Stafford Western Access Route

SWAS/01

STAFFORD WESTERN ACCESS ROUTE

GEOARCHAEOLOGICAL AND PALAEOENVIRONMENTAL REPORT

commissioned by Amey

November 2015

STAFFORD WESTERN ACCESS ROUTE

GEOARCHAEOLOGICAL AND PALAEOENVIRONMENTAL REPORT

commissioned by Amey

November 2015

HA JOB NO. SWAS/01 PROJECT MANAGER Mike Kimber HAS NO. 1139 AUTHOR Emma Tetlow, Mike Kimber

project info project NGR SJ 91725 23465 FIELDWORK Emma Tetlow, Robert Blackburn project team project PARISH Creswell GRAPHICS Rafael Maya-Torcelly LOCAL AUTHORITY Staffordshire County Council APPROVED BY Mike Kimber – Project Manager OASIS REF. headland3-228042

MIDLANDS & WEST Headland Archaeology Unit 1, Premier Business Park, Faraday Road, Hereford HR4 9NZ 01432 364 901 [email protected] www.headlandarchaeology.com

© 2015 by Headland Archaeology (UK) Ltd File Name: SWAS-01-Reportv4.indd Marsh to the west where additional deep peat sequences were located. investigations were undertaken within the town of Stafford and at Doxey with the base of the deposit at 13.5m. During the second phase, further across the site, the peat found in borehole C-CP09A/R009A exceeded 10m clays were recorded in Design Areas 1, 2and 3. The depth varied spatially Substantial deposits of peat, organic-rich deposits and humic silts and Marshes SSSI which abuts the outskirts of the County Town of Stafford. The proposed road corridor crosses the eastern extreme of the Doxey peats. these of potential palaeoenvironmental and geoarchaeological peat deposits across the development area (DA), and to investigate the works. The aim of both phases was to record the presence or absence of The second was awatching brief during a further stage of geotechnical Surface -Site Investigation, Geotechnical and Environmental Consultants. first stage was a review of the existingborehole data produced by Sub Access Route, atwophase geoarchaeological review was undertaken. The of part As archaeological investigations in the corridor of the Stafford Western PROJECT SUMMARY CONTENTS

1 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND 1

2 METHOD 1 2.1 PHASE 1 1 2.2 PHASE 2 1

3 RESULTS 2 3.1 PHASE 1 BOREHOLE REVIEW 2 Design Area 1 (ILLUS 3) 2 Design Area 2 (ILLUS 4) 2 Design Area 3 (ILLUS 5 AND 6) 2 Design Area 4 (ILLUS 7) 2 Design Area 5 2 3.2 MINI-BOREHOLE REVIEW 2 Design Area 1 2 Design Area 2 2 Design Area 3 2 Design Area 5 2 3.3 WATCHING BRIEF 15 Section A – Doxey Marsh (ILLUS 9) 15 Section B – Greyfriars (ILLUS 10) 15 Section C – Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Ltd (ILLUS 11) 15 Section D – Doxey Road Railway Bridge (ILLUS 12) 15

4 DISCUSSION 15 4.1 PALAEOENVIRONMENTS 15 4.2 CULTURAL EVIDENCE 16

5 CONCLUSIONS 16

6 REFERENCES 22

7 APPENDICES 23 APPENDIX 1 BOREHOLE DATA 23 APPENDIX 2 WATCHING BRIEF BOREHOLES 27 © 2015 by Headland Archaeology (UK) Ltd File Name: SWAS-01-Reportv4.indd ILLUS 12 ILLUS 11 ILLUS 10 ILLUS 9 ILLUS 8 ILLUS 7 ILLUS 6 ILLUS 5 ILLUS 4 ILLUS 3 ILLUS 2 ILLUS 1 ILLUS Phase 2 - Section D/FencePhase 2-Section Diagram C/FencePhase 2-Section Diagram B/FencePhase 2-Section Diagram A/FencePhase 2-Section Diagram Boreholes/FencePhase 1-Mini Diagram AreaPhase 1-Design 5/Fence Diagram AreaPhase 1-Design 4/Fence Diagram AreaPhase 1-Design 3/Fence Diagram AreaPhase 1-Design 2/Fence Diagram AreaPhase 1-Design 1/Fence Diagram Site plan Site location LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 21 20 19 17 13 11 9 8 7 5 3 ix

390000 INSET ILLUS2 i nset illus02

390500 DOXEY DOXEY CASTLETOWN CASTLETOWN 391000 ILLUS 2 illusw 02

391500 STAFFORD Sta ordshireSta ordshire Sta ordSta ord Doxey Marshesandcentral Sta ord (SWAS/01)(SWAS/01) STAFFORD WESTERN ACCESS ROUTE 0 0 KEY natural England SSSIboundary development boundary 200km 1:8,000@A3 scale

N MIDLANDS & WEST MIDLANDS 500m www.headlandarchaeology.com 01432 364901 Hereford HR49NZ Faraday Road Unit 1,Premier Park Business Site location ILLUS 1

© 2015 by Headland Archaeology (UK) Ltd File Name: SWAS-01-Reportv4.indd fishing structures may be preserved as a waterlogging. resultof preserved be may fishingstructures revetments and bridges, trackways, suchevidence as wooden Cultural evidence. palaeoenvironmental and archaeological may have significant potentialSuch the deposits both holding for River Sow. the of activity are Holocene also the associated with alluvial deposits (2015)by Sub Surface CCand and peats Investigations. Ground The Areas investigationsgeotechnical peat wereduring of identified alluviumof (clay, Sow. River gravel) the and associated with silt, sand 1973). are discontinuousdeposits strips glaciofluvial the Overlying enhanced climatic of amillenniaonset amelioration, later (Morgan 13,490 BP, conditions until remained periglacial the nonetheless, (118,000–10,000 BP*). area This is to by thought ice have free been Devensian of the Gravel) and glaciation (sand deposits glaciofluvial alluvium of 1974). (BGS substantial deposits is This overlain by include geology MerciaMarls the Group, of Mudstone drift the is Triassic the scheme the underlying Keuper geology solid The peats. potential palaeoenvironmental these and of geoarchaeological area across development the (DA),deposits to and investigate the to was phases recordaim both presence absence peat of or the of The works. geotechnical of stage watching duringafurther brief a was Environmental and second Geotechnical Consultants. The –Site Investigation, by Sub data produced Surface borehole existing of the was a review stage review. first The geoarchaeological phase two a to undertake commissioned was Archaeology Headland Site Scientific Interest Marshes Special Tillington of (SSSI). Doxey within and the sitestorage located compensatory a flood highway also require creation proposed the the associated with of works The Drive. Place, Martin and Doxey Road Greyfriars between town, highway county a Stafford,new the of to west the construct Staffordshirepermissionplanning to Council seeking is County 1.1 1

