Woodcote Wood Newport Shropshire

WOODCOTE WOOD NEWPORT SHROPSHIRE

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION

For

RMC AGGREGATES LTD

CA REPORT: 05107

MAY 2006

WOODCOTE WOOD NEWPORT SHROPSHIRE

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION

CA PROJECT: 1984 CA REPORT: 05107

Author: Tim Havard and Richard Morton

Approved: Neil Holbrook

Signed: …………………………………………………………….

Issue: 02 Date: 11 MAY 2006

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.

Woodcote Wood, Newport, Shropshire: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

CONTENTS

SUMMARY...... 3

1. INTRODUCTION ...... 4

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

2. EVALUATION RESULTS...... 6

3. INTERPRETATION OF EVALUATION RESULTS ...... 8

4. ANALYSIS AND POTENTIAL IMPACTS...... 9

Summary history of the Woodcote administrative boundary...... 9 Potential date and function of the Woodcote earthwork ...... 11 Survival of the earthwork ...... 12 Importance of the Woodcote boundary...... 12 Potential development impacts ...... 13 Proposed next-stage survey and mitigation...... 13

5. CA PROJECT TEAM ...... 14

6. REFERENCES ...... 14

APPENDIX 1: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS...... 15

APPENDIX 2: LEVELS OF PRINCIPAL DEPOSITS AND STRUCTURES...... 16

1 Woodcote Wood, Newport, Shropshire: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Fig. 1 Site location plan (1:25,000) Fig. 2 Trench location plan (1:1,000) Fig. 3 Trenches 1 & 2: sections (1:50)

2 Woodcote Wood, Newport, Shropshire: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

SUMMARY

Site Name: Woodcote Wood Location: Newport, Shropshire NGR: SJ 7700 1470 Type: Evaluation Date: 15-17 June 2005 Location of Archive: Shropshire County Museum Service Accession no. applied for Site Code: WWN 05

An archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology in June 2005 at the request of Cemex on land at Woodcote Wood, Newport, Shropshire. This followed earlier stages of archaeological survey, comprising an archaeological desk-based assessment and archaeological walkover survey. In compliance with an approved WSI (CA 2005), two trenches were excavated across the historic boundary of the medieval chapelry of Woodcote which lay within the development area.

The evaluation has shown that the Woodcote Wood boundary varies between around 5.5- 9m in total width, and comprises a rounded bank with external ditch. It is likely that the earthwork evolved as a woodbank, defining the Woodcote chapelry boundary and an area of medieval (or possibly earlier) managed woodland. Although the chapelry boundary also represented the Anglo-Saxon and medieval shire and hundred boundaries, its function probably did not intrinsically relate to these administrative units. No dating was retrieved from the evaluation to date the initial construction of the feature more closely.

The Woodcote boundary is undoubtedly of some local interest, although not of sufficient importance to warrant preservation in situ. It is recommended that the length of the boundary through the wood is archaeologically surveyed through measured survey, preferably using Electronic Distance Measurement (EDM), prior to development. This will ensure a detailed record of the extant earthwork. It is recommended that a limited programme of archaeological recording takes place during development along the earthwork, in order to retrieve any dateable material within its composite elements.

3 Woodcote Wood, Newport, Shropshire: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 In June 2005 Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological evaluation for Cemex on land at Woodcote Wood (centred on NGR: SJ 7700 1470; Fig. 1). The evaluation was undertaken in advance of the determination of planning permission for the extraction and processing of sand and gravel. The evaluation followed an earlier archaeological desk-based assessment (CAT 1999) and archaeological walkover survey (CAT 2000).

1.2 The evaluation was carried out in accordance with a brief for archaeological recording (Watson 2005) prepared by Mike Watson, Historic Environment Officer, Shropshire County Council, as archaeological advisor to the Local Planning Authority (LPA), and with a subsequent detailed WSI produced by CA (2005) and approved by Mr Watson. The fieldwork also followed the Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Field Evaluation issued by the Institute of Field Archaeologists (1999) and the Management of Archaeological Projects II (English Heritage 1991). It was monitored by Mike Watson, including site visits on 15th and 17th June 2005.

