Castle Eaton Farm Castle Eaton Wiltshire

CASTLE EATON FARM CASTLE EATON WILTSHIRE

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATION

For

BACH HOMES

on behalf of

MOZART HOMES LTD

CA REPORT: 07079

JULY 2007

CASTLE EATON FARM CASTLE EATON WILTSHIRE

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATION

CA PROJECT: 2280 CA REPORT: 07079

Author: David Kenyon

Approved: Laurent Coleman

Signed: …………………………………………………………….

Issue: 01 Date: 16 July 2007

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.

Castle Eaton Farm, Castle Eaton, Wiltshire: Archaeological Excavation © Cotswold Archaeology

CONTENTS

SUMMARY...... 2

1. INTRODUCTION ...... 3

The site ...... 3 Archaeological background...... 4 Archaeological objectives ...... 5 Methodology ...... 5

2. RESULTS ...... 6

Trench 1...... 6 Trench 2...... 6 The Finds ...... 7

3. DISCUSSION...... 7

4. CA PROJECT TEAM ...... 7

5. REFERENCES ...... 8

APPENDIX 1: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS...... 9

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Fig. 1 Site location plan (1:25,000) Fig. 2 Trench location plan (1:1000) Fig. 3 Plan of Trench 1 (1:100) and Sections (1:20)

1 Castle Eaton Farm, Castle Eaton, Wiltshire: Archaeological Excavation © Cotswold Archaeology

SUMMARY

Site Name: Castle Eaton Farm Location: Castle Eaton, Wiltshire NGR: SU 1443 9566 Type: Excavation Date: 25-26 June 2007 Planning Reference: S/06/1466 Location of Archive: Swindon Museum Site Code: CEF 07

An archaeological excavation was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology in June 2007 at the request of Bach Homes on the behalf of Mozart Homes Ltd at Castle Eaton Farm, Castle Eaton, Wiltshire. Two trenches were excavated adjacent to newly constructed buildings on the site.

The footing of an undated stone-built wall was uncovered in Trench 2, on the south-western side of the site, as well as a number of contemporary structural features. The alignment of the wall suggests that it was associated with the farm buildings formerly present on the site. No finds, features or deposits of archaeological interest were identified.

2 Castle Eaton Farm, Castle Eaton, Wiltshire: Archaeological Excavation © Cotswold Archaeology

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 In June 2007 Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological excavation for Bach Homes on the behalf of Mozart Homes Ltd at Castle Eaton Farm, Castle Eaton, Wiltshire (centred on NGR: SU 1443 9566; Fig. 1). An application (ref: S/06/1466) had been approved for development of new housing at Castle Eaton Farm, with a condition attached requiring a programme of archaeological recording. The excavation of the groundworks was largely undertaken prior to the appointment of an archaeological contractor and at a site meeting with Roy Canham, County Archaeologist, Wiltshire County Council (WCC) and Liz Smith (Swindon Borough Council) on the 4 January 2007 it was decided to undertake additional archaeological excavation (two trenches) in order to offset the potential unrecorded loss of any archaeological remains.

1.2 The excavation was carried out in accordance with a detailed Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) (CA2007) approved by the Local Planning Authority (LPA) acting on the advice of Roy Canham, prior to the commencement of fieldwork. This WSI was guided in its composition by the Standard and Guidance for archaeological excavation (IFA 2001), the Statement of Standards and Practices Appropriate for Archaeological Field work in Wiltshire (WCC 1995) and the Management of Archaeological Projects (English Heritage 1991).

The site

1.3 The proposed development area encloses an area of approximately 2000m², mostly contained within the area of the pre-existing farmyard. The farm lies on the western periphery of the village of Castle Eaton on the south side of Mill Lane, 100m south of the River Thames. The site lies at approximately 79m AOD, and is flat. There are however noticeable earthworks throughout the field to the south of the development area.

1.4 The underlying geology of the area is mapped as First Terrace Deposits of the Pleistocene and Recent periods, associated with the River Thames (BGS 1974). The excavation revealed natural deposits comprising gravel, sand and clay.

3 Castle Eaton Farm, Castle Eaton, Wiltshire: Archaeological Excavation © Cotswold Archaeology

1.5 At the time of the excavation the development area itself was occupied by the partially completed houses comprising the new development. The two excavation trenches were placed adjacent to these buildings.

Archaeological background

1.6 The site lies in a rich and diverse archaeological landscape and the fields surrounding the village display an extensive system of cropmarks visible from aerial photographs. Information from the Sites and Monuments Record (SMR) suggested that no early prehistoric activity has been recorded within the immediate area of the site although cropmark ring ditches that possibly represent the remains of Bronze Age burial mounds lie approximately 400m to the south east of the site (SMR ref. no. SU19NW601). Cropmarks continue to the east where an Iron Age hut surrounded by a circular palisaded trench was excavated at Blackford Lane (SU19NE200). Further Iron Age activity was excavated at Marston Meysey where extensive settlement evidence was found (SU19NW205). From within the village of Castle Eaton, Iron age pottery has been recovered from St Mary’s churchyard (SU19NW200). Undated enclosure cropmarks 500m to the north of the site of the proposed development (SU19NW638 and the adjacent SU19NW639) may also be of Iron Age or of Roman date.