GEOARCHAEOLOGICAL AND PALAEOENVIRONMENTAL REPORT ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND ARCHAEOLOGICAL INTRODUCTION STAFFORD WESTERN ACCESS ROUTE period. into and historic the prehistory throughout humanfor activity, alsopotential have floodplain the the of focus to havebeen fringes areasDrier terraces, islands ground forming of the on within, and natural factors. and other anthropogenic and area, in the change land use, vegetation naturethe human of activity to used interrogate be including can evidence questions of anumber of plant remains. type This waterlogged and insects such as pollen, evidence palaeoenvironmental other fragile of preservation favour wet conditions will by also these conditions, produced Anaerobic The results of each borehole have been discussed individually and describe: and individually discussed have been each results of borehole The borehole. individual each of sedimentology and stratigraphy the assessed archaeologist evidence, environmental the receipt documentary On the of and recordingborehole extraction was not archaeologically monitored. fenceinitial and This of logs diagrams. phase including borehole investigators geotechnical by Sub-Surface provided were and made Environmental and Investigation, Geotechnical Consultants. All records –Site Sub Surface contractors, geotechnical developers’ by the records the of assessment made produced was A geoarchaeological investigations geotechnical of in 2015. phase September during afurther investigations. second The comprised an archaeological watching brief geotechnical previous data from consisted existing of review the of first the phases, in two undertaken was review geoarchaeological The 2.2 2.1 2 • •

sensitive deposits and their potential, their and any.sensitive if deposits palaeoenvironmentally and Presence/absence archaeologically of sedimentology/stratigraphy; the of Overview PHASE 1 PHASE PHASE 2 PHASE METHOD HEADLAND ARCHAEOLOGY (UK) LTD 1 STAFFORD WESTERN ACCESS ROUTE SWAS/01

deeper and with four discrete units of organic rich material which 3 RESULTS suggest a more dynamic environment than seen in Area 1. A similar The results of the review and monitoring are described below; effect may be observed in B–CP02B/R002B which also suggests locations are shown on ILLUS 2; full stratigraphic information is given a greater degree of alluvial activity. Up to 4.8m of made ground in Appendices 1 and 2. In summary, the general distribution of overlay deposits in this area. deposits of palaeoenvironmental potential is as follows: Area Summary of deposit sequence Design Area 3 (ILLUS 5 AND 6) Phase 2/Section A Complex sequence of peat, organic rich and A single borehole was recovered from this area, as with Area 2, alluvial deposits approx 4m thick adjacent to the the stratigraphy is more complex with two units of gravelly peat River Sow; giving way to simple alluvium and intercalated by clayey peat. This finally gives way to a peat deposit then glacial deposits further from the river. with visible plant remains and shell and subsequently a silty clay with Phase 1/Design Area 1 Peat up to 10.9m thick in places present across shell. Up to 4.1m of made ground overlay these deposits. entire area overlying alluvium. Phase 1/Design Area 2 & Phase 2/Section B Thin layers of peat and organic rich deposits Design Area 4 (ILLUS 7) interleaved with alluvium with a total thickness Evidence of peat or organic rich deposits were absent in this area. of up to 13m. With the exception of one borehole, the made ground gave way Phase 1/Design Area 3 & Phase 2/Section C Layers of peat up to 3m thick interleaved with directly to unsorted glacial till. The exception was D-CP02 which organic rich alluvium with a total sequence contained several deposits of gravels, sands, clay and silt – the basal thickness of at least 15m. deposit also containing shell, which were interpreted as of alluvial Phase 1/Design Area 4 Alluvial sands and gravels. origin. Made ground deposits were thin, in the order of 0.4–1m thick.

Phase 1/Design Area 5 & Phase 2/Section D No deposits of archaeological interest. Design Area 5 This area contained no deposits considered to be of archaeological 3.1 PHASE 1 BOREHOLE REVIEW interest. The development area is located on the fringes of the modern town of Stafford to the east and the floodplain of the River Sow and Doxey Marshes SSSI to the west. 3.2 MINI-BOREHOLE REVIEW Mini boreholes, which did not exceed a depth of 5.45m were drilled The boreholes have been divided by the design areas outlined in Design Areas 1, 2, 3 and 5 (ILLUS 8). No mini boreholes were drilled in map provided by Amey (COSTFSMOBS-AMEY-GE-DR-004). An in Design Area 4. overview of the borehole data, which highlights deposits deemed of geoarchaeological and palaeoenvironmental interest are provided in Appendices 1 and 2, with unit thickness illustrated in ILLUS 1. All Design Area 1 depths quoted are below ground level (BGL). In Area 1, made ground gave way to organic-rich clays in boreholes A-WS03, A-WS04, A-WS05 and A-WS06. The remaining boreholes in this area did not reach the base of the made ground. Design Area 1 (ILLUS 3) The peat deposits in this are area are considerable and increase in depth, southwards across the development area and the floodplain Design Area 2 edge. The base of the deposit varies from 13.2m (A-CP06/R006) to The mini boreholes in this area contained no deposits considered to 5.9m (A-CP03/R003) and 4.1.m (C-CPO9) to 2.3m (A-CP06/R006) BGL, be of palaeoenvironmental or archaeological interest. whilst the total thickness varies from 2.6m (A-CP03/R003) to 10.9m (A-CP06/R006). Design Area 3 The nature and consistency of the peat deposit varied across each Peaty clay was found at the base of C-WS09. core and with depth, in some areas the peat contained gravels e.g. A-CP03/R003 and A–CP04/R004A. In others it became increasingly clay-rich with depth e.g. A-CP06/R006 and A-CP07/R007. Design Area 5 The mini boreholes in this area contained no deposits considered to The deposit is overlain by 2.1–3.5m of made ground. be of palaeoenvironmental or archaeological interest.

Design Area 2 (ILLUS 4) Peat and organic rich sediments were found in the two cores recovered to substantial depth, B-CP01/R001 and B–CP02B/R002B. The stratigraphy is subtly different to that of Area 1, the stratigraphy of B-CP01/R001 is much

scale 1:3.000@A3 scale 391100 E-WS02

N 100m WS05 WS02 WS02 E-WS03 E-CP05/R005 E-CP05/R005 E-WS01 ILLUS 8B WS06 E-CP04B E-CP04A WS03 WS03 WS09 WS09 E-CP03 E-CP04 WS07 E-CP02 WS10 E-CP04C WS12 WS08 WS08 WS11 WS11 E-CP01A/RO01A E-CP01A/RO01A WS04 WS04 PHASE 2/SECTION D PHASE 2/SECTION PHASE 2/SECTION D PHASE 2/SECTION

WS19 391300 AREA 5 PHASE 1/DESIGN PHASE 2/SECTION A PHASE 2/SECTION ILLUS 12 ILLUS 12 WS13 WS20 E-CP01C E-CP01D E-CP01B E-CP01/RO01 ILLUS 9 ILLUS 7 AREA 4 PHASE 1/DESIGN

391500 ILLUS 6 D-CP02 illus 05 ILLUS 5 D-CP01 ILLUS 8A ILLUS 8A C-CP09A/RO09A C-CP09/RO09 C-CP09/RO09 A-CP06/RO06 A-CP08/RO08 A-CP04/ARO04A A-CP04/ARO04A A-WS06 A-CPT07 A-CPT08 A-WS05 A-CPT05 PHASE 2/SECTION C PHASE 2/SECTION PHASE 2/SECTION C PHASE 2/SECTION 391700 A-WS03 AREA 3 PHASE 1/DESIGN C-WS09 A-WS08 A-CPT09 A-CPT06 ILLUS 4 A-CP07/RO07 A-WS07 A-CP05/RO05 B-CP02/RO02A