The site 1.3 The proposed extraction site is approximately 16.5ha in size. It lies within Woodcote Wood, which is some 40 ha in extent and bordered by the B4379 to the south and A41 Trunk Road to the east. At the time of the evaluation the site was under fairly dense deciduous and evergreen tree cover together with heather and bramble. The land rises gradually from east to west, and falls steeply from the west-facing scarp slope. Ground level rises from approximately 120m OD within the eastern part of the site to around 168m OD at the highest point.

1.4 The solid geology of the site is mapped as Permian and Triassic sandstone of the Sherwood Sandstone group. This is overlain by sands and gravels of fluvioglacial origins (CAT 1999).

Archaeological background 1.5 Archaeological interest in the site arises from a desk-based archaeological assessment and walk-over survey of the wood (CAT 1999 and 2000). These

4 Woodcote Wood, Newport, Shropshire: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

identified the existence of a linear earthwork coinciding with the historic boundary of the medieval chapelry of Woodcote.

Archaeological objectives 1.6 The objectives of the evaluation were to establish the character, quality, date, significance and extent of any archaeological remains or deposits surviving within the site. This information will assist the Local Planning Authority in making an informed judgement on the likely impact upon the archaeological resource by the proposed development.

Methodology 1.7 The fieldwork comprised the excavation of two trenches, the location of which was agreed on site with Mike Watson of Shropshire County Council. The location of the trenches is depicted on Fig. 2. Trench 1 (measuring 10.8m in length by 2m in width) was located to examine the former boundary where it was only visible as a bank. Trench 2 (measuring 12m in length by 2m in width) was located to examine the boundary where it was only visible as a ditch.

1.8 The existing ground surface in both trenches was removed by mechanical excavator equipped with a toothless grading bucket. All further excavation was done by hand. Where archaeological deposits were encountered they were excavated by hand in accordance with the CA Technical Manual 1: Excavation Recording Manual (1996).

1.9 Deposits were assessed for their palaeoenvironmental potential in accordance with the CA Technical Manual 2: The Taking and Processing of Environmental and Other samples from Archaeological Sites (2003); no samples were taken. All artefacts recovered were processed in accordance with the CA Technical Manual 3: Treatment of Finds Immediately After Excavation (1995).

1.10 The archive and artefacts from the evaluation are currently held by CA at their offices in Kemble. Subject to the agreement of the legal landowner the site archive (including artefacts) will be deposited with Shropshire County Museum Service.

5 Woodcote Wood, Newport, Shropshire: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

2. EVALUATION RESULTS

2.2 This section provides an overview of the evaluation results; detailed summaries of the recorded contexts can be found in Appendix 1. Details of the relative heights of the principal deposits and features expressed as metres Above Ordnance Datum (m AOD) appear in Appendix 2.

Trench 1 2.3 A thin layer 105 of dark brown sandy black silt directly overlay the natural substrate 104 towards the centre of Trench 1. Similar deposits 116 and 103 were observed at each end of the Trench although 103 contained a higher proportion of pebbles.

2.4 Material comprising the earthwork bank survives to a height of approximately 0.6m above the former land surface, and is 2.6m at its widest measurement at the base. Layer 105 was sealed by a thicker layer 106 of mid grey brown compacted sand and pebbles which was in turn sealed by a layer 107 very similar in composition and thickness to 105. This deposit was in turn overlain by two deposits, 108 and 110, of compacted sand with frequent pebbles, both of which were covered by another deposit of sand and pebbles 109.

2.5 Earthwork ditch 115 was 3.6m wide and approximately 0.45m deep. The ditch appeared to be cut from the top of compacted sand and pebble layer 102 which overlay 103 to the south, and through layer 107 to the north. The primary fill of the ditch was a silty sand deposit 111, lying against the southern side of the bank and slumping into the base of the ditch. This was sealed by three successive fills 112, 113 and 114, of which 112 and 114 were of distinctive red brown appearance compared to other deposits within the trench.