1.7 The Roman road of Ermine Street runs approximately 3km to the south west of the site and the area was extensively settled in the Roman period. Possible settlement within the area of the village is indicated by the recovery of numerous sherds of Romano-British pottery and some coins at two locations 170m and 250m distance from the site of the proposed development (SU19NW301/302). A decorated 6th-7th century horse-bit was found to the north of the village (SU19NW400), where a complex of cropmarks suggest typical Saxon settlement activity close to the River Thames (SU19 NW650). A focus of medieval settlement appears to be round the site of St Mary’s church, where a medieval cross-shaft (SU19NW452) and 13th-14th century pottery has been recovered (SU19NW454). Reference to the early place- name of ‘Ettone’ in 1086 would suggest pre-conquest origins (SU19NW451).

1.8 An archaeological evaluation, comprising the excavation of a single evaluation trench immediately to the south-east of the development area, identified an undated ditch and three ditches dating to the medieval period, one of which contained evidence for post-settings (CA 2004).

4 Castle Eaton Farm, Castle Eaton, Wiltshire: Archaeological Excavation © Cotswold Archaeology

Archaeological objectives

1.9 The academic objectives of the programme of archaeological recording were:

i) To ensure that a full and detailed archaeological record of the site is compiled.

ii) To elucidate the chronology and phasing of the archaeological remains and establish the form, function, character and status of the activity on the site thus represented. The information compiled will form the basis of a detailed report.

Methodology

1.10 Two trenches were excavated in the locations shown on Fig. 2. Trench 1 was 30m in length and 2m in width and Trench 2 was 10m in length and 2m in width. A contingency for up to a further 20% of this area (i.e. 16m²) was allowed for the further investigation of any archaeological features of particular interest which might be identified at the margins of either of the excavation areas. In the event this contingency was not required. The 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 the CA Technical Manual 1: Fieldwork Recording Manual (2007). All artefacts recovered were processed in accordance with the CA Technical Manual 3: Treatment of Finds Immediately After Excavation (1995).

1.11 The archive from the excavation is currently held by CA at their offices in Kemble. Subject to the agreement of the legal landowner the site archive will be deposited with Swindon Museum.

5 Castle Eaton Farm, Castle Eaton, Wiltshire: Archaeological Excavation © Cotswold Archaeology

2. RESULTS

2.1 This section provides an overview of the evaluation results; detailed summaries of the recorded contexts are to be found in Appendix 1.

Trench 1 (Figs 2 and 3) 2.2 Trench 1 was excavated to the rear of the new houses on the south-western side of the site (Fig. 2). Natural clay and gravel 108 was encountered at a depth of as little as 0.1m at the southern end of this trench as the level of much of the area had been reduced during construction of the houses. At the northern end of the trench this was sealed by a recently deposited layer 101 of topsoil up to 0.2m thick.

2.3 A number of features were identified cutting into the natural clay and gravel. The earliest of these was an undated wall footing 104/105, running along the whole length of the western side of the trench. This consisted of a vertical–sided cut 0.6m wide and up to 0.3m deep, filled with large, flat limestone slabs of irregular shape up to 0.5m in length, bonded with clay. A further length of this wall footing extended north-eastwards across the width of the trench approximately 17m from the northern end.

2.4 Two further possible structural features were identified. An irregular-shaped feature 106/107 up to 1.5m wide was uncovered at the northern end of the trench. This was filled with a mix of clay and large limestone fragments and was interpreted as a further, less well constructed wall footing, abutting wall footing 104/105. To the south of this was a stone-filled pit 109/110, approximately 0.6m in diameter this was interpreted as a possible post–pad or footing.

2.5 Running along and across substantial parts of the trench were recently constructed service trenches 102/103 associated with the newly built houses. These truncated, and in parts completely obscured the line of wall footing 104/105.

Trench 2 2.6 Trench 2 was excavated in the interior courtyard of the new development. Natural clay 202 was encountered at a depth of 0.7m below the modern ground surface. This was overlaid by a thick layer of mixed clay, topsoil and rubble 201 associated with the recent building works. No features of archaeological significance were observed in this trench.

6 Castle Eaton Farm, Castle Eaton, Wiltshire: Archaeological Excavation © Cotswold Archaeology

The Finds 2.7 Two sherds of transfer-printed while porcelain were recovered from pit-fill 106. As these were clearly of modern date they were not retained. No other artefactual material of archaeological interest was identified in the course of this excavation.

