Lynt Farm Upper Inglesham Wiltshire Archaeological Evaluation
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Lynt Farm Upper Inglesham Wiltshire Archaeological Evaluation for Hive Energy Ltd CA Project: 4967 CA Report: 14402 September 2014 Lynt Farm Upper Inglesham Wiltshire Archaeological Evaluation CA Project: 4967 CA Report: 14402 prepared by Rebecca Riley and Jonathan Orellana, Project Supervisors date 23 September 2014 checked by Simon Cox, Head of Fieldwork date 30 September 2014 approved by Mark Collard, Head of Contracts signed date 30 September 2014 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 Cirencester Milton Keynes Andover Building 11 Unit 4 Stanley House Kemble Enterprise Park Cromwell Business Centre Walworth Road Kemble, Cirencester Howard Way, Newport Pagnell Andover, Hampshire Gloucestershire, GL7 6BQ MK16 9QS SP10 5LH t. 01285 771022 t. 01908 218320 t. 01264 347630 f. 01285 771033 e. [email protected] © Cotswold Archaeology Lynt Farm, Upper Inglesham, Wiltshire: Archaeological Evaluation CONTENTS SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................... 3 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................ 4 The site .............................................................................................................. 4 Archaeological background ................................................................................ 5 Archaeological objectives ................................................................................... 6 Methodology....................................................................................................... 6 2. RESULTS (FIGS 2-17) ....................................................................................... 7 The finds ............................................................................................................ 14 The palaeoenvironmental evidence .................................................................... 16 3. DISCUSSION ..................................................................................................... 17 4. CA PROJECT TEAM .......................................................................................... 20 5. REFERENCES ................................................................................................... 20 APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS .................................................................... 22 APPENDIX B: THE FINDS .............................................................................................. 30 APPENDIX C: THE PALAEOENVIRONMENTAL EVIDENCE ......................................... 31 APPENDIX D: RIDGE AND FURROW EARTHWORKS ASSESSMENT (FIGS 14-17) ... 31 APPENDIX E: OASIS REPORT FORM........................................................................... 33 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Fig. 1 Site location plan (1:25,000) Fig. 2 Trench location plan, showing geophysical survey results (1:6000) Fig. 3 Plan of Fields 1 and 2, showing archaeological features and geophysical survey results (1:1000 & 1:250) Fig. 4 Plan of Field 3, showing archaeological features and geophysical survey results (1:1000) Fig. 5 Plan of Field 4, showing archaeological features and geophysical survey results (1:1000) Fig. 6 Plan of Field 5 (north), showing archaeological features and geophysical survey results (1:1000 & 1:250) Fig. 7 Plan of Field 5 (south), showing archaeological features and geophysical survey results (interpretation and greyscale) (1:1000) Fig. 8 Plan of Field 6, showing archaeological features and geophysical survey results (1:1000) 1 © Cotswold Archaeology Lynt Farm, Upper Inglesham, Wiltshire: Archaeological Evaluation Fig. 9 Trenches 3 and 5: sections and photograph (1:20) Fig. 10 Trenches 6, 9 and 32: sections and photographs (1:20) Fig. 11 Trenches 14, 17 and 18: sections and photograph (1:20) Fig. 12 Trenches 22, 23, 24 and 25: sections and photograph (1:20) Fig. 13 Trenches 33, 35, and 38: sections and photographs (1:20) Fig. 14 Profiles through the ridge and furrow (1:5000) Fig. 15 Digital surface model (1:5000) Fig. 16 Hillshade of site from NW and SW Fig. 17 Isometric view of site showing visible earthworks 2 © Cotswold Archaeology Lynt Farm, Upper Inglesham, Wiltshire: Archaeological Evaluation SUMMARY Project Name: Lynt Farm Location: Upper Inglesham, Wiltshire NGR: SU 2096 9602 Type: Evaluation Date: 18 August – 19 September 2014 Planning Reference: S/14/1048 Location of Archive: To be deposited with Wiltshire Heritage Centre Site Code: LYN 14 An archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology in August- September 2014 at Lynt