2.6 Layer 116 towards the northern end of Trench 1 was sealed by a layer 118 of mid grey brown compacted sand and pebbles. This was covered at its northern extent by a layer 117 of compacted pebbles and sand and cut at its southern extent by ditch 120. The relationship between ditch 120, which ran parallel to the existing woodland track, and deposit 110 was obscured by root disturbance although it is likely the former cut the latter. The ditch contained a single mixed silty sand fill 119.

6 Woodcote Wood, Newport, Shropshire: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

2.7 The foregoing deposits were all sealed by the existing ground surface 101 which comprised dark grey brown organic silty sand and was derived mostly from rotting needle mulch.

Trench 2 2.8 Material comprising the earthwork bank was found to survive to a height of approximately 0.5m above the former land surface, and 3m in width. Deposit 205 lay towards the northern end of Trench 2 and consisted of grey brown compacted sand with occasional pebbles. It was overlain by two deposits, 204 and 203 respectively, of compacted sand with occasional gravel inclusions. The later of these, 203, was covered on its northern edge by compacted sand and pebble layer 202 and on its southern edge by similar layer 206.

2.9 A brown silty sand deposit 207 lay to the south of 206. A layer of comparable composition 210, was recorded further down slope towards the centre of the trench. Layers 207 and 210 were separated by cut by 208 which contained a single distinctive pinkish red sandy clay fill 209. Layer 210 was also cut to the south by 211, the northern edge of which was steeply cut but which had no discernible southern edge. It contained a single fill 212 which comprised mid red irregular sandstone lumps packed into the cut. This was overlain by silty sand deposit 214 which appears to represent further erosion of the bank and which extended towards the base of ditch 215.

2.10 Ditch 215 was cut into the natural substrate 217 and measured approximately 5.5m in width. The ditch utilised the natural downwards slope of the land from north to south and the northwestern cut nearest the bank was unclear. At the south-east end of the ditch was dark brown silty sand 216 filling a ‘u’ shaped notch.

2.11 All of the foregoing deposits were sealed by the existing ground surface 201 which comprised dark grey brown organic silty sand and was derived mostly from rotting needle mulch.

2.12 Despite visual scanning of machine dug spoil, no finds were recovered during the course of the project.

7 Woodcote Wood, Newport, Shropshire: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

3. INTERPRETATION OF EVALUATION RESULTS

Trench 1 3.1 Layers 105, 116 and 103 directly seal the natural substrate and represent the land surface prior to the construction of the bank and ditch. Layer 102 seems to represent a later land surface, contemporary with a widening of the bank in Trench 1.

3.2 In Trench 1 the earthwork bank and ditch was constructed in two or more phases. The first phase comprised deposit 106, presumably up-cast from the initial ditch construction. A probable stabilised land surface was identified above this primary bank sealed by a later bank deposit (layer 107), implying that a period of time elapsed before the later heightening of the bank. It is likely that the earlier bank was associated with a shallower, narrower ditch, subsequently widened. The later ditch phase was cut through a higher ground surface level (deposit 102).

3.3 It is evident that the bank subsequently underwent significant erosion. This resulted in a layer of eroded material (111) which slumped all the way to the base of ditch cut 115. The silty composition of 111 would suggest gradual erosion, and a period of time in which the bank and ditch were not regularly maintained. The ditch was filled by three further, quite distinct, deposits (112, 113 and 114). It is likely that this represents waste material from nearby sandstone quarrying, the ditch being a suitable location for the dumping of such material. This probably explains why the ditch has effectively been levelled in this section of the boundary.

3.4 The smaller ditch 120 is situated on the north-west side of the bank, adjacent to the existing forest track. The fact that it was cut through the latest bank layer suggests that it is related to the track, possibly to provide drainage and/or metalling material.