3. DISCUSSION

3.1 No features corresponding with the medieval ditches encountered in the earlier evaluation were uncovered in the course of this excavation. Although undated, the alignment of wall footing 104 identified in Trench 2 corresponds with the mapped alignment of the rear wall of the farm buildings which formerly occupied the site. It is likely that this wall formed part of those structures. This conclusion is supported by the presence of a short length of perpendicular wall footing in the centre of the trench, near to where a dividing wall between the two earlier buildings was indicated. It is likely that the other features identified in Trench 2 reflect internal features or dividing walls within those buildings.

4. CA PROJECT TEAM

Fieldwork was undertaken by David Kenyon. The report was written by David Kenyon. The illustrations were prepared by Lorna Gray. The archive has been compiled and prepared for deposition by Teresa Gilmore. The project was managed for CA by Laurent Coleman.

7 Castle Eaton Farm, Castle Eaton, Wiltshire: Archaeological Excavation © Cotswold Archaeology

5. REFERENCES

BGS (British Geological Survey) 1974 1:50,000 series solid and drift geology: England and Wales Sheet 252: Swindon

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2004 Castle Eaton Farm, Wiltshire: Archaeological Evaluation, CA Report 04108

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2007 Castle Eaton Farm, Wiltshire: Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological Excavation

8 Castle Eaton Farm, Castle Eaton, Wiltshire: Archaeological Excavation © Cotswold Archaeology

APPENDIX 1: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS

Trench 1

Context No Description 101 Modern topsoil; dark brown clay silts with occasional small gravel, up to 0.2m thick.

102 Fill of modern service trenches; mixed rubble topsoil and natural clay

103 Cut for modern service trenches; not excavated.

104 Wall footing; large limestone slabs up to 0.5m diameter x 0.1m thick, bonded with blue clay.

105 Cut for wall footing; vertical-sided, flat base, 0.6m wide x up to 0.3m deep, runs along whole length of trench. 106 Fill of pit/wall footing; mixed stone rubble and clay. 107 Cut for pit/wall footing; sub-circular with bowl-shaped base, up to 1.5m long, 1.0m wide and 0.3m deep. 108 Natural substrate, blue clay with patches of sand and gravel, not excavated.

109 Fill of possible post pad; mixed stone rubble and clay, occasional charcoal flecks.

110 Cut of post pad; bowl shaped 0.6m in diameter, 0.25m deep.

Trench 2

Context No Description 201 Modern dump layer; mix of topsoil, building rubble and clay, up to 0.7m thick.

202 Natural substrate, blue clay, not excavated.

9 Reproduced from the 1998 Ordnance Survey Explorer map with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery O ce N c Crown copyright Cotswold Archaeological Trust 100002109

site

0 2.5km

COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY

PROJECT TITLE Castle Eaton Farm, Castle Eaton Wiltshire FIGURE TITLE Site location plan Wiltshire DRAWN BY SCALE PROJECT NO. FIGURE NO. LG 1:25,000@A4 2280 1 143 146

1 960 00m 1 960 00m

959 959

The Red Lion (PH) BM 77.40m

Maroubra Waters 958 958 77.0m Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey Digital mapping with the permission of 145 Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery O ce N LB c Crown copyright Cotswold Archaeological Trust 100002109 144 GP The Old Post O ce Rivermead 77.5m GP GP Bridge CottageThe Cottage

1 BM 78.54m Bridge House

THE STREET The OldBarnStable 5 Cott

Round-house 1

Drain Cott 957 957

Eaton House Granary Cott MILL LANE 6 T2

Allotment T1 Langtons Gardens

Castle Eaton Farm Littlecroft

956 956 Paddock Corner

0 100m

COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY GP site PROJECT TITLE Castle Eaton Farm, Castle Eaton 3354 evaluation trench showing Wiltshire archaeological features FIGURE TITLE Trench location plan showing trench (CA 2004) archaeological features DRAWN BY SCALE PROJECT NO. FIGURE NO. LG 1:1000@A4 2280 2 143 144 145 146 N

modern modern modern modern services services services services

A wall footing wall footing A post-pad 105 timber 110 wall footing 107 D 105 post B wall footing C 105 C B D wall footing 105

0 10m

wall footing Section AA Section BB

NW SE SW NE 101 78.5m 78.5m AOD AOD

104 106

wall footing wall footing 107 105

Section CC Section DD

SE NW NE SW 78.5m 78.5m AOD AOD 104

wall footing 105 109

post pad COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY 110 PROJECT TITLE Castle Eaton Farm, Castle Eaton Wiltshire FIGURE TITLE

0 2m Trench 1; plan and sections

DRAWN BY SCALE @ A3 PROJECT NO. FIGURE NO. LG 1:100 and 1:20 2280 3