Parson's Piece Nash's Lane Ebrington Gloucestershire
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
PARSON’S PIECE NASH’S LANE EBRINGTON GLOUCESTERSHIRE ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF For MR AND MRS TRAHAR CA PROJECT: 3107 CA REPORT: 10082 MAY 2010 PARSON’S PIECE NASH’S LANE EBRINGTON GLOUCESTERSHIRE ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF CA PROJECT: 3107 CA REPORT: 10082 prepared by Jonathan Hart, Publications Officer date 24 May 2010 checked by Clifford Bateman, Project Manager date 28 May 2010 approved by Simon Cox, Head of Fieldwork signed date 28 May 2010 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 Parson’s Piece, Nash’s Lane, Ebrington, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief CONTENTS SUMMARY........................................................................................................................2 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................. 3 2. RESULTS (FIG. 2) ............................................................................................... 5 3. DISCUSSION....................................................................................................... 5 4. CA PROJECT TEAM ........................................................................................... 5 5. REFERENCES .................................................................................................... 6 APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS ..................................................................... 7 APPENDIX B: THE FINDS ............................................................................................... 7 APPENDIX C: OASIS REPORT FORM............................................................................ 8 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Fig. 1 Site location plan (1:25,000) Fig. 2 The site, showing location of groundworks and archaeological features (1:500) 1 © Cotswold Archaeology Parson’s Piece, Nash’s Lane, Ebrington, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief SUMMARY Project Name: Parson’s Piece Location: Nash’s Lane, Ebrington, Gloucestershire NGR: SP 1874 4026 Type: Watching Brief Date: 4–7 May 2010 Planning Reference: 10/01074/FUL Location of Archive: To be deposited with Corinium Museum, Cirencester Site Code: PEB 10 An archaeological watching brief was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology during groundworks associated with the construction of a tennis court and the erection of tennis court fencing at Parson’s Piece, Nash’s Lane, Ebrington, Gloucestershire. Two post-medieval ditches were identified cutting the subsoil and part of a Mesolithic or Early Neolithic Flint blade was recovered as a residual find from the topsoil. 2 © Cotswold Archaeology Parson’s Piece, Nash’s Lane, Ebrington, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 In May 2010 Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological watching brief for Mr and Mrs Trahar at Parson’s Piece, Nash’s Lane, Ebrington, Gloucestershire (centred on NGR: SP 1874 4026; Fig. 1). The watching brief was undertaken to fulfil a condition attached to planning consent for the construction of a tennis court and the erection of tennis court fencing (Planning ref: 10/01074/FUL). The objective of the watching brief was to record all archaeological remains exposed during the development. 1.2 The watching brief was carried out in accordance with a recommendation by Mr Charles Parry, Senior Archaeological Officer, Gloucestershire County Council (GCC) the archaeological advisor to the Local Planning Authority, Cotswold District Council (CDC), and with a subsequent detailed Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) produced by CA (2010) and approved by CDC acting on the advice of Charles Parry. The fieldwork also followed the Standard and Guidance for an Archaeological Watching Brief issued by the Institute for Archaeologists (2001), the Statement of Standards and Practices Appropriate for Archaeological Fieldwork in Gloucestershire (GCC 1995), the Management of Archaeological Projects (English Heritage 1991) and the Management of Research Projects in the Historic Environment (MoRPHE): Project Manager’s Guide (EH 2006). It was monitored by Charles Parry. The site 1.3 The site is located on the northern edge of Ebrington, within the garden of Parson’s Piece, which is bordered by The Grange to the north, by Nash’s Lane to the east, by cottages to the south and by fields to the west (Fig. 2). The site lies at approximately 160m AOD. 1.4 The underlying solid geology of the area is mapped as Jurassic deposits of Marlstone Rock Bed overlying Jurassic Middle Lias, mainly silt, (BGS 1974). Orange silty clay natural substrate was exposed during the watching brief. Archaeological background 1.5 Archaeological interest in the site arises from its location 300m north-east of the Scheduled Monument Roman Villa South of The Grove (SM GC 399). 3 © Cotswold Archaeology Parson’s Piece, Nash’s Lane, Ebrington, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief Archaeological excavations at the villa site between 1958–9 revealed tessellated pavements, a bath complex and a latrine with associated drainage (RCHME 1976, 52–3). It is suggested that the villa dwelling, which has yet to be located, stood on an artificial platform in the surrounding sloping terrain (ibid.). More recent excavation at The Grove identified an Early Roman field system, a Late Roman cemetery and the foundations of a Late Roman building, along with a Roman terrace (HEC 2009). 1.6 Further interest arises from the work carried out during the restoration of Harrow by House within the centre of the village. Artefacts and features dating from the Neolithic, Bronze Age, Roman and Anglo-Saxon periods were identified. These included Iron Age pottery, Roman stone walls, hearths, postholes and ditches and Anglo-Saxon finds, including loom weights and part of a small bronze square- headed brooch (Ball 1991). 1.7 Further Anglo-Saxon remains identified within the village include a cemetery located to the north of Elm Grove. This was excavated during the 19th century and included at least 68 burials, some of which were accompanied by grave goods (HEC 2009). It is also possible that some of the undated burials identified during recent excavations at The Grove site date to the Anglo-Saxon period (ibid.). Methodology 1.8 The fieldwork followed the methodology set out within the WSI (CA 2010). An archaeologist was present during intrusive groundworks which comprised the reduction of ground level within the area of the tennis court, an area measuring 34.75m x 17.07m. Following this, a 0.3m wide drainage trench was excavated within the tennis court area and a soak away was excavated to the west (Fig. 2). 1.9 All excavation was undertaken using a mechanical excavator equipped with a toothless bucket. Where archaeological deposits were encountered written, graphic and photographic records were compiled in accordance with CA Technical Manual 1: Fieldwork Recording Manual (2007). 1.10 The archive and artefact from the evaluation are currently held by CA at their offices in Kemble. Subject to the agreement of the legal landowner the artefact 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. 4 © Cotswold Archaeology Parson’s Piece, Nash’s Lane, Ebrington, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Watching Brief 2. RESULTS (FIG. 2) 2.1 The earliest encountered deposit was natural silty clay substrate 109. This was only partially exposed within the base of the soak away and within part of the drainage trench (see Fig. 2 for location and extent). It was overlain by subsoil 106 which had been cut by east/west aligned ditch 107. Ditch 107 was 2m wide and 0.3m deep and was filled with mid brown clay silt 108. No artefactual material was recovered from associated fill 108. 2.2 Ditch 107 was sealed by buried topsoil 105, which was itself sealed by dumped layer 102, a deposit comprising lenses of re-deposited topsoil and subsoil. This dumped layer was revealed at the formation level for the tennis court throughout the majority of the site. It had been cut by north-east/south-west aligned ditch 103. Ditch 103 was 1.5m wide and remained unexcavated but was filled with dark brown clay silt 104 which contained frequent leaf litter as well as modern bottle glass. Ditch 103 appeared to be an infilled continuation of a hedge/bank which ran up to the south- western corner of the site. The latest deposit was the garden topsoil (101) from which a residual worked flint was recovered. The flint is part of a blade dating to the Mesolithic or possibly Early Neolithic periods. 3. DISCUSSION 3.1 Although no finds were recovered from the ditches, the fact that both were later than the subsoil indicates that they are late in date, most probably post-medieval or later. The Mesolithic or Early Neolithic flint blade was residual and despite scanning of the spoil, no further artefacts were recovered during the watching brief. 4. CA PROJECT TEAM Fieldwork was undertaken by Jonathan Hart. This report was written by Jonathan