Farm, Upper Inglesham, Wiltshire. Forty trenches were excavated. A photogrammetric record of extant ridge and furrow earthworks was also completed as part of the works. The evaluation identified archaeological remains dating to the early prehistoric to modern periods. The remains indicate the continued agricultural use of the site, with evidence of Iron Age enclosures, Roman agricultural boundaries, medieval ridge and furrow, a post-medieval field boundary and a modern metalled trackway. An isolated boundary ditch dating to the middle Bronze Age was identified. Four Iron Age enclosures, three of which most likely represent stock enclosures, were recorded in the southern part of the site. The function of the fourth remains uncertain. A posthole and pit, dated to the late prehistoric and Iron Age respectively, were identified in the northern part of the site. Agricultural boundary ditches and pits dating to the Roman period were identified, which may provide evidence for the adaptation of an Iron Age agricultural area in to the Roman period. Ridge and furrow of probable medieval date was identified across the central eastern part of the site. A post-medieval boundary ditch and modern trackway were identified in the north- eastern part of the site. A number of undated features were identified including ditches, gullies, pits and postholes. It is probable the majority of these features relate to the Iron Age and/or Roman agricultural use of the site. However, the features in the northern corner of the site may post-date the medieval ridge and furrow. 3 © Cotswold Archaeology Lynt Farm, Upper Inglesham, Wiltshire: Archaeological Evaluation 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 In August–September 2014 Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological evaluation for Hive Energy Ltd at Lynt Farm, Upper Inglesham, Wiltshire (centred on NGR: SU 2096 9602; Fig. 1). An application has been made to Swindon Borough Council (SBC) for development of a solar farm on the site. The evaluation was undertaken following a programme of geophysical survey, and the results of that work and the present evaluation will feed into the Environmental Statement (ES) for the site. 1.2 The scope of the evaluation was agreed through correspondence between Cotswold Archaeology and Melanie Pomeroy-Kellinger of Wiltshire Council, archaeological advisor to SBC. A subsequent detailed Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) was produced by CA (2014) and approved by Melanie Pomeroy-Kellinger. During the course of the evaluation it was agreed with Melanie Pomeroy-Kellinger that a photogrammetric record of extant ridge and furrow would be undertaken, and the results incorporated within this report. Fieldwork followed the Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Field Evaluation (IfA 2009), the Management of Archaeological Projects (English Heritage 1991) and the Management of Research Projects in the Historic Environment (MORPHE): Project Manager’s Guide (English Heritage 2006). It was monitored by Melanie Pomeroy-Kellinger and Claire King, including site visits on 22nd and 28th August, and 18th September. The site 1.3 The proposed development area is approximately 49.8ha in extent, and is located within the Upper Thames Valley to the immediate south-east of the hamlet of Upper Inglesham. It comprises six fields of low lying agricultural land in the valley of the River Cole, a tributary of the Thames, and is bounded to the west by the A361 and by large agricultural fields to the north, east and south. The site lies at approximately 75m AOD and is relatively flat. Fields 5 and 6 were occupied by two polo pitches. An area of well-preserved ridge and furrow in the south-west corner of Field 3 was excluded from the evaluation. 4 © Cotswold Archaeology Lynt Farm, Upper Inglesham, Wiltshire: Archaeological Evaluation 1.4 The underlying geology of the site comprises Oxford Clay Formation Mudstone (BGS 2014). No superficial deposits are recorded. The geology encountered varied across the site, comprising sandy clays, sand and gravel. Archaeological background 1.5 The detailed archaeological background to the site is contained within the cultural heritage and archaeology chapter of the draft ES, to which reference should be made (PPG 2014). In summary, the location of the current site alongside the River Cole raises some potential for unrecorded archaeological remains. However, the site is located on clay geology and with well-drained gravel terraces available in the vicinity, the site would have been comparatively less attractive to early settlers seeking to live in this area. It is likely that the clay slopes of the Upper Thames