability to any third party to whom this report, or any part of it, is made known. Any such party relies upon this report entirely at their own risk. No part of this report may be reproduced by any means without permission.
© Cotswold Archaeology Building 11, Kemble Enterprise Park, Kemble, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 6BQ Tel. 01285 771022 Fax. 01285 771033 E-mail: [email protected] © Cotswold Archaeology Land north of the Old Rectory, Elkstone, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation
CONTENTS
SUMMARY...... 2
1. INTRODUCTION ...... 3
2. RESULTS ...... 5
3. DISCUSSION...... 6
4. CA PROJECT TEAM ...... 6
5. REFERENCES ...... 7
APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS ...... 8 APPENDIX B: THE FINDS ...... 8 APPENDIX C: OASIS REPORT FORM...... 9
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Fig. 1 Site location plan (1:25,000) Fig. 2 Trench location plan (1:500) Fig. 3 Trench 1, plan and section (1:20 and 1:10)
1 © Cotswold Archaeology Land north of the Old Rectory, Elkstone, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation
SUMMARY
Project Name: Land north of the Old Rectory Location: Elkstone, Gloucestershire NGR: SO 9683 1247 Type: Evaluation Date: 28 November 2008 Planning Reference: 08/01837/FUL Location of Archive: To be deposited with Corinium Museum Site Code: RFE 08
An archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology in November 2008 at the request of Mr Alex Letts at land north of the Old Rectory, Elkstone, Gloucestershire. One trench was excavated.
Excavation of the trench revealed a possible post pit of medieval date. A single sherd of pottery was recovered.
2 © Cotswold Archaeology Land north of the Old Rectory, Elkstone, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 In November 2008 Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological evaluation for Mr Alex Letts at land north of the Old Rectory, Elkstone, Gloucestershire (centred on NGR: SO 9683 1247; Fig. 1). The evaluation was undertaken to accompany a planning application for the construction of an all- weather horse riding area in association with domestic use of the Old Rectory.
1.2 The evaluation was carried out in accordance with a letter, dated 6 October 2008, outlining the requirement for an archaeological evaluation prior to the determination of any planning application from Charles Parry, Senior Archaeological Officer, Gloucestershire County Council (GCC), the archaeological advisors to Cotswold District Council (CDC), and with a subsequent detailed Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) produced by CA (2008a) and approved by Charles Parry. The fieldwork also followed the Standard and Guidance for an Archaeological Watching Brief issued by the Institute of Field Archaeologists (2001), the Statement of Standards and Practices Appropriate for Archaeological Fieldwork in Gloucestershire (GCC 1996) and the Management of Archaeological Projects (English Heritage 1991).
The site 1.3 The proposed development area encloses an area of approximately 0.15ha and comprises pasture with an area of plantation along the eastern part of its southern edge. The site is situated on a west-facing slope with a fairly steep gradient and an irregular surface. The site lies at approximately 245m AOD (Fig. 2).
1.4 The underlying solid geology of the area is mapped as Middle Jurassic Fuller’s Earth Formation (BGS 1998). The natural substrate comprising limestone brash was identified throughout the trench.
Archaeological background 1.5 The archaeological potential of the site has been investigated in an archaeological Desk-Based Assessment (DBA) by Cotswold Archaeology (CA 2008b), summarised below:
3 © Cotswold Archaeology Land north of the Old Rectory, Elkstone, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation
1.6 Prehistoric and possible Roman and medieval routeways are recorded in the vicinity of the site which lies only 950m north east of the Ermin Street Roman Road (now the A417). The Portway Roman Road lies immediately east of the site and was once a thoroughfare between Gloucester and the Cotswolds. This road continued in use into the medieval period and is now a narrow lane linking the northern and southern ends of the village of Elkstone.
1.7 There are two findspots of prehistoric artefacts from the wider study area.
1.8 Medieval activity in the vicinity appears to have been focused to the south-west of the site, around Elkstone Manor and the Grade I Listed Church of St John. The site is situated immediately north of the Old Rectory, a Grade II Listed post-medieval building with medieval antecedents. The precise limits of this medieval settlement are currently undefined. The documentary sources indicate a pastoral agricultural use for the site, associated with the Rectory living, from the post-medieval period up to the present day. Many of the earthworks and soilmarks in the vicinity of the site are currently undated but their form suggests that they are most likely to represent drainage and boundary features of medieval to modern date.
