The Chequers, Church Lane, Cassington, Oxfordshire
An Archaeological Evaluation
for Chequers Stone Homes Limited
by Steve Ford
Thames Valley Archaeological Services
Site Code TCC00/ 04
January 2000
Summary
Site name: The Chequers, Church Lane, Cassington
Grid reference: SP 4539 1066
Site activity: Field evaluation
Date of project: January 2000
Site code: TCC00/04
Area of site: c. 0.3 hectares
Summary of results: Deposits comprising pits, postholes, scoops and a ?quarry pit of Medieval date (12th-15th century) found in four of the five evaluation trenches. One sherd of Roman and four sherds of Saxon pottery suggest additional activity in the area.
Monuments identified: Medieval occupation
Location and reference of archive: The archive is at present held by Thames Valley Archaeological Services, 47–49 De Beauvoir Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 5NR, and will be deposited with Oxfordshire Museum Service in due course.
i The Chequers, Church Lane, Cassington, Oxfordshire An Archaeological Evaluation
by Steve Ford
Report 00/04
Introduction
This report documents the results of an archaeological field investigation carried out on land partially occupied by The Chequers public house adjacent to Church Lane and Eynsham
Road, Cassington, Oxfordshire (SP 4539 1066). The project was commissioned by Mr Steve
Ibbitson of Chequers Stone Homes Limited, Quarry Court, Bell Lane, Cassington, OX8 1DS.
A planning application has been made to West Oxfordshire District Council for the demolition of the existing public house and construction of nine houses and a new public house with associated garages and access road. In accordance with the Department of the
Environment’s Policy and Planning Guidance Note, Archaeology and Planning (PPG16
1990) and the Council policies covering archaeology, an archaeological investigation has been requested to provide information on the archaeological potential of the site to accompany the planning application so as to mitigate the effects of development on archaeological deposits. The project was carried out to a specification approved by Mr Hugh
Coddington, of Oxfordshire County Archaeology Service. The fieldwork was carried out by
Steve Ford, Steve Hammond and Dave Hope on 17th January 2000. The site code is
TCC00/04.
Location, Topography and Geology
The site is located within the centre of the historic core of Cassington approximately 100m west of the church (Fig 1). The site occupies an irregular parcel of land (c. 0.3 ha) fronting the two village streets and to the rear of the village hall. The original public house is still upstanding. The rear areas are occupied by a car park, rough ground and garden. The site is at
1 two levels with the rough grass and garden approximately 0.4m higher than the car park, which is level with the road at a height of c. 60 m above Ordnance Datum. The underlying geology is indicated by the British Geological Survey to be terrace gravels (BGS 1982).
Archaeological background
The site lies within the historic core of Cassington, a place first mentioned in Domesday Book
(1086). The site lies relatively close to the Medieval church and churchyard and a moated manor house at Reynolds Farm. It is possible that the Medieval village had late Saxon origins.
At a general level of analysis the site lies within an area of the Thames Valley gravels rich in
Prehistoric, Roman and Saxon remains (e.g. Chadwick-Hawkes 1984, fig 9; Hey and Bell
1999, 85).
Objectives and methodology
The purpose of the evaluation was to determine the presence/absence, extent, condition, character, quality, and date of any archaeological deposits within the area of development.
The specification for the fieldwork agreed with Mr Hugh Coddington was for the excavation of five 10m long trenches, at least 1.5m long and targeted at the footprints of the proposed new structures and access roads.
The trenches were excavated using a JCB-type machine fitted with a toothless bucket under archaeological supervision. The topsoil/tarmac and subsoil were removed until the natural gravel was exposed. The spoilheaps were searched for finds and possible archaeological features investigated.
A complete list of trenches giving lengths, breadths, depths, and a description of sections and geology is given in Appendix 1.
2
Results
Five trenches were dug as shown on Figure 2 and ranged in length from 9.1m to 13.4m.
Trenches 1, 2, 4 and 5 typically revealed a large depth of topsoil and subsoil overlying an often undulating fine limestone gravel with occasional red clay patches. Trench 3 was located within the tarmac covered car park and was much shallower, with only a thin skim of subsoil present.
Four of the five trenches (1, 2, 3, and 5) revealed certain or probable archaeological deposits (Figs 3 and 4, Plates 1 and 2). The originally intended position of trench 4 was found to coincide exactly with the alignment of a wide service trench and the remainder of the trench was moved eastwards to avoid this service. This in turn located a further service run that occupied a portion of the trench. No archaeological deposits were encountered in this trench but a sherd of Medieval pottery was retrieved from the spoilheap. The features are listed in Appendix 2.
Trench 1 revealed a medium-sized pit (7) beneath the subsoil, which had a single fill containing Medieval pottery and animal bone. A second circular feature in this trench was not investigated but a third is probably best interpreted as a roothole.
Trench 2 revealed an undated posthole (3) and two scoops (4 and 5), which produced
Roman, Saxon and Medieval pottery and bone. A possible posthole at the northern end of the trench was uninvestigated but another circular feature was shown to be an animal burrow.