SW18 A-WS04 A-CP04 B-CP02 B-CP02 ILLUS 11 ILLUS 11

SW17 A-CP03/RO03 A-CP03/RO03 B-CP01/RO01 ILLUS 3 B-CP02/RO02B B-CP02/RO02 phase 2 phase 1 KEY PHASE 2/SECTION B PHASE 2/SECTION PHASE 2/SECTION B PHASE 2/SECTION AREA 1 PHASE 1/DESIGN B-WS01 natural England SSSIboundary HV exclusion zone overhead cable services extents of oodcompensationarea development boundary mini boreholelocation borehole location borehole location B-CPT01 0 WS14 WS14 scale 1:2,500@A3 scale WS15 WS15 AREA 2 PHASE 1/DESIGN

N ILLUSILLUS 10 10 WS16 WS16

391900 100m Site plan ILLUS 2

© 2015 by Headland Archaeology (UK) Ltd File Name: SWAS-01-Reportv4.indd -17.00 -16.00 -15.00 -14.00 -13.00 -12.00 -11.00 -10.00 -9.00 -8.00 -7.00 -6.00 -5.00 -4.00 -3.00 -2.00 -1.00 v er 0 tic al sc ale

1:100 N

@ A3 A - C P 0 G A C 3 / R O 0 3 A- CP04 A C B B A- CP04A/RO04A A C G A - C P 0 5 / R O G B A C 0 5 A - C P 0 6 / R G A B C O 0 6 A - C P 0 7 / R A G B O C 0 7 A - C P 0 8 / R O A B C 0 S G 8 horiz ontal sc ale 1:1,000 @A3 A-CP06/RO06 A-WS06 A-CP08/RO08 A-CP04/ARO04A A-CP04/ARO04A A-WS05 A-CPT07 A-CPT08 0 A-CPT05 KE A-WS03 Y G, glacialgr C, pea B A, madegr , alluvium A-CPT09 A-CPT06 A-CP07/RO07 t A-WS07 A-CP05/RO05 ound a scale 1:1.500@A3 scale v el A-WS04 A-CP04 Phase 1 - Design AreaPhase 1-Design 1/Fence Diagram

N A-CP03/RO03 A-CP03/RO03 ILLUS 3 100m

© 2015 by Headland Archaeology (UK) Ltd File Name: SWAS-01-Reportv4.indd 1:100@A4 scale vertical -10.00 -15.00 -14.00 -13.00 -16.00 -12.00 -11.00 -9.00 -8.00 -7.00 -6.00 -5.00 -4.00 -3.00 -2.00 -1.00 0 0 SW B-CP01/R001 A G B B-CP02 A B-CP02A A B-CP02B/R002B KEY horizontal1:1,000 @A4 scale NE B A G B-CP02/RO02A G, glacialgravel C, peat B, alluvium A, madeground B-CP02 B-CP02 Phase 1 - Design AreaPhase 1-Design 2/Fence Diagram B-CP01/RO01 B-CP02/RO02B B-CP02/RO02 B-WS01 0 scale 1:2.500@A4 scale B-CPT01

N WS14 ILLUS 4 50m WS15 WS15 AREA 2 PHASE 1/DESIGN horizontal scale1:1,000 @ A4 NW SE A-WS07

C-CP09 C-CP09A/R009A A-WS08

0 C-WS09 A A C-CP09/RO09 -1.00 D-CP01 C-CP09A/RO09A

-2.00 SW18 PHASE 2/SECTION C -3.00

-4.00

-5.00 C C N -6.00 B 0 50m scale 1:2.500@ A3 -7.00

-8.000

C -9.00

-10.00

-11.00 B -12.00

-13.00 C

-14.00

B -15.00

-16.00 KEY A, made ground B, alluvium vertical scale 1:100 @ A3 C, peat G, glacial gravel

ILLUS 5 Phase 1 - Design Area 3/Fence Diagram E-CP05/R005 E-CP04B E-CP04A E-CP03 AREA 5 PHASE 1/DESIGN © 2015 by Headland Archaeology (UK) Ltd File Name: SWAS-01-Reportv4.indd E-CP04 E-CP02 E-CP04C 1:100@A4 scale vertical -9.00 -8.00 -7.00 -6.00 -5.00 -4.00 -3.00 -2.00 -1.00 0 0 E-CP01A/RO01A E-CP01A/RO01A WS04 PHASE 2/SECTION D PHASE 2/SECTION PHASE 2/SECTION D PHASE 2/SECTION WS19 NW D-CP01 PHASE 2/SECTION A PHASE 2/SECTION G A WS20 E-CP01C E-CP01D E-CP01B E-CP01/RO01 D-CP02 A B G horizontal1:1,000 @A4 scale SE AREA 4 PHASE 1/DESIGN KEY G, glacialgravel B, alluvium A, madeground Phase 1 - Design AreaPhase 1-Design 4/Fence Diagram D-CP02 D-CP01 0 scale 1:2.500@A4 scale

N C-CP09A/RO09A ILLUS 6 50m C-CP09/RO09 A-CP06/RO06 A-CP08/RO08 A-WS06 A-CPT08 A-CPT07

PHASE 2/SECTION C PHASE 2/SECTION PHASE 2/SECTION C PHASE 2/SECTION

PHASE 1/DESIGN AREA 3

A-WS08 C-WS09

A-CPT09

A-CP07/RO07 A-CPT06

A-WS07

© 2015 by Headland Archaeology (UK) Ltd File Name: SWAS-01-Reportv4.indd 1:100@A3 scale vertical -8.00 -7.00 -6.00 -5.00 -4.00 -3.00 -2.00 -1.00 0 0 NW E-CP01 A E-CP01A A E-CP01B A E-CP01C A G E-CP01D A G E-CP02 G A SE N E-CP03 G A 0 scale 1:3.000@A3 scale E-WS02

N E-CP04 100m A WS02 E-CP04A A E-CP05/R005 E-CP05/R005 E-WS01 E-CP04B A E-CP04A E-CP04C WS03 WS03 E-CP04B A E-CP03 AREA 5 PHASE 1/DESIGN WS07 E-CP04 E-CP04C E-CP02 E-CP05/R005 WS08 WS08 S G A horizontal1:1,000 @A3 scale E-CP01A/RO01A E-CP01A/RO01A WS04 WS04 PHASE 2/SECTION D PHASE 2/SECTION KEY WS19 Phase 1 - Design AreaPhase 1-Design 5/Fence Diagram G, glacialgravel C, peat B, alluvium A, madeground PHASE 2/SECTION A PHASE 2/SECTION WS20 E-CP01C 0 E-CP01D scale 1:2.500@A3 scale E-CP01B E-CP01/RO01

N ILLUS 7 50m

© 2015 by Headland Archaeology (UK) Ltd File Name: SWAS-01-Reportv4.indd B A 1:100 @A3 scale vertical -8.00 -7.00 -6.00 -5.00 -4.00 -3.00 -2.00 -1.00 -8.00 -7.00 -6.00 -5.00 -4.00 -3.00 -2.00 -1.00 0 0 N SW E-WS03 B-WS01 A A B BR-WS01 A B E-WS02 B A E-WS01 B A NE A-WS03 B A A-WS04 B A A-WS05 B A A-WS06 B A 0 WS01 scale 1:3.000@A3 scale E-WS02

