A435/A436 Junction Improvement Seven Springs, Coberley Gloucestershire

A435/A436 JUNCTION IMPROVEMENT SEVEN SPRINGS, COBERLEY GLOUCESTERSHIRE

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION

CA PROJECT: 1504 CA REPORT: 03037

Author: Kate Cullen

Approved: Cliff Bateman

Signed: …………………………………………………………….

TH Issue: 01 Date: 14 APRIL 2003

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.

A435/A436 Junction Improvement, Seven Springs, Coberley, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

CONTENTS

SUMMARY...... 2

1. INTRODUCTION...... 3

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

2. RESULTS...... 5

Trench 1...... 5 Trench 2...... 5 Trench 3...... 5 Trench 4...... 5

4. CA PROJECT TEAM...... 6

5. REFERENCES...... 6

APPENDIX 1: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS...... 7

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Fig. 1 Site location plan Fig. 2 Trench plan.

1 A435/A436 Junction Improvement, Seven Springs, Coberley, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

SUMMARY

Site Name: A435/A436 Junction Improvement, Seven Springs Location: Coberley, Gloucestershire NGR: SO 9683 1709 Type: Evaluation Date: 17th March 2003 Location of Archive: Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museum Accession no. CAGM 2003.83 Site Code: SSR 03

An archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology in March 2003 at the request of Halcrow Group Ltd (on behalf the Environment Department, Gloucestershire County Council) at the junction of the A435 and A436, Seven Springs, Coberley, Gloucestershire.

No archaeological features or deposits were encountered during the course of the evaluation.

2 A435/A436 Junction Improvement, Seven Springs, Coberley, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 In March 2003 Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological evaluation for Halcrow Group Ltd (on the behalf of the Environment Department, Gloucestershire County Council) at the A435/A436 road junction (centred on NGR: SO 9683 1709; Fig. 1). The evaluation was undertaken to determine the survival and extent of any deposits that may be affected by proposed improvements to the existing road junction.

1.2 The evaluation was carried out in accordance with a brief for archaeological recording prepared by Charles Parry (Senior Archaeological Officer, Gloucestershire County Council), and with a subsequent detailed project specification produced by CA (2002) and approved by Charles Parry. The fieldwork also followed the Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Field Evaluations issued by the Institute of Field Archaeologists (1999) and the Statement of Standards and Practices Appropriate for Archaeological Fieldwork in Gloucestershire (GCC 1995).

The site

1.3 The site lies at the junction of the A435 and A436 and largely comprises existing roadside verges and agricultural land (Fig. 2).

1.4 The underlying geology of the area is mapped as Inferior Oolite of the Middle Jurassic (Geological Survey of England and Wales 1946) with the site lying between 195m and 200m AOD.

Archaeological background

1.5 No archaeological features excepting a post-medieval, brick built, polygonal Parcel Office are recorded from the proposed development area itself. The site does, however, lie within an area of archaeological potential. Crickley Hill hillfort lies approximately 3.5km to the west, with evidence of Romano-British activity at Short Wood (SO 9335 1680) and in close proximity to Park Farm (SO 9670 1520). Shrunken and deserted medieval settlement is attested at Coberley and Upper Coberley respectively.

3 A435/A436 Junction Improvement, Seven Springs, Coberley, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

1.6 Seven Springs is named from the natural springs arising immediately to the south of the proposed improvements. The springs form the source of the River Churn and have also previously been considered to be the source of the Thames.

Archaeological objectives

1.7 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

1.8 The fieldwork was to comprise the excavation of 4 trenches, (1 x 20m in length, 1 x 10m in length, and 2 x 5m in length) each measuring 1.5m in width. In the event, full excavation of only two trenches was possible due to the presence of buried services. Following consultation with Charles Parry, Trench 1 was extended by approximately 6m.