Archaeological objectives 1.9 The objectives of the evaluation were to establish the character, quality, date and extent of any archaeological remains or deposits surviving within the site. This information will assist Cotswold District Council in making an informed judgement on the significance of the archaeological resource and the likely impact upon it of the proposed development.
Methodology 1.10 The fieldwork comprised the excavation of one trench, 20m in length and 1.5m in width (Fig. 2). The location of the trench was relocated to target the centre of the proposed development area, with the approval of Charles Parry, Senior Archaeological Officer, GCC.
1.11 All trenches were excavated by mechanical excavator equipped with a toothless grading bucket. All machine excavation was undertaken under constant archaeological supervision to the top of the first significant archaeological horizon or the natural substrate, whichever was encountered first. Where archaeological deposits were encountered they were excavated by hand in accordance with CA Technical Manual 1: Fieldwork Recording Manual (2007).
4 © Cotswold Archaeology Land north of the Old Rectory, Elkstone, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation
1.12 Deposits were assessed for their palaeoenvironmental potential in accordance with CA Technical Manual 2: The Taking and Processing of Environmental and Other Samples from Archaeological Sites (2003). However, no deposits were identified that required sampling. All artefacts recovered were processed in accordance with CA Technical Manual 3: Treatment of Finds Immediately After Excavation (1995).
1.13 The archive and artefacts from the evaluation are currently held by CA at their offices in Kemble. Subject to the agreement of the legal landowner the artefacts will be deposited with Corinium Museum along with the site archive. A summary of information from this project, set out within Appendix C, will be entered onto the OASIS online database of archaeological projects in Britain.
2. RESULTS
2.1 This section provides an overview of the evaluation results; detailed summaries of the recorded contexts and finds are to be found in Appendices A and B.
Trench 1 2.2 The undisturbed natural geological substrate 1002 consisting of limestone brash was revealed an average depth of 0.6m below present ground level (bpgl). This was overlain by subsoil 1001 and topsoil 1000, both 0.3m thick.
2.3 At the north-eastern end of the trench a circular pit 1003 was revealed cutting the natural substrate and measuring 0.6m (Figs 2 and 3). It contained a single fill 1004 consisting of silty clay with several large fragments of stone. The fill also contained 31 sherds of pottery dating to the 12th to 13th centuries AD, bone fragments and a heavily corroded, and therefore undateable, copper alloy coin or token.
The Finds 2.4 Pottery, animal bone, glass and metalwork were recovered from pit fill 1004 and as unstratified or topsoil finds (Appendix B).
2.5 One sherd of Roman greyware (6g) was recovered from topsoil deposit 1000.
5 © Cotswold Archaeology Land north of the Old Rectory, Elkstone, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation
2.6 The rest of the pottery consists of medieval unglazed cooking pot type earthenwares (31 sherds, 326g). Two different fabric types were present, one with a Malvernian igneous/metamorphic rock temper and the other with oolitic limestone, which is characteristic of the Cotswold region. A ‘developed’ rim deriving from an everted rimmed jar from pit fill 1004, is thought to be suggestive of late 12th to mid 13th century dating.
2.7 One small unstratified fragment of vessel glass was recovered. It exhibits characteristics of ‘Forest’ glass, that generally produced from furnaces located in wooded areas using braken or fern ashes as flux, and as such may date to the 15th to late 16th centuries. . 2.8 Three metal artefacts were recorded. A worn and illegible copper alloy coin or token (RA 1) was recovered from the pit fill 1004. A lead object and an iron wood drill bit were recovered from an unstratified layer and both are most likely modern in date.
2.9 Three weathered and abraded fragments of animal bone were recovered from pit fill 1004. These consisted of a cow phalange (foot bone) and two pieces of cow-sized long bone.
3. DISCUSSION
3.1 The circular pit 1003 revealed at the north-eastern end of the trench is clearly of medieval date. The function of the pit is unknown; however the form of the feature and the identification of packing stones may suggest that it may have been the setting for a large post.
3.2 A sherd of Roman pottery was recovered from the topsoil. This is not unexpected, given the proximity of Ermin Street and the Portway Roman road.
4. CA PROJECT TEAM
Fieldwork was undertaken by Philippa Mitcheson, assisted by Hazel O’Neill. The finds report was compiled by Teresa Gilmore and the report was written by Philippa Mitcheson. The illustrations were prepared by Rachael Kershaw. The archive has
6 © Cotswold Archaeology Land north of the Old Rectory, Elkstone, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation
been compiled by Philippa Mitcheson and prepared for deposition by Kathryn Price. The project was managed for CA by Laurent Coleman.