N 100m WS05 WS02 WS02 A-WS07 E-CP05/R005 E-CP05/R005 E-WS01 WS06 A E-CP04B E-CP04A WS03 WS03 WS09 WS09 E-CP03 AREA 5 PHASE 1/DESIGN E-CP04 WS07 E-CP02 WS10 E-CP04C WS12 WS08 WS08 WS11 WS11 E-CP01A/RO01A E-CP01A/RO01A WS04 WS04 KEY PHASE 2/SECTION D PHASE 2/SECTION PHASE 2/SECTION D PHASE 2/SECTION WS19 PHASE 2/SECTION A PHASE 2/SECTION WS13 B, alluvium A, madeground WS20 E-CP01C A-WS08 E-CP01D E-CP01B E-CP01/RO01 A C-WS09 AREA 4 PHASE 1/DESIGN B A S horizontal1:1,000 @A3 scale 0 D-CP02 scale 1:3.000@A3 scale D-CP01 E-WS02

N C-CP09A/RO09A Phase 1 - Mini Boreholes/FencePhase 1-Mini Diagram C-CP09/RO09 A-WS06 A-WS05 A-CP06/RO06 A-CP04/ARO04A A-CP04/ARO04A A-CP08/RO08 A-CPT08 A-CPT07 A-CPT05 A-WS03 PHASE 2/SECTION C PHASE 2/SECTION PHASE 2/SECTION C PHASE 2/SECTION 100m AREA 3 PHASE 1/DESIGN C-WS09 A-CPT09 A-CPT06 A-CP07/RO07 A-WS07 0 A-CP05/RO05 A-WS08 A-WS08 B-CP02/RO02A 0

SW18 A-WS04 A-CP04 scale 1:2,500@A3 scale B-CP02

SW17 scale 1:5,000@A3 scale A-CP03/RO03 E-WS03 B-CP01/RO01 E-CP05/R005 N B-WS01 E-WS01 B-CP02/RO02B B-CP02/RO02

N AREA 1 PHASE 1/DESIGN ILLUS 8 B-CPT01 50m E-CP04B 100m E-CP04A WS14

© 2015 by Headland Archaeology (UK) Ltd File Name: SWAS-01-Reportv4.indd Section A–Doxey Marsh( Section of made ground and tarmac. overlain then was This by 1.5–2.8m peat. layer sedge of afurther and replacedpeat bywas which overlain alluvium peat, by a wood sedge and reed or sequence well and preserved a relatively undisturbed WS16overlain tarmac. ground subsequently and by made contained to substantial disturbance anthropogenic subject haswhich been WS14 complex. a small shopping WS15 and contained alayer peat of were in this island drilled road area, in an boreholes existing on Three B–Greyfriars ( Section topsoil. sandy textured, open overlain by awell-developed claywere and boreholes subsoil. sand All five by awell-developed whilst 10 sand, 11 and homogeneous coarse were characterised WS09, of deposit WS12 WS13 and consist to brown, medium red of angularsand and sorted, poorly to well-rounded gravels. upper The WS07. and WS04 of deposits red of consisted deposits various of They basal the WS09-13 of stratigraphy the reflected and little varied rise, across were atopographic located subsequent boreholes The that WS04. mirrors of sequence The subsequent sands. finer of deposit bysubsequently a further gravels well rounded and sorted poorly of deposit by afurther this replaced subsequently by acoarse, overlain sand, brown was red angular gravels was which sorted was lower deposit The sands. consistsalternating and of levels gravels of and geomorphology glacial underlying the WS07 reflects which contained asequence are and At sequence. Sow asimple alluvium/topsoil the base the channel of the from lay further subsequent WS05 WS06 and The 5m of depth peat. within terminated all a reached remaining in glacial the sands, boreholes 0.45m which exception WS4 the of topsoil. subsequently With and overlay to way to alluvium,of alluvium giving the prior band afinalat peat rush sedge of and asubsequent deposit and complex more in WS01, 4at 2and 1.2m, 0.45m WS03 is Borehole 0.4m and BGL. alluvium of terminatedwhich by a deposit wetland sequence the in WS03.in WS01 overlain was rush sedge and This and WS04 and wood between layer peat varied which of replaced bywas afurther at 3.43m, appeared which 1.52m This respectively. BGL 3.8m and alluvium of overlain peat, deposit by arelatively deep sedge and WS01, reed of consisted sequence WS03 a complex of WS04 and acrossBoreholes arelatively sequence small area floodplain. the of indicate Sow River ahighly the variable channel of modern the WS01-04 to lie which closest boreholes within stratigraphy The (WS9-13) boreholes five across were this drilled feature. 120m further rose and A approximately 5m floodplain. the above contained by an elongate feature which for extended approximately is West Main by Line. the Coast canalised area To the was north the which Sow River the of course modern the line of by the to south the M6, the of corridor by the to west the marshland bounded low-lying (WS01-07)A total boreholes seven of were across an drilled area of 3.3

WATCHING BRIEF ILLUS 10 ILLUS 9 ) ) and the development of peat. Moreover, peat. of development system the and arelatively stable organic-rich of marshlandsand essential deposition the for material backswamps also of promote development systems the aggrading Such environment– energy low system. alowland of characteristic organic-richpeat, clay alluvium and are also agentle, indicative of material later, The the within relatively of stable. deposits Holocene (sediment hence is and removed) system than adegrading rather (sediment is deposited) system to an aggrading appears have been history, Sow River the its data, much for of this on borehole Based gave way Devensian to period. the of tranquil amore ice-sheet, post-dates final the which retreat activity increased floodplain This et al 2008). characteristic feature the of is also irregular, surface The melting. displaying the during deposited was and in glacier adepression in itself the formed gravelglacial otherwhich till and feature sand, detritus of composed featurethe WS09-13 which upon sit is likely a classical a tokame, be at retreating the margins (Morgan ice the of sheet 1973). Moreover, English the of Midlands lay this glacial last when part episode, the of related to are end the directly gravels boreholes across found these WS04, boreholes 07, catchment, specifically 09–13. & sands and The is apparent area western in the the of activity this Late-glacial of clays. and Evidence finer silts gravels cases sands, in and some Mercia with the Mudstones Devensian armoured which glaciers related materialfinal and of toretreat wasting the directly of the consist deposits basement The potentiallyand human activity. Staffordin the deposits area the for quem provide a post terminus of this smallriver. floodplain fromorganic-rich Dating evidence tills (16,000–10,000BP) (10,000BP+) Holocene and the of evolution SWAR, of asnapshot Lateglacial provides the of construction ground investigations the data the from of ahead borehole The 1990). Morgan, and onwards (Bartley retreat peat dating of the from Devensian of 13490±375 glacier c. Pool, Stafford Kings from produced which monolith pollen 21m in to this work Previous a area palaeoenvironmental is restricted 0.9–1.2m hardcore of tarmac. of aveneer and overlain to sand by medium coarse homogeneous red, of deposit in WS19/a deposits The railway bridge. the WS20 and consisted a of to approach southern were in the drilled boreholes three A further D–Doxey Railway Road Section ( Bridge depth. WS18/a ground to made of up to 5m deposits contained various WS18 remaining boreholes, The ground. made 2.3mby of of and overlain wood, alder possible and reeds sedges, included which plant remains wellorganic preserved obvious alluvium rich with WS17 Borehole Stafford Branch. Supermarkets was composed at Sainsbury’s park car were in an existing drilled boreholes Three C–Sainsbury’sSection Supermarkets Ltd ( 4.1 4