1.9 All trenches were excavated by mechanical excavator equipped with a toothless grading bucket. All machine excavation was undertaken under constant archaeological supervision to the top of the first significant archaeological horizon or the natural substrate, whichever was encountered first. Where archaeological deposits were encountered they were excavated by hand in accordance with the CA Technical Manual 1: Excavation Recording Manual (1996).

1.10 Deposits were assessed for their palaeoenvironmental potential and, where appropriate, sampled and processed in accordance with the CA Technical Manual 2: The Taking of Samples for Palaeoenvironmental/Palaeoeconomic Analysis from Archaeological Sites (1994). All artefacts recovered were processed in accordance with the CA Technical Manual 3: Treatment of Finds Immediately After Excavation (1995).

1.11 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

4 A435/A436 Junction Improvement, Seven Springs, Coberley, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

(including artefacts) will be deposited with Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museum under accession number CAGM 2003.83.

2. RESULTS

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

Trench 1

2.2 Trench 1 was modified and extended to avoid the existing tree coverage. Natural limestone brash 103 was revealed 0.4m below the current ground surface. It was sealed by subsoil 102, which was in turn overlain by topsoil 101. No archaeological features or deposits were revealed.

Trench 2

2.3 Due to the presence of buried services Trench 2 was not excavated.

Trench 3

2.4 Subsoil 302 was revealed 0.21m below the current ground level, immediately sealed by topsoil 301. Due to the presence of services trenches identified cutting the exposed subsoil, no further excavations were undertaken.

Trench 4 2.5 Natural limestone brash 403 was revealed 0.45m below the current ground surface. It was sealed by subsoil 402, which was in turn overlain by topsoil 401. No archaeological features or deposits were revealed.

3. DISCUSSION

3.1 Despite the archaeological potential of the area (see archaeological background above), the evaluation identified no archaeological remains within the areas of proposed road improvement.

5 A435/A436 Junction Improvement, Seven Springs, Coberley, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

4. CA PROJECT TEAM

Fieldwork was undertaken by Kate Cullen, assisted by Darren Muddiman. The report was written by Kate Cullen. The illustrations were prepared by Lorna Gray. The archive has been compiled by Kate Cullen, and prepared for deposition by Ed McSloy. The project was managed for CA by Cliff Bateman.

5. REFERENCES

CA 2003 A435/A436 Junction Improvement, Seven Springs, Coberley, Gloucestershire: Written Scheme of Investigation.

Geological Survey of England and Wales 3rd Edition 1946 Sheet 235 Cirencester 1 inch to 1 mile.

6 A435/A436 Junction Improvement, Seven Springs, Coberley, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

APPENDIX 1: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS

Trench 1 (Modern ground surface 195.03m AOD to 196.43m AOD) 101 Topsoil. Dark brownish grey sandy clay. 0.23m in depth. 102 Subsoil. Mid yellowish brown sandy clay with frequent limestone fragments. 0.17m in depth. 103 Natural limestone brash, light yellow sandy clay bonded limestone fragments. 0.40m+

Trench 2 (Modern ground surface 198.26m AOD) 201 Topsoil. Dark brownish grey sandy clay.

Trench 3 (Modern ground surface 199.87m AOD) 301 Topsoil. Dark brownish grey sandy clay. 0.21m in depth. 302 Subsoil. Mid yellowish brown sandy clay with frequent limestone fragments.

Trench 4 (Modern ground surface approximately 198.62m AOD) 401 Topsoil. Dark brownish grey sandy clay. 0.25m in depth. 402 Subsoil. Mid yellowish brown sandy clay with frequent limestone fragments. 0.20m in depth. 403 Natural limestone brash, light yellow sandy clay bonded limestone fragments. 0.45m+

968 969

171

170

Reproduced from the 2003 Ordnance Survey 1:2500 map with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office, c Crown copyright Cotswold Archaeological Trust AL50196A

Site Trench SO 0 100m

Fig. 2 Trench location plan