Trench 2 3.5 Only a single period of bank construction was observable in Trench 2. As in Trench 1, the bank suffered from periods of erosion resulting in slumping layers on the south side. There appear to have been two attempts to consolidate the bank. The first of these was backfilled with sandstone 212. The cut had a steep northern edge but the absence of a southern edge suggests that the revetment was located at the bottom of the bank. This attempt at consolidation was apparently unsuccessful as 212 was sealed by further eroded material. An additional cut serving the same purpose was located slightly higher up the bank and was filled with red sandy clay

8 Woodcote Wood, Newport, Shropshire: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

209. Both revetments were filled with material probably derived from nearby sandstone quarrying

3.6 The ditch in Trench 2 was significantly different in form to that in Trench 1. In the area of Trench 2 the natural downslope of the topography appears to have been utilised, necessitating a wider and shallower ditch than in the area of Trench 1. A ‘u’ shaped notch was also cut into its base, presumably to aid drainage.

Discussion 3.7 There is evidence in Trench 1 that the ditch was recut on at least one occasion, and that the bank was rebuilt. The section through the earthworks in Trench 2 shows that there was more than one attempt to combat the effects of erosion. Such attempts at maintenance imply a relatively long lived and locally significant feature. The evaluation work has established that the earthwork boundary within the site originally comprised both a bank and ditch, even though only one or the other now survive in places.

3.8 The lack of finds recovered from the evaluation means that it is not possible to provide a date for the construction or use of the boundary beyond that which has been discussed in the desk-based assessment (CAT 1999) or the walkover survey (CAT 2000).

4. ANALYSIS AND POTENTIAL IMPACTS

4.1 A detailed archaeological and historical account of the site and its environs is provided in the CA desk-based assessment (CA 1999) and walkover survey (CA 2000). The following section intends to summarise the known development of the Woodcote chapelry boundary, assess its importance and survival (in the light of the evaluation results) and assess the potential significance of impact of the proposed site development upon it.

Summary history of the Woodcote administrative boundary 4.2 In the Anglo-Saxon period Shropshire lay within the Kingdom of Mercia, and was divided into a series of administrative units known as hundreds, the basic unit of governance from at least the 10th century (Reynolds 1999, 74). It is probable that Woodcote emerged as a settlement at this time, the ‘cote’ suffix of the place-name

9 Woodcote Wood, Newport, Shropshire: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

being a characteristic element, although it may also have derived from the family name (Gelling 1990). The manor is listed in the possession of Thomas de Cotes in the Domesday Book of 1086, and was held for most of the medieval and post- medieval period by the Cotes family. The manor of Woodcote lay within the hundred of Wrockwardine in the 11th century, which was amalgamated with the neighbouring Domesday hundred of Hodnet by 1203 (VCH 1985, 93) into the new hundred of Bradford. The manor also comprised a semi-autonomous ‘chapelry’, served by the chapel-of-ease next to the manor house (of which 12th-century elements survive). The chapelry was dependent upon the parish and church of Sheriffhales. The chapelry boundary is depicted on Fig. 1 running from Child Pit Farm, through Woodcote Wood and then eastwards and northwards, with the manor of Lynn lying to the east (derived from the Map of the North Side of Sherrifhales of 1725 (SRO 972/236) and the Woodcote Tithe Map of 1847).

4.3 Land to the south of the chapelry boundary lay within the parish of Sheriffhales, a parish which has a fairly involved territorial history. The manor and parish appears to have lain wholly in the shire of Staffordshire prior to the late 11th century, but land from the parish may have been transferred to Shropshire (to Cuttlestone Hundred) by the lord of the manor Earl Roger, or one of his sons, in the late 11th century (VCH 1985, 95). Only part of the manor was transferred, however, and by at least the earlier medieval period the parish was split between Shropshire and Staffordshire.

4.4 The possible earlier medieval county boundary between Shropshire and Staffordshire is depicted on Fig. 1, based on the alignment suggested by the Victoria County History for Shropshire (VCH 1985, 98). It may have run from Sheriffhales Drive, west of Sheriffhales, northwards near Woodside Farm, meeting the Woodcote chapelry boundary at Woodcote Wood. It may then have followed the chapelry boundary eastwards, but extending beyond Woodcote and including the manor of Lynn. The county boundary prior to the 11th-century transferral of lands from Sheriffhales is uncertain, but may have been formed by the Woodcote chapelry boundary, and continued westwards towards Child Pit Farm. The eastern part of Sheriffhales parish was incorporated into Shropshire in the post-medieval period.