PALAEOENVIRONMENTS DISCUSSION 'kettle' topography associated with a Kame (Smithson aKame associated with topography 'kettle' HEADLAND ARCHAEOLOGY (UK) LTD ILLUS 12 ILLUS 11 ) ) 15 STAFFORD WESTERN ACCESS ROUTE SWAS/01

is required to retain these fragile deposits which are readily eroded Robinson and Lambrick (1984) suggest that the most significant and by dynamic episodes of channel change. Evidence of similar activity severe phase was during the late Iron Age–Romano-British period. has been observed by the author on a tributary of the River Sow, This activity lead to the burial of sites across the Thames catchment the Meece Brook, at Norton Bridge during groundworks ahead of and in the wider British Isles, closer to the Sow these include the an upgrade of the West Coast Main Line. These earlier deposits have Stour (Brown 1988) and in the Trent Catchment itself, the River Dove clearly been subject to later channel avulsion (rapid movement) (Challis et al 2006). and incision (downcutting). Similar activity will have occurred on the floodplain of the River Sow and lead to the evolution of the Early Medieval activity has been recorded in the area. The town floodplain at Doxey as it is seen today. itself 'Aethelflaed’s Burh', was founded in 913ad nonetheless, further evidence suggests activity during the 8th and 9th centuries in the The deeper peat deposits encountered in the southern area of area now occupied by the modern town centre and a thriving pottery Design Area 1 are likely to be of some antiquity. It would not be industry in the 9th century (Dodd et al 2014). Further evidence unfeasible to suggest that the earliest organic-rich deposits formed indicates attempts to stabilise, infill and modify a palaeochannel during the Holocene and are Mesolithic in date (approximately (URS 2014). Further upstream at Norton Bridge, contemporary finds 10,000–8,000 years old) and represent continuous deposition have included evidence of domestic activity, possible trackways and throughout the Holocene and possibly into the historic period. water-management features. Later evidence includes the ruins of a Similar substantial deposits of organic rich material dating from Norman Church at Cresswell and Ridge and Furrow on the marshes Mesolithic period onwards have been found in the Thames Valley themselves (URS2014). at Eton Dorney (Parker and Robinson, 2003; Parker et al 2003) and in the Trent Catchment at Bole Ings (Dinnin, 1997; Dinnin and Brayshay 1999) and Waycar Pasture (Baker et al 2013). What is surprising, given the substantial peats found in the east of the Sow floodplain, is the 5 CONCLUSIONS relatively limited deposits to the west at Doxey Marshes. In section The construction design of the proposed road has not yet been A, only WS2 did not finish in either sands or gravels. developed in detail. However, there appears to be potential for elements of the scheme to cause harm to buried deposits of archaeological and/or The boreholes on the fringes of the floodplain, particularly those in palaeoenvironmental significance. It is advised that the degree of harm Section B which cluster around Design Area 2, and contain deposits predicted and the appropriate mitigation measures are discussed and of alluvial material and less well developed organics, probably reflect agreed with project stakeholders, including the client, design team, the the proximity of this area to the current channel of the River Sow archaeological advisor to the planning authority, and Historic England’s and may be representative of flood events and not channel change. regional science advisor.

Deposits with the greatest potential to contribute to the currently limited 4.2 CULTURAL EVIDENCE palaeoenvironmental work in this area are located within Phase 1/Design Whilst no direct evidence of human activity has been recovered Area 1. These deep peat sequences have the potential to provide high at this stage, in the immediate area, finds from the Mesolithic to resolution evidence of regional environmental change in the area over a Romano-British period include a Neolithic/Bronze age find spot at very considerable time period. This information would typically be collected Cresswell Hall and a series of stakes of Iron Age date in alluvial gravels by means of a sleeved core to be examined under laboratory conditions. north of the River Sow which are thought to have been a revetment. Work of this nature can be very costly and any that is undertaken should (URS 2014). Nonetheless, these areas of wetlands provided a be carried out with a focus on recovering key information at risk of total loss ready exploitable resource throughout the prehistoric and historic from construction impacts. period. Their value for the preservation of cultural evidence is well recognised (Brown, 1997). The interleaved peat and alluvial deposits within Phase 1/Design Area 2 and Phase 2/Section A have a lower potential to provide significant In most cases, human occupation was associated, unsurprisingly with palaeoenvironmental sequences because of poorer preservation free draining sands and gravels which would have provided drier conditions for pollen and insect remains within the layers of alluvium areas in which to undertake more prolonged activity. Mesolithic that separate the relatively thinner peat horizons in these areas. However, human settlement, temporary or otherwise is well documented on plant macrofossils in the peat and the alluvium could provide site specific the drier terraces, within these alluvial complexes (Brown, 1997). Later information on local palaeoenvironments. Further palaeoenvironmental occupation, particularly during the Neolithic and later prehistory study of these sequences would probably be productive if they are is associated with the valley floor itself, once again favouring drier directly associated with identified episodes of human activity. 'gravel islands' e.g. Staines, Runnymede and Farmoor in the Thames Valley (Lambrick and Robinson, 1979; Longley, 1980; Needham and The general potential for human activity to be associated with Longley, 1980; Needham 1985, 1992. During the late Bronze and Iron the wetland areas is difficult to evaluate further because of Age, the lowland rivers of NW Europe were subject to an episode surface constraints and potential dig depths, and the difficulties in of enhanced alluviation (Brown 1997). In the wider Thames Valley, forming a predictive model for the distribution of any past human the multiphase site a Runnymede (Longley, 1980; Needham and activity. Archaeological observation of areas of significant ground Longley, 1980; Needham 1985, 1992) and Farmoor, west of Oxford disturbance during construction would probably be the most (Lambrick and Robinson 1979) are two sites where the effects of successful method of detecting and recording any artefacts or this have been recorded in other areas of the Thames catchment. deposits of cultural heritage interest at risk of harm or destruction.

16 © 2015 by Headland Archaeology (UK) Ltd File Name: SWAS-01-Reportv4.indd -5.00 -4.00 -3.00 -2.00 -1.00 -5.00 -4.00 -3.00 -2.00 -1.00 1:100@A3 scale vertical 0 0 NW NW WS09 WS01 D A A B B B C C C E WS10 A B C WS11 A B WS02 WS12 D A B C C E F A B C WS03 D B A B C C C C E WS13 SE WS01 WS04 D A B C F SE WS05 WS02 WS02 NW WS06 WS05 A B WS03 WS03 WS09 WS09 WS07 WS10 WS12 WS08 WS08 WS11 WS11 WS06 WS04 WS04 G A B 0 WS13 scale 1:3.000@A3 scale

N WS07 100m G G F F D A B C WS08 horizontal1:2,000 @A3 scale SE Phase 2 - Section A/FencePhase 2-Section Diagram KEY G, glacialgravel F, glacialsand periglacial sand E, D, wood C, peat B, alluvium A, top soil ILLUS 9

