Kingston Hill Farm, Kingston Bagpuize and Long Leys House, Cumnor

FARMOOR TO BLUNSDON WATER PIPELINE (OXFORDSHIRE SECTION)

KINGSTON HILL FARM, KINGSTON BAGPUIZE AND LONG LEYS HOUSE, CUMNOR

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION INTERIM SUMMARY

CA PROJECT: 1690 CA REPORT: 04022

Author: D Kenyon

Approved: C Bateman

Signed: …………………………………………………………….

Issue: 01 Date: 05 February 2004

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.

Farmoor to Blunsdon Water Pipeline: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 In January 2004 Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological evaluation for Thames Water at two sites on the route of the proposed Farmoor to Blunsdon Water pipeline; north of Kingston Hill Farm (centred on NGR: SP 406 001; Fig. 1) and to the west of Long Leys House, Cumnor (centred on NGR: SP 453 044; Fig. 2). The evaluation was undertaken in accordance with a detailed Project Design produced by CA (2004) acting on the advice of Mike Lang Hall (Archaeological Consultant to Thames Water) and Hugh Coddington of Oxfordshire County Council Archaeological Service.

1.2 Full details of the project background and methodology are contained in the CA Project Design, and other documentation. This report serves only to provide an interim summary of the results of the evaluation in order that consideration may be given to further archaeological works on the Kingston Hill site in particular, as well as more generally along the pipeline.

2. SITE 1 - KINGSTON HILL FARM

Background 2.1 Ten trenches, each 20m long and 1.8m wide, were excavated along the pipeline corridor to the north of Kingston Hill Farm (Fig. 1). Previous archaeological work in the area had revealed evidence of Iron Age and Roman activity nearby, in particular a watching brief carried out in 2000 on the site of a dairy unit within the farm complex had revealed evidence of Iron Age, Roman and Anglo-Saxon activity, and of Roman burials. The trenching was intended to determine whether this activity extended into the pipeline corridor.

Results 2.2 A series of Roman and early medieval (10th to 13th Century) features in the form of pits gullies and ditches were uncovered in Trenches 1 and 2 at the western end of the corridor. These were cut into the underlying natural sandy clay and were typically revealed at a depth of 0.5m below the modern ground surface. A range of sherds of Roman and medieval pottery was recovered from these features (see Appendix 1) as well as fragmentary animal bone. These features were cut in turn by

1 Farmoor to Blunsdon Water Pipeline: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

several vestigial cultivation furrows of later medieval or post-medieval date. Several sherds of pottery of Saxon date were also recovered. Although all were residual finds from later features, the presence of some activity from this period can also be inferred.

2.3 An undated ditch was also uncovered in Trench 3. No features of archaeological interest were uncovered to the east of this ditch. Several vestigial cultivation furrows were uncovered in Trenches 5 and 6, while Trench 4 and Trenches 7-10 were entirely devoid of visible features.

2.4 Trenches 1-3 are located on a flat plateau area on the crest of Kingston Hill with the surrounding land surface sloping down to the north, to the east of Trench 3, and across the A415 road to the west. It is tempting, therefore, to suggest that the activity revealed in Trenches 1-3 was concentrated on this hill-top.

3. SITE 2 – LONG LEYS HOUSE, CUMNOR

Background 3.1 A further 5 trenches of similar dimensions to those at Kingston Hill, were excavated along a section of the pipeline corridor to the south of Leys Road, Cumnor (Fig. 2). Evidence of Roman activity in the form of pottery and building material scatters, as well as possible hearths, had previously been identified adjacent to the pipeline route.

Results 3.2 In Trench 15 a single ditch was revealed aligned north- east to south-west. It had been re-cut on at least one occasion, and two fragments of Roman pottery were recovered from the lower and upper fills of the ditch (see Appendix 1). It is possible that this ditch is associated with the previously identified Roman activity to the south- east.

3.3 No features of archaeological interest were uncovered in Trenches 11-13. Vestigial cultivation furrows were uncovered in Trenches 14-15.

2 Farmoor to Blunsdon Water Pipeline: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

4. CA PROJECT TEAM

Fieldwork was undertaken by D Kenyon, assisted by Mike Rowe, Briege Williams, and John Naylor. The report was written by David Kenyon The illustrations were prepared by Lorna Grey. The project was managed for CA by Cliff Bateman.