Trench 5 revealed two modern pits that clearly cut through the subsoil and contained modern debris. A possible posthole was very shallow and is thought more likely to be a root hole or animal burrow. Posthole 6 was a clear feature but had two distinctive fills. The lower fill (55) was stoney with a lighter layer above a more humic layer. The upper fill (57) had much less stone. The contrast is such that it is possible that the upper fill represents a discrete
3 cut feature of almost identical width and position to that infilled by the lower fill. No dating evidence was recovered and two fragments of burnt bone from the upper fill (57) were the only finds recovered.
Trench 3 revealed a single undated posthole (1) and a large spread occupying much of the southern end of the trench (2). This feature was initially examined by means of a 0.5m wide slot that was dug by hand down to a depth of 1.09m and only encountered the natural gravel on the western side. It was thought that this feature was a post-Medieval quarry pit with possible wheel ruts to the north (Fig 3) and that the few finds of Medieval pottery within were residual. Following consultation with the Assistant County Archaeologist, a second phase of machining took place to try and confirm the date and nature of this feature. The southern part of the trench was dug down to a depth of 0.84m. This located the southern margins of the feature but also located another circular pit (8) cutting the fill. The machining was stopped before the full depth of pit 2 was determined in order to do no further damage to pit 8. The further machining revealed a few more finds of Medieval pottery from pit 2 and possibly pit 8 but no finds of later date were retrieved. It is now thought that both these deposits are most likely to be of Medieval date.
Finds
Pottery by Cathy Underwood-Keevil
A total of 26 sherds were recovered from the evaluation. Despite this small quantity the presence of Medieval pottery is important as it has not been observed from within the parish previously (Mellor 1994, 211). The assemblage was divided into fabric types based on the
Oxford Medieval pottery series and all dating and nomenclature is derived from Mellor
(1994). The pottery is catalogued in Appendix 3.
4 Roman
A single greyware sherd from an angular bowl with incised decoration came from scoop 4,
(53), Trench 2.
Saxon
Four sherds of early-late Saxon ware fabric OXB came from scoop 4 (53, Trench 2).
Medieval
The predominant fabric type is the limestone tempered Minety-type ware (fabric OXBB) that is dated from the late 12th–15th century and is distributed in West Oxfordshire,
Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. The other fabric of note is a Cotswold type ware (OXAC) dated from the mid 11th–13th century.
The Medieval sandy wares consist of Brill/Boarstal ware (OXAM) (13th–15th century) and other regional imports such as Warwickshire-type ware (OXAH) (13th–14th century) and late Saxon-Medieval ware (OXAG) (11th–14th century).
The high proportion of West Oxfordshire and Wiltshire types is similar to assemblages from Eynsham and Witney (Blinkhorn, forthcoming; Underwood-Keevill, in prep.). There is, however, a notable lack of other types from the West Oxfordshire tradition, which may reflect on the status of the site or, more likely, the limited size of the assemblage.
Fired Clay by Cathy Underwood-Keevil
A small fragment of fired clay from pit 2 (51) with organic and grog inclusions indicates a hearth or industrial activity on the site.
5 Faunal Remains by Steve Ford
A small collection of 32 bones was recovered from the excavated features. The bones have not been formally identified but include the common species of sheep and cattle. Two pieces of burnt bone were retrieved from posthole 6. The quantities are detailed in Appendix 4.
Conclusion
The evaluation has been successful in locating a number of deposits of Medieval date in addition to a number of undated features. The deposits comprised pits and postholes that did not contain large quantities of artefacts. These features perhaps represent a moderate level of activity such as might be expected in a yard or paddock area away from the immediate environs of a lived-in structure. There was no evidence for the presence of structures such as stone walls, floors, collapsed roofing material, etc., in the immediate vicinity, but the nature of archaeological deposits is such that structures could lie undetected in areas immediately adjacent to evaluation trenches. The postholes could belong either to various ancillary structures within a Medieval or post-Medieval farmyard setting or to structures of Saxon or earlier date. The small amount of Roman and Saxon pottery points to some activity of these periods within the vicinity, but with so few sherds this may only represent finds accidentally incorporated into manure which was subsequently spread onto arable fields.