© 2015 by Headland Archaeology (UK) Ltd File Name: SWAS-01-Reportv4.indd 1:100@A4 scale vertical -9.00 -8.00 -7.00 -6.00 -5.00 -4.00 -3.00 -2.00 -1.00 0 0 W WS14 A C B A-CP06/RO06 A-CP04/ARO04A A-CP04/ARO04A A-CP08/RO08 A-WS06 A-WS05 A-CPT08 A-CPT07 A-CPT05 A-WS03 WS15 B A A-WS08 A-CPT09 WS16 A-CPT06 A-CP07/RO07 A-WS07 A-CP05/RO05 E horizontal1:500 @A4 scale D G B B C A B-CP02/RO02A A-WS04 A-CP04 B-CP02 B-CP02 A-CP03/RO03 A-CP03/RO03 B-CP01/RO01 B-CP02/RO02B B-CP02/RO02 PHASE 2/SECTION B PHASE 2/SECTION PHASE 2/SECTION B PHASE 2/SECTION AREA 1 PHASE 1/DESIGN B-WS01 B-CPT01 WS14 0 scale 1:5.000@A3 scale WS15 WS15 AREA 2 PHASE 1/DESIGN

N WS16 WS16 100m Phase 2 - Section B/FencePhase 2-Section Diagram KEY G, glacialgravel D, wood C, peat B, alluvium A, madeground ILLUS 10 horizontal scale1:500 @ A4

NW D-CP02 SE C-WS09 C-CP09/RO09 D-CP01 SW17 C-CP09A/RO09A WS17 WS18 WS18a

SW18

0 PHASE 2/SECTIONN C PHASE 1/DESIGN A A AREA 4 A 0 100m -1.00 scale 1:5.000@ A3

-2.00 B -3.00

-4.00 PHASE 1/DESIGN

-5.00 AREA 3

-6.00

-7.00

-8.000

-9.00

vertical scale 1:100 @ A3

KEY A, made ground B, alluvium

ILLUS 11 Phase 2 - Section C/Fence Diagram © 2015 by Headland Archaeology (UK) Ltd File Name: SWAS-01-Reportv4.indd 1:100@A3 scale vertical -9.00 -8.00 -7.00 -6.00 -5.00 -4.00 -3.00 -2.00 -1.00 0 0 NW WS19 E-WS02 A WS19a A WS20 A SE horizontal1:500 @A4 scale E-CP05/R005 E-CP05/R005 E-WS01 E-CP04B E-CP04A E-CP03 AREA 5 PHASE 1/DESIGN E-CP04 E-CP02 E-CP04C E-CP01A/RO01A PHASE 2/SECTION D PHASE 2/SECTION PHASE 2/SECTION D PHASE 2/SECTION 0 WS19 scale 1:5.000@A3 scale

N Phase 2 - Section D/FencePhase 2-Section Diagram WS20 E-CP01C E-CP01D KEY 100m E-CP01B E-CP01/RO01 A, madeground ILLUS 12 AREA 4 PHASE 1/DESIGN STAFFORD WESTERN ACCESS ROUTE SWAS/01

Needham, S & Longley, D 1980 ‘Runnymede Bridge, Egham: a Late 6 REFERENCES Bronze Age riverside Settlement’ in J Barrett & R Bradley (eds) BGS 1974 Stafford 1:50,000 Sheet 139 Settlement and Society in the Later Bronze Age Oxford: British Archaeology Report 83; 397–436. Baker, C Bateman, M Bateman, P & Jones, H 2013 ‘The Aeolian sand record in the Trent Valley’ Mercian Geologist 18, 2: 108–18. Parker, A G & Robinson, M A 2003 ‘Palaeoenvironmental investigations on the Middle Thames at Eton College Rowing Bartley, D D & Morgan, A V 1990 ‘The palynological record of the Lake, Dorney, Buckinghamshire, UK’ In Howard, A Macklin, D King’s Pool, Stafford, England’ New Phytologist 116: 177–94. and Passmore, M The Alluvial Archaeology of North-West Europe and the Mediterranean Taylor and Francis 43–60. Brayshay, B A and Dinnin, M ‘Integrated palaeoecological evidence for biodiversity at the floodplain-forest margin’Journal of Parker, A G, Lucas, A S, Walden, J, Goudie, A S, Robinson, M A and Allen, Biogeography 26, 1: 115–31. T G 2008 ‘Late Holocene geoarchaeological investigation of the Middle Thames floodplain at Dorney, Buckinghamshire, Brown, A G 1997 Alluvial Geoarchaeology Cambridge: University Press. UK: An evaluation of the Bronze Age, Iron Age, Roman and Saxon landscapes’ Geomorphology 101: 471–83. Brown, A G 1988 ‘The palaeoecology of Alnus (alder) and the Postglacial floodplain vegetation. Pollen percentage, influx Smithson, P Addison, K & Atkinson, K 2008 Fundamentals of the Physical data from the West Midlands, United Kingdom’ New Phytologist Environment London: Routledge. 110: 245–36. URS 2014 Stafford Western Access Route Environmental Statement Cultural Challis, K Howard, A J Moscrop, D and Tetlow, E A 2006 Assessing the Heritage Baseline Assessment geoarchaeological development of catchment tributaries and their impact on the Holocene evolution of the River Trent (PNUM 3850) Trent Valley Geoarchaeology Research Report Nottingham, Trent & Peak Archaeological Unit.

Dinnin, M 1997 ‘Holocene beetle assemblages from the lower Trent floodplain at Bole Ings, Nottinghamshire, UK’Quaternary Proceedings 5: 83–104.

Dodd, A Goodwin, J Griffiths, S Norton, A Poole, C & Teague, S 2014 ‘Excavations at Tipping Street, Stafford, 2009–10’ Staffordshire archaeological & Historic Society Transactions volume XLVII.

Lambrick, G H and Robinson, M A 1979 Iron Age and Roman riverside settlements at Farmoor, Oxfordshire CBA Research Report 32 Oxford Archaeological Unit Report 2 London.

Longley, D 1980 ‘Runnymede Bridge 1976; Excavations on the site of late Bronze Age settlement’ Surrey Archaeological Society Research Volume 6.

Morgan, A V 1973 ‘The Pleistocene geology of the area north and west of Wolverhampton, Staffordshire England’ Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London B 265: 233–97.

Needham, S 1985 ‘Neolithic and Bronze Age settlement on the buried floodplain of Runnymede’Oxford Journal of Archaeology 4: 125–37.

Needham, S 1992 ‘Holocene Alluviation and interstratified settlement evidence in the Thames Valley at Runnymede Bridge’ in Needham, S and Macklin, M (eds) Archaeology Under Alluvium Oxford: Oxbow Books 249–60.