4.5 There is therefore reasonable documentary evidence for the development of the Woodcote boundary within Woodcote Wood. It may have defined the boundary between Shropshire and Staffordshire from at least the 11th century, and

10 Woodcote Wood, Newport, Shropshire: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

subsequently through the medieval period, and also formed the administrative boundary between Bradford and Cuttlestone Hundreds. The alignment of these boundaries was based upon the boundary of the Anglo-Saxon manorial estate of Woodcote, and its associated chapelry.

Potential date and function of the Woodcote earthwork 4.6 A primary objective of the evaluation was to gain more information on the date and function of the earthwork through artefacts from the feature itself. Unfortunately no artefacts were present within the two tested areas, although the evaluation did produce evidence for the physical construction and subsequent development of the earthwork. Interpretation of the earthwork is therefore confined to assessment of the known form of the earthwork, and comparison with known boundary development in other places.

Shire and hundred boundaries 4.7 The most well-known Anglo-Saxon earthwork in Shropshire is Offa’s Dyke, which divided Mercia from the Welsh along the western side of the county. This extensive earthwork may be compared to monuments of a similar function such as Wansdyke, the result of a short-lived settlement between the West Saxons and the Mercians (Reynolds 1999, 85). These well-known monuments were large-scale defensive earthworks, between large political units. Boundaries of administrative sub-divisions of Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms were obviously very different. The Hundred administrative unit was composed of a number of estates, the extent and definition of which Anglo- Saxon charters are the principal source. The boundary surveyors in these documents incorporated landscape features into the estate description, generally related to the agricultural base of the estate (ibid 83). The estate and Hundred boundaries therefore appear to have largely been based upon natural landscape features (commonly streams, roads, hills, valleys, etc), well known to the contemporary populace. There is little evidence for hundred or shire boundaries to have been specifically defined by man-made earthworks, although smaller mounds are known to have been built on boundaries for hundred meetings and shire courts.

Parishes and woodland 4.8 The smallest unit of secular and spiritual administrative division, from the Anglo- Saxon period onwards, was the parish (also called townships, towns or vills), and variations thereof such as the dependant chapelry. The administrative boundary of the parish was more commonly defined by a specially constructed bank and/or ditch.

11 Woodcote Wood, Newport, Shropshire: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

This is especially true in or around woodland, where most parish boundaries are marked by banks (Rackham 1986, 19), although woodbanks also commonly define current or former woodland within parishes. There are many variations on woodbanks, although a typical medieval form comprises a strong bank with an external ditch, anywhere between 5m to 15m wide in total. The profile of the bank is usually rounded. Wood banks are seldom closely dated, but are usually considered as medieval in date, with some examples possibly originating earlier.

4.9 The evaluation has shown that the Woodcote Wood boundary varies between around 5.5-9m in total width, and comprises a rounded bank with external ditch, which fits such an interpretation well. It is not observable in any form beyond the wood itself; it is not known for sure whether this is due to preservation within the woodland, or that it was never constructed beyond the wood. If the function of the feature was primarily as a woodbank, it is probable that it was never constructed beyond its current known extent.

Discussion 4.10 On the basis of the above analysis it appears likely that the Woodcote Wood earthwork evolved as a woodbank, defining the Woodcote chapelry boundary and an area of medieval (or possibly earlier) managed woodland. Although the chapelry boundary also represented the Anglo-Saxon and medieval shire and hundred boundaries, its function probably did not intrinsically relate to these administrative units. No dating was retrieved from the evaluation to date the initial construction of the feature more closely.

Survival of the earthwork 4.11 The evaluation has established that the earthwork originally comprised a bank with an external ditch along its entire length. Extant remains of the earthwork vary within the wood; in some places the bank is observable, in some places the ditch, and sometimes both. The evaluation showed that in at least some areas the ditch had been in-filled with waste from nearby quarries. The earthwork therefore survives in a relatively poor condition.