3 Farmoor to Blunsdon Water Pipeline: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

APPENDIX 1: THE FINDS BY E.R. MCSLOY

Small quantities of pottery, animal bone, worked flint and metal items were recovered. Where applicable, pottery types have been matched against Roman and medieval fabric codes in use by the Oxfordshire Archaeological Unit (Booth n.d.; Mellor 1994).

The earliest pottery consists of three sherds of Roman reduced wares of local (Oxfordshire) type, which are only broadly dateable to the later 1st to 4th centuries. Small, abraded sherds in coarse quartz and quartz and organic-tempered fabrics from contexts 206, 208 and 214 probably date to the Early or Middle Saxon period (c. 5th to 8th centuries). The remainder of the pottery dates to the Late Saxon or earlier medieval periods (c. 10th to 13th centuries AD) and comprises a mix of calcareous (oolitic) gravel tempered wares, quartz/flint or limestone/quartz/flint tempered wares. Calcareous fabric OXAC was most likely produced fairly locally and types OXBF and OXAQ, probably the Kennet Valley of east Wiltshire. Represented forms are restricted to jars from contexts 212 and 220 with everted rims. That from 220 features thumbed decoration to the rim outer. Closer dating, within the range indicated by the fabrics, presents a problem, however the simplicity of represented jar forms and the absence of later medieval fabrics probably indicates a date of before c. AD 1200.

Non ceramic artefacts consist of two worked flint flakes of earlier Prehistoric (?Neolithic-Bronze Age) date which are almost certainly both re-deposited, and a nail fragment and possible buckle frame fragment of iron. The iron items are most likely to be medieval in date.

References

Booth, P.M., n.d. Oxford Archaeological Unit Roman pottery recording system. Unpub. reference document

Mellor, M., 1994, ‘A synthesis of Middle and Late Saxon, Medieval and Early Post-medieval pottery in the Oxford region’ Oxoniensia LIX, 17-217

Finds Concordance

104 2 sherds of pottery (4g); Cotswold oolitic type (OXAC) 8 fragments of animal bone (20g) Spot-date: C10/11-C13

106 1 sherd of pottery (124g); Oxfordshire greyware necked jar (Fabric R30) Spot-date: 2nd to 4th Century

108 1 fragment of animal bone (35g)

110 1 sherd of modern pottery (9g); Discarded Spot-date: 19th to 20th Century

114 16 fragments of animal bone (9g) 1 Fe object: ?buckle frame

116/118 2 sherds pottery (4g); Cotswold oolitic type (OXAC) 15 fragments animal bone (182g) 1 fe nail 1 flint flake Spot-date: C10/11-C13

120 3 sherds of pottery (19g); Cotswold oolitic type (OXAC) Spot-date: C10/11-C13

206 6 sherds of pottery (11g); Cotswold oolitic type (OXAC); misc. Sax? quartz tempered 3 fragments of burnt bone (103g) 8 fragments of animal bone (10g) Spot-date: C10/11-C13

208 1 sherd of pottery (5g); ?Saxon coarse quartz tempered Spot-date: Early/Middle Saxon

210 1 fragment of worked flint

212 16 sherds of pottery (126g); Coarse quartz and flint tempered type (OXBF) 60 fragments animal bone (55g) Spot-date: C10/11-C13

214 1 sherd of pottery (5g): ?Saxon type quartz/organic temp. Very abr. Spot-date: Early/Middle Saxon

220 3 sherds of pottery (29g); Coarse quartz and flint tempered type (OXBF). Everted rim jar with thumbed decoration. 11 fragments of animal bone (33g) Spot-date: C10/11-C13

222 1 sherd of pottery (7g); Coarse flint and limestone tempered type (?OXAQ) Spot-date: C12-C14

1508 1 sherd of pottery (4g): coarse black sandy type. Very abr. Spot-date: ?Roman

1510 1 sherd of pottery (4g); Oxfordshire greyware (Type R30). Abr. Spot-date: Roman

5 N

6 10 5 7 8 9 4 3 1 2

trench enlarged below 0 250m

120 106 110 furrow ditch ditch/gully 2 furrow 214 212 206 gully 218 modern 104 tree throw 3 116 307/308 land 1 304 drain ditch furrow furrow 208/ land 204 210 220 drain 222

trench post-medieval Romano-British undated 10th-13th century 0 50m

Fig. 1 Site 1 - Kingston Hill Farm (1:2500 and 1:500) N

enlarged right

15 1503 1510

1508

trench Romano-British trench post-medieval 0 250m 0 50m

Fig. 2 Site 2 - Long Leys House, Cumnor (1:2500 and 1:500)