22 © 2015 by Headland Archaeology (UK) Ltd File Name: SWAS-01-Reportv4.indd Design area Design 1 A 7 A-CP08/R008 A-CP07/R007 A-CP06/R006 A-CP05/R005 A-CP04A/R004A A-CP04 A-CP03/R003 Borehole ppendix APPENDICES 1

BOREHOLE DATA 0'–2.10 14.8+ 13.1'–14.8 12'–13.1 2.8'–12 0'–2.8 13.2+ 12.10'–13.2 5.5'–12.10 2.3'–5.5 0'–2.3 12.5+ 6.0'–12.5 2.9'–6 0'–2.9 11.9+ 8.0'–11.9 3.0'–8.0 0'–3.0 8+ 4.0'–8.0 3.5'–4 0'–3.5 5.9+ 3.20'–5.9 0'–3.20 D (m) Made ground diamict. Mixed depositsofDevensian glacial Silt andclay Silt withclay andsomeshell Peat withsomegravel Made ground diamict. Mixed depositsofDevensian glacial clay withsomeorganicsSilty organics clay withplant Silty remains and Peat withsomegravel Made ground diamict. Mixed depositsofDevensian glacial Peat organics clay withplant Silty remains and Made ground diamict. Mixed depositsofDevensian glacial Peat withsomegravel Peat Made ground Clay/peat/silty Peat withsomegravel Gravelly clay Made ground diamict. Mixed depositsofDevensian glacial Peat withsomegravel Made ground Description Description N – – – Y N – Y Y Y N – Y Y N N Y Y N Y Y Y N N Y N Palaeoenv/Arch potential HEADLAND ARCHAEOLOGY (UK) LTD – Glacial outwash Glacial Alluvial origin Alluvial origin – – Glacial outwash Glacial Alluvial origin Alluvial origin – – Glacial outwash Glacial – Alluvial origin – Glacial outwash Glacial – – – Alluvial origin – Alluvial origin – Glacial outwash Glacial – – Notes 23 STAFFORD WESTERN ACCESS ROUTE SWAS/01

Borehole D (m) Description Palaeoenv/Arch potential Notes

2.10'–12.5 Peat Y –

12.5'–16.8 Clay with occassional shell – Alluvial origin

16.8+ Mixed deposits of Devensian glacial – Glacial outwash diamict.

Design Area 2

Borehole. D (m) Description Palaeoenv/Arch potential Notes

B-CP01/R001 0–4.8 Made ground N –

4.8–6.3 Organic rich clay and silt Y Alluvial origin

6.3–9 Clay rich peat with plant remains Y Alluvial origin

9–10.10 Silty peat with shell Y Alluvial origin

10.10–13.6 Organic sandy, silty clay Y Alluvial origin

13.6+ Mixed deposits of Devensian glacial – Glacial outwash diamict.

B-CP02 0–1.25 Made ground N –

B-CP02A 0–1.25 Made ground N –

B-CP02B/R002B 0–2.8 Made Ground N –

2.8–5.3 Organic rich clay and silt Y Alluvial origin

5.3–9.3 Clayey silt. – Alluvial origin

9.3+ Mixed deposits of Devensian glacial – Glacial outwash diamict.

Design Area 3

Borehole D (m) Description Palaeoenv/Arch potential Notes

C-CP09 0–4.1 Made ground N –

4.1–6.5 Peat Y –

C-CP09A/R009A 0–4 Made ground No –

4.0–6 Peat with some gravel Y –

6–6.5 Clayey peat. Y Alluvial origin

6.5–9.5 Peat with some gravel Y –

9.5–12.5 Clayey peat with shell Y Alluvial origin

12.5–13.5 Peat with plant remains and some shell Y –

13.5–15.5 Silty clay with some shell Possible Alluvial origin

24 © 2015 by Headland Archaeology (UK) Ltd File Name: SWAS-01-Reportv4.indd Design AreaDesign 5 AreaDesign 4 Borehole Borehole E-CP01 D-CP01 E-CP01A E-CP01B D-CP02 E-CP01C E-CP01D E-CP02 E-CP03 E-CP04 E-CP04A E-CP04B E-CP04C D (m) D (m) 0–1.2 0–1 0–3.45 1.0+ 0–95 0–0.4 0–2 0.4–1.10 2+ 1.10–1.9 0–2 1.9–3.8 2+ 3.8–8.8 0–2.9 8.8+ 2.9+ 0–7 7+ 0–.9 0–.9 0–.9 0–2.1 2.1+ 0–.7 .7+ Description Description Description Made ground Made ground Made ground diamict. Mixed depositsofDevensian glacial Made ground Made ground Made ground Gravelly clay diamict. Mixed depositsofDevensian glacial Gravel, clay, silt andsand Made ground Sand andgravel diamict. Mixed depositsofDevensian glacial Sand andshell Made ground diamict. Mixed depositsofDevensian glacial diamict. Mixed depositsofDevensian glacial Made ground diamict. Mixed depositsofDevensian glacial Made ground Made ground Made ground Made ground diamict. Mixed depositsofDevensian glacial Made ground diamict. Mixed depositsofDevensian glacial Palaeoenv/Arch potential Palaeoenv/Arch potential N No N – N N N – – – N – – – N – – N – N N N N – N – HEADLAND ARCHAEOLOGY (UK) LTD Notes Notes – – – outwash Glacial – – – Alluvial origin Glacial outwash Glacial Alluvial origin – Alluvial origin Glacial outwash Glacial Alluvial origin – outwash Glacial Glacial outwash Glacial – Glacial outwash Glacial – – – – Glacial outwash Glacial – Glacial outwash Glacial 25 STAFFORD WESTERN ACCESS ROUTE SWAS/01

Boreholes

Design area Borehole D (m) Description Palaeo-environmental/ Archaeological potential

1 A-WS03 0-2.8 Made ground N

2.8+ Clay –

1 A-WS04 0-2.5 Made ground N

2.5+ Clay and organic material –

1 A-WS05 0-3.9 Made ground N

3.9+ Clay with plant remains –

1 A-WS06 0-4.6 Made ground N

4.6+ Clay with rootlets –

1 A-WS07 0+ Made ground N

1 A-WS08 0+ Made ground N

2 B-WS01 0+ Made ground N

3 C-WS09 0-4.9 Made ground N

4.9+ Peaty clay –

4 BR-WS01 0-2.8 Made ground N

2.8+ Mixed alluvial/glacial deposits. –

5 E-WS01 0-2.3 Made ground N

2.3+ Mixed alluvial/glacial deposits. –

5 E-WS02 0-1.9 Made ground N

1.9+ Mixed alluvial/glacial deposits. –

5 E-WS03 0-3.9 Made ground N

3.9 Mixed alluvial/glacial deposits. –

Unit codes all areas

Unit Broad Description

A Made Ground

B Alluvium

C Peat

G Glacial gravel

WATCHING BRIEF BOREHOLES D (m) 0 0.6 1.2 1.47 2.47 2.7 2.86 3 3.43 3.7 4 5 0 0.45 1.2 1.5 2 2.9 3 3.4 3.77 4 5 0 0.45 Description Description and clay rich topsoil. Turf overlying darkbrown/black silt coloured inclusions Very grey soft clay withbuff silty with somesand. compact,Dense, darkblueclay andsilt Grey brown organic rich clay. visible plant remains. Grey brown organic rich clay with Wood peat wood. Grey brown organic rich clay with Compact bluegrey clay Compact very darkbluegreyCompact very clay Rush andsedgepeat Blue greyBlue coarse to mediumsand End ofBorehole and clay rich topsoil. Turf overlying darkbrown/black silt coloured inclusions Very grey soft clay withbuff silty Very opentextured organic material. visible plant remains. Grey brown organic rich clay with No Capture Wood peat and clay Highly organic darkbrown/black silt and sedges and clay witvisibleremains ofrushes Highly organic darkbrown/black silt Blue greyBlue coarse to mediumsand Coarse to mediumred brown sand End ofBorehole and clay rich topsoil. Turf overlying dark brown/black silt coloured inclusions Very grey soft clay withbuff silty Palaeoenv/Arch potential – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – HEADLAND ARCHAEOLOGY (UK) LTD Notes Topsoil Alluvium Alluvium Peat Peat Wood Wood Alluvium Alluvium Peat Periglacial sands? – Topsoil Alluvium Peat Peat – Wood peat Peat Periglacial sands? Glacial sand Glacial – Topsoil Alluvium 27 STAFFORD WESTERN ACCESS ROUTE SWAS/01

Borehole D (m) Description Palaeoenv/Arch potential Notes

0.8 Very soft dark brown/black peat with – Peat plant remains and fragments of wood.

1.2 Dense, compact, dark blue organic – Alluvium rich clay

1.52 Rush sand sedge peat – Peat

2 Open textured rush sand sedge peat – Peat with wood

2.62 Open textured wood peat – Wood

2.9 Highly organic dark brown/black silt – Peat and clay

3 Limited capture – –

3.6 Open textured rush sand sedge peat – Peat with wood

4 Fine to mediun Blue grey sands – Glacial

WS04 0 Turf overlying dark brown/black silt – Topsoil and clay rich topsoil.