Bibliography
BGS, 1975, British Geological Survey, 1:50000, Sheet 239, Solid and Drift Edition, Keyworth Blinkhorn, P, forthcoming, The pottery from Eynsham Abbey, (Oxford Archaeological Unit) Chadwick-Hawkes, S, 1986, ‘The early Anglo-Saxon period’, in G Briggs, J Cook, and T Rowley (eds), The Archaeology of the Oxford Region, Oxford Univ Dept of External Studies, Oxford, 64–108 Hey G, and Bell, C, 1999, ‘Yarnton Floodplain 1998’, South Midlands Archaeology 29, 85– 88 Mellor, M, 1994, A synthesis of middle and late Saxon, Medieval and early post-Medieval pottery in the Oxford region, Oxoniensia LIX, 17–217
6 PPG 16, 1990, Archaeology and Planning, Department of the Environment Planning Policy Guidance Note 16, HMSO Underwood-Keevil, C, in prep, The pottery from Witney Mount House (Oxford Archaeological Unit)
7 Appendix 1: Trench details 0m at south or west end
Trench Length Depth (m) Comments Number (m) 1 9.8 0.74 (W) Topsoil, 0.35m above subsoil, above undulating limestone gravel. 1.22 (E) Pit 7, possible pit. 2 13.4 0.75 (NE) Topsoil 0.3m above subsoil, above undulating gravel with red clay 1.12 (SW) patches. Posthole 3 and scoops 4, 5; possible posthole. 3 11.3 0.38 (N) Tarmac/made ground, 0.2m, above subsoil above gravel and a 0.84 (S) calcareous deposit. Posthole 1; pit 8 quarry? pit 2. 4 9.1 0.85 Topsoil, 0.3m above subsoil, above gravel and a red clay patch. Trench staggered to avoid service runs. 5 10.0 0.88 Topsoil, 0.25m above subsoil, above undulating limestone gravel. Posthole 6; 2 modern pits.
8 Appendix 2: Feature details
Feature/fill Trench Type Date 1 (50) 3 Posthole Undated 2 (51) 3 Quarry pit? Medieval, 13–15th century 8 (58) 3 Pit Medieval, 13–15th century? 3 (52) 2 Posthole Undated 4 (53) 2 Scoop Medieval, 11–13th century 5 (54) 2 Scoop Medieval, late 13th century 6 (55,57) 5 Posthole Undated 7 (56) 1 Pit Medieval, 12–15th century
9 Appendix 3: Pottery catalogue
Trench Location Fabric No Wt (g) Comment Date 1 7(56) OXY 2 22 sooted cooking pot 11–13th century 7(56) OXBB 3 27 rounded rim 12–15th century
2 5-10m OXBB 1 32 thick base 12–15th century 4 (53) RR10 1 9 grey ware bowl 2nd–4th century 4 (53) OXB 4 19 1 base angle 9–11th century 4 (53) OXAC 1 17 base angle 11–13th century 5 (54) OXAM 1 13 square jug rim late 13th century 5 (54) OXBB 1 3 12–15th century
3 2 (u/s) OXAM 2 53 baluster jug, glazed line decorated 13–14th century 2 (u/s) OXBB 1 5 12–15th century 2 (u/s) OXY 1 4 11–13th century 2 (50) OXAG 1 2 11–14th century 2 (50) OXBB 1 17 glazed pitcher 12–14th century 2 (50) OXAH 1 9 dark green glazed jug 13–14th century 2/8 (50/58) OXAM 1 6 speckled green glaze interior, raised 13–14th century decoration and glazed exterior 10-12m OXAM 1 3 13–15th century 10-12m OXBB 1 4 12–15th century
4 5-10m OXAC 2 29 flat topped bowl 12–13th century
10 Appendix 4: Faunal remains
Trench Location Number Weight Comment 1 7 (56) 18 326 2 3 (52) 1 170 4 (53) 2 4 3 2 (51) slot 3 28 2 (u/s) 3 44 2/8 (51/58) 3 210 5 6 (57) 2 <1 burnt
11 15000
SITE
14000
13000
12000
SITE
11000
SP44000 45000 46000 TCC00/04 The Chequers Public House, Church Lane, Cassington, Oxfordshire, 2000
Figure 1. Location of site within Cassington and Oxfordshire.
Reproduced from Ordnance Survey Pathfinder 1092 SP41/51 1:25000 Ordnance Survey Licence AL52324A0001 The Chequers Public House, Church Lane, Cassington, Oxfordshire, 2000
10700 N
Cassington Village Hall 1 7
2
Limit of application area 4
3 5 5
3
2 6 8 1
10650
4
The Chequers Public House
d oa R m ha ns Ey Churc h Lane
SP45400
Medieval pottery from spoil heaps
0 50m
Figure 2. Location of trenches showing all archaeological features. TCC00/04 The Chequers Public House, Church Lane, Cassington, Oxfordshire, 2000 Trench 1 N
possible features 7
root hole ? 0m 5m Section 6 10m
Trench 2 N
5 possible 0m Section 4 5m 10m feature
3 Section 2 profile 3 4
Trench 3 N
1 0m 2 5m 10m Section 1
8 wheel ruts ?
ash patch
Trench 5 Section 5 N
0m 5m 10m 6 slag and charcoal
modern disturbance
0 5m
Figure 3. Plans of trenches showing all archaeological features. TCC00/04 The Chequers Public House, Church Lane, Cassington, Oxfordshire, 2000
Section 1 Section 2 Profile 3
NE SW S E S N 63.83mAOD 63.79mAOD 63.79mAOD
1 43
Section 4 Section 5
SNSE NW
topsoil 5
subsoil
natural57 natural
55
6
Section 6
SW NE 63.90mAOD
56
5
0 2m
Figure 4. Selected sections. TCC00/04 Plate 1. Trench 3 looking north west, showing possible quarry pit 2 scales: 0.50m ,1m and 2m.
Plate 2. Representative section and post hole 6, Trench 5 looking west, scales: 0.50m and 1m..
TCC00/04