5. REFERENCES
BGS (British Geological Survey) 1998 Geological Survey of England and Wales: Soli and Drift Edition Sheet 235: Cirencester, 1:50,000
CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2008a Land North of The Rectory, Elkstone, Gloucestershire: Written Scheme of Investigation
CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2008b Land North of The Rectory, Elkstone, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Desk Based Assessment CA typescript report 08183
7 © Cotswold Archaeology Land north of the Old Rectory, Elkstone, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation
APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS
Trench 1 (NE 245.7m AOD; SW 244.13m AOD) No. Type Description Length Width Depth Spot- (m) (m) (m) date 1000 Layer Turf and topsoil: dark brown organic clay silt 0.3 1001 Layer Subsoil: mid brown clay silt with very common 0.3 fragments of natural bedrock 1002 Layer Natural geology: pale brown-yellow clay silt with common fragments of bedrock 1003 Cut Subcircular pit 0.6 0.55 0.3 1004 Fill Dark brown clay silt with common grit and fragments 0.6 0.55 0.3 C12- of bedrock C13
APPENDIX B: THE FINDS
Context Artefact type Count Weight (g) Spot-date 1000 Medieval pottery: oolitic limestone–tempered 1 14 C12-C14 Roman pottery: greyware 1 6 1004 Copper alloy coin/token: illegible (RA 1) 1 1 LC12-MC13 Medieval pottery: oolitic limestone–tempered 25 244 Animal bone: cow phalange, cow sized long bone 3 22 u/s Medieval pottery: Malvernian cooking pot earthenware, 5 68 - oolitic limestone–tempered Vessel glass: ?Forest glass 1 4 Lead object 1 22 Iron wood drill bit 1 12 Coal 1 1
8 © Cotswold Archaeology Land north of the Old Rectory, Elkstone, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation
APPENDIX C: OASIS REPORT FORM PROJECT DETAILS
Project Name Land north of the Old Rectory, Elkstone, Gloucestershire Short description An archaeological evaluation was undertaken by (250 words maximum) Cotswold Archaeology in November 2008. One trench was excavated.
Excavation of the trench revealed a possible post pit of medieval date. A single sherd of Roman pottery was recovered
Project dates 28 November 2008 Project type Field evaluation Previous work DBA (2008b) Future work Unknown PROJECT LOCATION Site Location Land north of the Old Rectory, Elkstone, Gloucestershire Study area (M2/ha) 0.15ha Site co-ordinates (8 Fig Grid Reference) SO 9683 1247 PROJECT CREATORS Name of organisation Cotswold Archaeology Project Brief originator Project Design (WSI) originator Cotswold Archaeology Project Manager Laurent Coleman Project Supervisor Philippa Mitcheson PROJECT ARCHIVES Intended final location of Content archive Physical Corinium Museum Pottery, animal bone, metal Paper Corinium Museum Trench sheet, context sheets, drawings, registered artefact index drawing register, photographs, slides and registers, levels register, WSI Digital Corinium Museum Digital photographs BIBLIOGRAPHY
CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2008 Land North of the Rectory, Elkstone, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation CA Report No. 08236
9 Reproduced from the 2005 Ordnance Survey Explorer map with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office N c Crown copyright Cotswold Archaeological Trust 100002109
site
0 2.5km
COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY
PROJECT TITLE Land north of the Old Rectory Elkstone, Gloucestershire FIGURE TITLE Gloucestershire Site location plan
DRAWN BYSCALE PROJECT NO. FIGURE NO. RK 1:25,000@A4 2752 1 Reproduced from the 2002 Ordnance Survey Explorer map with the permission 96850 of Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office N c Crown copyright Cotswold Archaeological Trust 100002109 96800 9 6 8 0 0
12400
pit 1003
12350
The Old Rectory SOSO 0 50m
COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY
PROJECT TITLE location of proposed development Land north of the Old Rectory Elkstone, Gloucestershire trench FIGURE TITLE Trench location plan
DRAWN BYSCALE PROJECT NO. FIGURE NO. RK 1:500@A4 2752 2
Mill House N
17m to end of trench A
pit 1003 A
0 5m
Section AA
NW SE 245.3m AOD
1004
pit 1003
0 1m
COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY
PROJECT TITLE Land north of the Old Rectory Elkstone, Gloucestershire FIGURE TITLE Trench 1; plan and section
DRAWN BYSCALE PROJECT NO. FIGURE NO. RK 1:50 & 1:10@A4 2752 3