0.4 Very soft grey silty clay with buff – Alluvium coloured inclusions

1.5 Very dark brown, well humified peat – Peat

1.6 Rush and sedge peat – Peat

2 No caputure – –

2.4 Open textured wood peat – Wood

2.6 Highly organic dark brown/black silt – Alluvium and clay

3.8 Open textured rush sand sedge peat – Peat with wood

4.6 Red Brown Sand – Glacial sand

End of Borehole – –

WS05 0 Turf overlying dark brown/black silt – Topsoil and clay rich topsoil.

0.2 Very soft grey silty clay with buff – Alluvium coloured inclusions

End of Borehole – –

WS06 0 Turf overlying dark brown/black silt – Topsoil and clay rich topsoil.

0.4 Very soft grey silty clay with buff – Alluvium coloured inclusions

1.2 No Capture – –

4 Fine to mediun Blue grey sands – Periglacial Sands

WS07 0 Turf overlying dark brown/black silt – Topsoil and clay rich topsoil.

0.25 Gravelly, slightly silty clay – Alluvium

28 © 2015 by Headland Archaeology (UK) Ltd File Name: SWAS-01-Reportv4.indd Borehole WS09 WS10 WS11 WS12 WS13 D (m) 0.6 1.2 1.5 1.8 2 2.25 2.38 2.84 0 0.4 1.2 2.85 0 0.4 1.2 3 0 0.6 1.2 2 0 0.4 2 2.9 0 0.4 Description Description visible plant remains. Grey brown organic rich clay with Very opentextured organic material. Wood peat brown sand Wood peat grading to red andgrey increasingly coarse withdepth. brownRed sandbecoming Poorly well rounded sorted gravels Coarse to mediumred brown sand gravel Poorly angularto well sorted round topsoil textured,Open midbrown sandrich mediun sand brownRed homogeneouscoarse to Red brownRed fine to mediumsand and cobbles. Poorly well sorted, rounded, gravels Yellow brown, slightly silty, gravel. sandier withdepth Clay rich, midbrown subsoilbecoming mediun sand brownRed homogeneouscoarse to and cobbles. Poorly well sorted, rounded, gravels topsoil textured,Open midbrown sandrich sandier withdepth Clay rich, midbrown subsoilbecoming mediun sand brownRed homogeneouscoarse to End ofborehole topsoil textured,Open midbrown sandrich mediun sand brownRed homogeneouscoarse to Red brownRed fine to mediumsand and cobbles. Poorly well sorted, rounded, gravels topsoil textured,Open midbrown sandrich mediun sand brownRed homogeneouscoarse to Palaeoenv/Arch potential – – Alder – – – – – – – – – – – – Glacial diamict Glacial – – – – – – – – – – HEADLAND ARCHAEOLOGY (UK) LTD Notes Alluvium Peat Wood Wood Glacial sands Glacial Glacial gravelsGlacial Glacial sands Glacial Glacial gravelsGlacial – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 29 STAFFORD WESTERN ACCESS ROUTE SWAS/01

Borehole D (m) Description Palaeoenv/Arch potential Notes

1.1 Poorl sorted angular to well rounded – – gravels and pebbles.

1.4 Red brown fine to medium sand – –

Section B

Test pit D (m) Description Palaeoenv/Arch potential Notes

WS14 0 Made ground – Made ground

2.8 Sandy grey clay – Alluvium

3.2 Brown Peat – Peat

4.9 End of Borehole – –

WS15 0 Made ground – Made ground

1.8 Very dark brown sandy silt – Alluvium

2.2 Soft, brown sandy silt – Alluvium

4 Brown peat – Peat

WS16 0 Made ground – Made ground

1.54 Smooth black clay with intrusive CBM, – Alluvium pot- and glass-sherds.

2.5 Well humified yellow brown peat - – Peat possibly moss or other bryophytes? Some sedge-like material visible.

2.8 Compact silt and clay with fragments – Alluvium of wood.

3.24 Sedge peat with wood and visible Alder/Willow? Wood leaves, immature hazel-nut recovered.

3.26 Very dark brown/black peat with – Peat sedges and rushes.

4 Sedge and rush peat. – Peat

4.72 Organic rich clay with cobbles and – Alluvium pebbles

4.96 Large pebbles with angular grey/ – Glacial diamict brown gravel and coarse to medium sand.

Section C

Borehole D (m) Description Palaeoenv/Arch potential Notes

WS17 0 Made ground – Made ground

1.8 Angular brick – Made ground

2.3 Clay and silt with fine grained sand – Alluvium

30 © 2015 by Headland Archaeology (UK) Ltd File Name: SWAS-01-Reportv4.indd Doxey and 10 Pin Unit codes D Section Borehole G F E D C B A Unit Borehole WS19 WS19A WS18 WS20 WS18a Glacial gravelGlacial sand Glacial Periglacial Sand Wood Peat Alluvium Topsoil Broad Description D (m) D (m) 0 2.4 0.9 3 0 3.4 1.2 3.6 5 0 0 0.3 1.2 0 5 5 Description Description Description Description Made ground with pebblesandgravels Clay andsiltwithfine grained sand mediun sand brownRed homogeneouscoarse to with sedgeandwood Dark brown/black organic rich mud Made ground inclusions andreed. Blue/grey clay withpalebrown mediun sand brownRed homogeneouscoarse to End ofBorehole End ofBorehole Made ground Made ground End ofBorehole mediun sand brownRed homogeneouscoarse to Made ground End ofBorehole End ofBorehole Sainsburys Bridge Rail & Drumlin B A Unit E D C B A Unit Alluvium Made Ground Broad Description Clay rich subsoil Gravels andcobbles brownRed sands Coarse red sands Topsoil Broad Description Palaeoenv/Arch potential Palaeoenv/Arch potential – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – HEADLAND ARCHAEOLOGY (UK) LTD Notes Notes Made Ground Alluviun – Alluvium Made Ground Alluvium – – – – Made Ground – – – – – 31

SOUTH & EAST MIDLANDS & WEST NORTH SCOTLAND Headland Archaeology Headland Archaeology Headland Archaeology Headland Archaeology Building 68C, Wrest Park, Silsoe Unit 1, Premier Business Park, Faraday Road Unit 16, Hillside, Beeston Road 13 Jane Street Bedfordshire MK45 4HS Hereford HR4 9NZ Leeds LS11 8ND Edinburgh EH6 5HE 01525 861 578 01432 364 901 0113 387 6430 0131 467 7705 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]