Shellingford Quarry Faringdon Oxfordshire Archaeological

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Shellingford Quarry Faringdon Oxfordshire

Archaeological Watching Brief

for Grontmij on behalf of Wales and West Utilities Limited

CA Project: 4515 CA Report: 13563

24 September 2013

Shellingford Quarry Faringdon Oxfordshire

Archaeological Watching Brief

CA Project: 4515 CA Report: 13563

prepared by Peter Busby, Supervisor Designate

date 24 September 2013

checked by Ian Barnes, Project Manager

date 24 October 2013

approved by

signed

date

issue 01

This report is confidential to the client. Cotswold Archaeology accepts no responsibility or liability to any third party to whom this report, or any part of it, is made known. Any such party relies upon this report entirely at their own risk. No part of this report may be reproduced by any means without permission.

Cirencester Milton Keynes Andover Building 11 Unit 4 Office 49 Kemble Enterprise Park Cromwell Business Centre Basepoint Business Centre Kemble, Cirencester Howard Way, Newport Pagnell Caxton Close, Andover Gloucestershire, GL7 6BQ MK16 9QS Hampshire, SP10 3FG t. 01285 771022 t. 01908 218320 t. 01264 326549 f. 01285 771033 e. [email protected] © Cotswold Archaeology Shellingford Quarry, Faringdon, Oxfordshire: Archaeological Watching Brief

CONTENTS

SUMMARY ...... 2

1. INTRODUCTION ...... 3

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

2. RESULTS (FIG 2) ...... 5

3. DISCUSSION ...... 5

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

5. REFERENCES ...... 6

APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS ...... 7

APPENDIX B: OASIS REPORT FORM...... 8

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Fig. 1 Site location plan (1:25,000) Fig. 2 The site, showing location of groundworks (1:2,000).

1 © Cotswold Archaeology Shellingford Quarry, Faringdon, Oxfordshire: Archaeological Watching Brief

SUMMARY

Project Name: Shellingford Quarry Location: Faringdon, Oxfordshire NGR: SU 33149 95105 Type: Watching Brief Date: 28-29 August 2013 Location of Archive: To be deposited with Oxfordshire County Museum Store Site Code: SQF 13

An archaeological watching brief was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology during groundworks associated with the replacement of a gas main in land to the south of Shellingford Quarry, Faringdon, Oxfordshire.

No features or deposits of archaeological interest were observed during groundworks and no artefactual material was retained. A sequence of natural peats, alluvial deposits and palaeochannels were observed.

2 © Cotswold Archaeology Shellingford Quarry, Faringdon, Oxfordshire: Archaeological Watching Brief

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 In August 2013 Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological watching brief for the Grontmij on behalf of Wales and West Utilities Limited at Shellingford Quarry, Faringdon, Oxfordshire (centred at NGR: SU 33149 95105; Fig. 1). The watching brief was undertaken on the advice of Hugh Coddington, Principal Archaeologist, Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) that archaeological supervision of groundworks should occur and all archaeological remains exposed during the works should be recorded.

1.2 The watching brief was carried out in accordance with Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) produced by CA (CA 2013) and approved by Hugh Coddington. The fieldwork also followed the Standard and guidance for an archaeological watching brief (IfA 2009), the Management of Archaeological Projects 2 (English Heritage 1991), the Management of Research Projects in the Historic Environment (MORPHE): Project Manager’s Guide (EH 2006).

The site

1.3 The proposed gas main route runs through open arable farmland to the south of the existing Shellingford Quarry (Fig. 2). It lies at approximately 85m AOD and crosses the Frogmore Brook.

1.4 The underlying solid geology of the area is mapped as Kingston Formation - Ooidal Limestone of the Jurassic period with overlying Quaternary sands, clays and silts (BGS 2013).

Archaeological background

1.5 The site is located on the Corallion Ridge, running between Swindon and Oxford. The area is known to have Iron Age and Roman settlement activity and cropmarks indicating Romano-British settlement have been identified. The Iron Age hillfort of Great Bradbury lies 6km to the west of the site.

3 © Cotswold Archaeology Shellingford Quarry, Faringdon, Oxfordshire: Archaeological Watching Brief

Archaeological objectives

1.6 The objectives of the archaeological works are:

 to monitor groundworks, and to identify, investigate and record all significant buried archaeological deposits revealed on the site during the course of the development groundworks;

 at the conclusion of the project, to produce an integrated archive for the project work and a report setting out the results of the project and the archaeological conclusions that can be drawn from the recorded data.