Importance of the Woodcote boundary 4.12 Parish and chapelry earthwork boundaries are relatively well-known features in the landscape, intrinsically tied to a specific locale. On this basis they are usually assigned a local importance. The Woodcote earthwork is slightly different in that it

12 Woodcote Wood, Newport, Shropshire: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

also lies on the former shire and hundred administrative division, and therefore a greater significance might be considered due to association. It has been established, however, that the construction and function of the earthwork was probably explicitly tied to the chapelry administration and woodland management, the shire and hundred boundaries being purely administrative. An assignment of local importance therefore remains a suitable judgement.

Potential development impacts 4.13 The development will remove approximately 50% of the extant Woodcote earthwork. This comprises a moderately adverse development impact due to a change to the feature which results in an appreciable reduction in the ability to understand the resource and its historical setting. The significance of this impact may also be judged as moderately adverse effect, in that it comprises a moderately adverse impact on a site of local importance. This effect will be mitigated against by the proposed next-stage survey and mitigation works outlined below, which will be designed to provide further information on the chapelry boundary and contribute positively to archaeological knowledge of both the Woodcote earthwork and similar features elsewhere.

Proposed next-stage survey and mitigation 4.14 The Woodcote boundary is undoubtedly of some local interest, although not of sufficient importance to warrant preservation in situ. It is recommended that the length of the boundary through the wood is archaeologically surveyed through measured survey, preferably using Electronic Distance Measurement (EDM), prior to development. This will ensure a detailed record of the extant earthwork.

4.15 It is recommended that a limited programme of archaeological recording takes place during development along the earthwork, in order to retrieve any dateable material within its composite elements.

13 Woodcote Wood, Newport, Shropshire: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

5. CA PROJECT TEAM

Fieldwork was undertaken by Tim Havard, assisted by Mike Rowe. The report was written by Tim Havard and Richard Morton. The illustrations were prepared by Liz Hargreaves. The archive has been compiled by Tim Havard, and prepared for deposition by Ed McSloy. The project was managed for CA by Mary Alexander.

6. REFERENCES

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2005 Woodcote Wood, Newport, Shropshire: Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological Evaluation

CAT 1999 Woodcote Wood, Newport, Shropshire. Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment. CAT Report No. 991073

CAT 2000 Woodcote Wood, Newport, Shropshire. Archaeological Walkover Survey. CAT Report No. 001122

English Heritage 1991 Management of Archaeological Projects II

Gelling, M. 1990 The Place-Names of Shropshire

IFA 1999 Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Field Evaluation

Rackham, O. 1986 The History of the Countryside

Reynolds, A. 1999 Later Anglo-Saxon England

Victoria County History of Shropshire 1908 Volume 1

Victoria County History of Shropshire 1985 Volume 11

Watson, M. 2005 Brief for an Archaeological Field Evaluation at Woodcote Wood, Shropshire

APPENDIX 1: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS

Trench 1

101 Existing ground surface: dark grey brown organic silty sand, maximum 0.28m depth. 102 Layer: light to mid grey brown sand matrix with frequent pebbles, maximum 0.13m depth. 103 Layer: dark brown black organic silty sand with frequent pebbles, maximum 0.18m depth. 104 Natural substrate: mid orange/red brown sand with frequent pebbles. 105 Layer: dark brown black sandy silt with frequent pebbles, maximum 0.05m depth. 106 Layer: mid grey brown compacted sand with frequent pebbles, maximum 0.2m depth. 107 Layer: dark brown black sandy silt with occasional pebbles, maximum 0.03m depth. 108 Layer: mid grey brown compacted sand with frequent pebbles, maximum 0.34m depth. 109 Layer: mid orange red compacted sand with frequent pebbles, maximum 0.32m depth. 110 As 106, maximum 0.14m depth. 111 Layer: mid grey brown slightly silty sand with frequent pebbles, maximum 0.32m depth. 112 Fill of 115: mid to dark red brown clay sand, maximum 0.2m depth. 113 Fill of 115: mid orange brown silty sand, maximum 0.18m depth. 114 Layer: dark red brown silty sand, maximum 0.3m depth. 115 Ditch cut: linear in plan aligned approx E-W, moderately sloped slightly concave sides with v shaped base, 2.6m width, 0.92m depth, at least 2m length. 116 As 105: maximum 0.05m depth. 117 Layer: as 106, maximum 0.12m depth. 118 Layer: as 102, maximum 0.1m depth. 119 Fill of 120: mixed dark red brown silty sand with frequent pebbles. 120 Ditch cut: linear in plan aligned approx E-W, steep regular sides with v shaped base, 0.92m width, 0.64m depth and at least 2m length.