Methodology

1.7 The fieldwork followed the methodology set out within the WSI (CA 2013). An archaeologist was present during intrusive groundworks (Fig. 2).

1.8 Where archaeological deposits were encountered written, graphic and photographic records were compiled in accordance with CA Technical Manual 1: Fieldwork Recording Manual (2007).

1.9 The archive from the watching brief is currently held by CA at their offices in Kemble and will be deposited with Oxfordshire County Museum Store. A summary of information from this project, set out within Appendix B, will be entered onto the OASIS online database of archaeological projects in Britain.

4 © Cotswold Archaeology Shellingford Quarry, Faringdon, Oxfordshire: Archaeological Watching Brief

2. RESULTS (FIG 2)

2.1 The natural geological substrate (102, 206, 303, and 403) was revealed between 0.3m and 0.85m below the present ground level. It was sealed in trenches 1 and 2 by alluvial silts (103, 105, and 205) decayed peats (104, 106, and 203), sandy silts (202). Palaeochannels were observed in trenches 2 and 5. These deposits and features were in turn sealed by a 0.3m thick modern plough soil (101, 201, 301 and 501).

2.2 In trench 3, plough scaring below the modern plough soil was observed cutting directly in the natural limestone. Whilst in trench 4, a 0.75m thick, modern (contained large fragments of 20th century brick) dump of silty sand (402) was observed between natural (402) and the plough soil (401). It had a very sharp, flat boundary with natural suggesting that the natural sands at this point had been truncated prior to its deposition. As trench 4 is located some 25m south of an active quarry, it seems likely that quarry activity may have been responsible for the truncation of natural and deposition of 402.

2.3 No features or deposits of archaeological interest were observed during groundworks and, despite visual scanning of spoil, no artefactual material pre-dating the modern period was recovered.

3. DISCUSSION

3.1 While the archaeological potential of the application area was noted (see archaeological background above), the watching brief identified no archaeological remains within the area of the observed groundworks.

3.2 This is because the presence of peat deposits and palaeochannels in trenches 1, 2, and 3 suggest that the valley bottom was historically wet and probably unsuitable for occupation. Higher up the valley side in trench 3, plough scars cutting directly into the geological substrate suggests truncation of any deposits and features in this area. Whilst in trench 4 the truncated surface of the natural sands and the overlying modern dump of soil (402) suggest that the active quarry has removed deposits and features up to 25m beyond its current southern boundary.

5 © Cotswold Archaeology Shellingford Quarry, Faringdon, Oxfordshire: Archaeological Watching Brief

4. CA PROJECT TEAM

Fieldwork was undertaken by Peter Busby. The report was written by Peter Busby. The illustrations were prepared by Lorna Gray. The archive has been compiled by Peter Busby, and prepared for deposition by Jenny Hughes. The project was managed for CA by Ian Barnes.

5. REFERENCES

BGS (British Geological Survey) 2013 Geology of Britain Viewer. Online resource at http://mapapps.bgs.ac.uk/geologyofbritain/home.html accessed 24 September 2013

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2013 Shellingford Quarry, Faringdon, Oxfordshire: Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological Watching Brief

APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS

Trench Context Type Context Description L (m) W (m) Dept Spot-date No. No. interpretation h/thic knes s (m) 1 101 Layer Plough soil Dark grey brown silty clay, with >5.50 >4.00 0.29 Modern plough scars visible in surface of underlying later 1 102 Layer Natural Light grey white Ooidal sand >5.50 >4.00 >1.10 1 103 Layer Alluvium White silt with no inclusions >5.50 >4.00 0.08 1 104 Layer Peat Very dark brown silt with >2.50 >1.50 0.10 frequent twigs and preserved waterlogged organic matter 1 105 Layer Alluvium Light grey white sand clay with >1.80 >0.65 0.05 occasional gravel 1 106 Layer Peat Very dark brown silt with >1.90 >1.50 0.11 frequent twigs and preserved waterlogged organic matter 1 107 Layer Colluvium Very abundant gray silty clay and >1.40 >1.50 0.16 abundant sand gravel forming a lensed deposit 2 201 Layer Plough soil Brown sand silt, with plough >7.00 >5.00 0.28 Modern scars visible in surface of underlying later 2 202 Layer Alluvium Light brown sand silt >7.00 >4.30 0.12 2 203 Fill Palaeochannel Very dark brown sand silt with >7.00 >4.80 0.33 fill occasional round pebbles containing lumps and lenses white silt 2 204 Cut Palaeochannel E-W linear cut with a steam >7.00 >4.80 0.33 northern side and a flat base sloping slightly towards the south (stream) 2 205 Layer Alluvium White silt with no inclusions >7.00 >5.00 0.20 2 206 Layer Natural Ooidal Limestone >7.00 >5.00 >2.00 3 301 Layer Plough soil Brown sand silt, with plough >2.00 >1.50 0.27 Modern scars visible in surface of underlying later 3 302 Layer Natural Ooidal Limestone >2.00 >1.50 >0.93 4 401 Layer Plough soil Brown sand silt, with plough >11.00 >6.00 0.25 Modern scars visible in surface of underlying later 4 402 Layer Dump Light brown silty sand with >11.00 >6.00 0.75 Modern occasional brick fragments 4 403 Layer Natural Orange yellow clay sand >11.00 >6.00 >0.35 5 501 Layer Plough soil Dark grey brown silty clay, with >5.00 >5.00 0.32 Modern plough scars visible in surface of underlying later 5 502 Layer Alluvium White silt with no inclusions >5.00 >5.00 0.06 5 503 Layer Peat Very dark brown silt with >5.00 >5.00 0.22 frequent twigs and preserved waterlogged organic matter 5 504 Fill palaeochannel Layers of light grey brown, blue >5.00 >5.00 >1.30 fill grey, and light grey white gravel forming a number of layers

APPENDIX B: OASIS REPORT FORM

PROJECT DETAILS

Project Name Shellingford Quarry, Faringdon, Oxfordshire: Archaeological Watching Brief Short description (250 words maximum) No features or deposits of archaeological interest were observed during groundworks and no artefactual material was retained. A sequence of natural peats, alluvial deposits and palaeochannels were observed.

Project dates 28-29 August 2013 Project type Watching brief (e.g. desk-based, field evaluation etc)

Previous work None (reference to organisation or SMR numbers etc)

Future work Unknown PROJECT LOCATION Site Location Faringdon, Oxfordshire Study area (M2/ha) Site co-ordinates (8 Fig Grid Reference) SU 3314 9510

PROJECT CREATORS Name of organisation Cotswold Archaeology Project Brief originator None Project Design (WSI) originator Cotswold Archaeology

Project Manager Ian Barnes Project Supervisor Peter Busby MONUMENT TYPE None SIGNIFICANT FINDS None PROJECT ARCHIVES Intended final location of archive Content (e.g. pottery, (museum/Accession no.) animal bone etc)

Physical None Paper Oxfordshire County Museum Store Trench sheets, WSI, Report Digital Oxfordshire County Museum Store Digital photos BIBLIOGRAPHY

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2013 Shellingford Quarry, Faringdon, Oxfordshire: Archaeological Watching Brief. CA typescript report 13563

8 site

N Cirencester 01285 771022 Milton Keynes 01908 218320 Cotswold Andover 01264 326549 Archaeology w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected]

PROJECT TITLE Shellingford Quarry, Faringdon

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire FIGURE TITLE Site location plan

0 1km

FIGURE NO. Reproduced from the 2009 Ordnance Survey Explorer map with PROJECT NO. 4515 DATE 09-10-2013 the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller DRAWN BY LG REVISION 00 of Her Majesty's Stationery Office c Crown copyright Cotswold Archaeology Ltd 100002109 APPROVED BY LM SCALE@A4 1:25,000 1 328 954 SHELLINGFORD QUARRY

Brick-kiln T4 Copse

Drain T3

952

T5 F ro gm ore Brook

ck Tra

950

SU N Cirencester 01285 771022 Milton Keynes 01908 218320 Cotswold Andover 01264 326549 Archaeology w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected]

PROJECT TITLE proposed replacement mains Shellingford Quarry, Faringdon Oxfordshire area of observed groundworks FIGURE TITLE The site, showing location of groundworks

PROJECT NO. 4515 DATE 09-10-2013 FIGURE NO. Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey VectorMap Local map with the permission DRAWN BY LG REVISION 00 of Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office 0 100m c Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey 0100031673 APPROVED BY LM SCALE@A4 1:2000 2