Trench 2

201 Existing ground surface: dark grey black sandy silt with very occasional pebbles, maximum 0.18m depth 202 Bank material: light grey brown compacted sand with very occasional pebbles, maximum 0.36m depth. 203 Bank material: light yellow brown compacted sand with occasional gravel, maximum 0.24m depth. 204 Bank material: mid to dark grey brown sand with very occasional gravel, maximum 0.22m depth. 205 Bank material: mid grey brown compacted sand with occasional pebbles, maximum 0.28m depth. 206 Bank material: mixed grey yellow sandy gravel with occasional pebbles, maximum 0.32m depth. 207 Probable slump/slippage from bank: mid brown silty sand with occasional pebbles, maximum 0.3m depth. 208 Revetting cut: linear in plan, steep regular sides with flat base, 1.02m width, 0.32m depth and at least 2m length. 209 Fill of 208: mid pink red sandy clay. 210 As 207: maximum 0.28m depth. 211 Probable revetting cut: linear in plan, steep northern side, no southern side, flat base, 0.52m width, 0.4m depth and at least 2m length. 212 Fill of 211: mid pink red irregular sandstone pieces. 213 Area of root disturbance. 214 Probable slump/slippage from bank; mid brown silty sand with occasional pebbles, maximum 0.24m depth. 215 Cut for ditch: gentle irregularly sloped sides with u shaped cut at base, approximately 5.5m width, approximately 0.8m depth and at least 2m length. 216 Fill of u shaped cut at base of 215: dark brown organic silty sand with occasional pebbles. 217 Natural substrate: light to mid yellow brown sandy gravel.

APPENDIX 2: LEVELS OF PRINCIPAL DEPOSITS AND STRUCTURES

Levels are expressed as metres below current ground level and as metres Above Ordnance Datum (AOD), calculated using the benchmark located at the south-west entrance to Woodcote Wood (155.08m AOD).

Trench 1 Current ground level 147.59m to 147.95m AOD

Base of ditch 115 146.77m AOD

Former ground surface 105 147.29m AOD

Top of bank material 147.89m AOD

Trench 2 Current ground level 135.46m to 136.98m AOD

Base of ditch 215 135.34m AOD

Top of bank material 136.88m AOD

16 Reproduced from the 2000 Ordnance Survey Explorer map with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office N c Crown copyright Cotswold Archaeological Trust 100002109

Fig 2

Site

0 2.5km

COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY

PROJECT TITLE Woodcote Wood, Newport, Shropshire FIGURE TITLE SHROPSHIRE Site location plan

SCALE PROJECT NO. FIGURE NO. 1:25,000@A4 1984 1 Reproduced from the 2005 Ordnance Survey Superplan map with the permission 770 of Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office N c Crown copyright Cotswold Archaeological Trust 100002109 769

bank

ditch

Tr 2

149

ditch bank ditch

Tr 1

148

SJ 0 100m

COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY

PROJECT TITLE Woodcote Wood, Newport, Shropshire FIGURE TITLE Trench location plan

SCALE PROJECT NO. FIGURE NO. 1:1000@A4 1984 2 N

Trench 1

110 SE 108 109 NW 147.5m 101 111 101 AOD 106 107 118 117 114 105 102 119 103 116 113 112 natural 104 120 natural 104 115

bank material slumped bank material root disturbance former land surface probable revetting

Trench 2

SE 203 NW 202 136.5m 207 206 204 AOD 209 205 201 210 208 natural 217 213 212 211 201 214 natural 217 216 215

COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY

PROJECT TITLE Woodcote Wood, Newport, Shropshire FIGURE TITLE Trenches 1 & 2: sections

SCALE PROJECT NO. FIGURE NO. 0 5m 1:50 @A3 1984 3