Griffin Quarry Southam Warwickshire
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Griffin Quarry Southam Warwickshire Archaeological Evaluation for CEMEX UK CA Project: 5425 CA Report: 16049 Site Code: GRS15 March 2016 Griffin Quarry Southam Warwickshire Archaeological Evaluation CA Project: 5425 CA Report: 16049 Site Code: GRS15 Document Control Grid Version Date Author Checked by Status Reasons for Approved revision by Draft 29-2-16 JN SCC Draft SCC Final 14-3-16 Final Client review SCC 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. © Cotswold Archaeology © Cotswold Archaeology Griffin Quarry, Southam, Warwickshire: Archaeological Evaluation CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................ 3 2. SITE BACKGROUND ......................................................................................... 5 4. METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................... 6 5. EVALUATION RESULTS ................................................................................... 8 6. THE FINDS ........................................................................................................ 28 7. THE BIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE .......................................................................... 41 8. DISCUSSION ..................................................................................................... 52 9. CA PROJECT TEAM .......................................................................................... 56 10. REFERENCES ................................................................................................... 57 APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS .................................................................... 63 APPENDIX B: FINDS ...................................................................................................... 80 APPENDIX C: PALAEOENVIRONMENTAL EVIDENCE ................................................. 87 APPENDIX D: OASIS REPORT FORM .......................................................................... 91 1 © Cotswold Archaeology Griffin Quarry, Southam, Warwickshire: Archaeological Evaluation LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Fig. 1 Site location plan, 1:25,000 Fig. 2 Trench location plan showing archaeological features and geophysical survey results, 1:4000 Fig. 3 Detailed plan of geophysical survey results and archaeological features in Trenches 34 to 38 and 48, 1:750 Fig. 4 Detailed plan of archaeological features in Trenches 74, 78 and 81 to 83, 1:600 Fig. 5 Detailed plan of geophysical survey results and archaeological features in Trenches 105 to 108, 1:300 Fig. 6 Detailed plan of geophysical survey results and archaeological features in Trenches 111 to 114, 1:400 Fig. 7 Detailed plan of geophysical survey results and archaeological features in Trenches 103, 104 129, 130 and 135, 1:400 Fig. 8 Detailed plan of geophysical survey results and archaeological features in Trenches 132, 133, 138 and 139, 1:400 Fig. 9 Detailed plan of geophysical survey results and archaeological features in Area 10, 1:500 Fig. 10 Trenches 37 and 38: section and photograph Fig. 11 Trench 78: section and photograph Fig. 12 Trenches 82 and 83: sections Fig. 13 Photographs of skeletons 9104 and 11208, and cremation pot 11209 in situ Fig. 14 Trenches 106 and 113: sections Fig. 15 Trench 129: section and photograph Fig. 16 Trenches 130, 134 and 138: sections Fig. 17 Trenches 133 and 139: photographs Fig. 18 Trench 146: photograph Fig. 19 Trenches 155, 161 and 162: sections Fig. 20 Trenches 163 and 165: sections and photographs 2 © Cotswold Archaeology Griffin Quarry, Southam, Warwickshire: Archaeological Evaluation SUMMARY Project Location: Griffin Farm, Southam, Warwickshire NGR: SP 4279 6350 Type: Evaluation Date: 23rd November 2015–25th January 2016 Planning ref: Warwickshire County Council SDC/14CM015 and SDC/13CM030 Location of Archive: Warwickshire Museums Service Site Code: GQS15 Between November 2015 and January 2016, Cotswold Archaeology carried out an archaeological evaluation at the site of a proposed quarry extension at Griffin Farm, Southam, Warwickshire. The evaluation, which was commissioned by CEMEX UK, was undertaken to meet conditions attached to planning consent on two applications relating to the quarry extension. Six areas of archaeological interest were investigated, which closely correspond with concentrations of anomalies identified by a geophysical survey of the site. The earliest remains encountered by the evaluation date to the Middle/Late Iron Age and comprise a rectilinear enclosure and part of a ditch system bordering the western boundary of the site, a ‘banjo’ enclosure in the south central area and a small enclosure and associated ditch system south-east of Griffin Farm. A crouched burial of probable Iron Age date and deposits containing ironworking debris were encountered close to the north-west boundary of the site, west of the farm buildings. At the northern end of the site a rectilinear enclosure surrounding the remains of at least one roundhouse and other structures was investigated. A possible burnt mound was identified close to the enclosure’s western corner. Pottery from the excavated features dates the settlement to the Late Iron Age/early Roman ‘transitional’ period. A ditch system dating to the later Roman period (late 2nd to 3rd centuries AD) was located on the south-east facing slope at the south-west end of the site. This comprised a complex of ditches forming a cluster of small enclosures and associated trackways, with dark buried soils occurring on the lower slope. Four Anglo-Saxon burials, dated by glass and amber beads to the late 6th/early7th century, were located in the southern corner of the rectilinear Iron Age enclosure. They probably lie within a small cemetery associated with Anglo-Saxon settlement remains identified in the field immediately to the east of Griffin Farm. Medieval furrows were evident across the entire site. 3 © Cotswold Archaeology Griffin Quarry, Southam, Warwickshire: Archaeological Evaluation 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Between November 2015 and January 2016, Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological evaluation at Griffin Farm, Southam, Warwickshire (site centred on NGR: SP 4279 6350; Fig. 1). The evaluation, which was commissioned by CEMEX UK, was undertaken to meet planning conditions attached to consent on two applications, one for a review of Mineral Planning Permissions for the continued operation and restoration of Southam Quarry (Warwickshire County Council planning ref: SDC/14CM015, Conditions 16, 17 and 20), the other for the construction of a tunnel under the A426 to link the existing quarry with the proposed new extension, along with the development of new infrastructure and plant (Warwickshire County Council planning ref: SDC/13CM030, Condition 3). The conditions required that a programme of archaeological investigation should be carried out and approved by the Minerals Planning Authority to determine the archaeological potential of the site and to inform the development of an appropriate archaeological mitigation strategy. 1.2 The scope of the programme of archaeological investigation was determined following discussions between CA and Anna Stocks, Warwickshire County Council’s Planning Archaeologist (WCCPA), archaeological advisor to Warwickshire County Council. The first stage of the evaluation comprised a geophysical survey, which was undertaken by Archaeological Surveys in 2015 (AS 2015). The current evaluation was informed by the results of the survey and the trenching proposals were put forward in a Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) prepared by CA (2015). This report presents in full the findings of the evaluation and follows on from the interim report issued by CA in January 2016 (CA 2016). 1.3 The project was carried out in accordance with the approved WSI (CA 2015) and abided by the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists’ Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Evaluation (CIfA 2014) and the Historic England (formerly English Heritage) procedural documents Management of Archaeological Projects 2 (EH1991) and Management of Research Projects in the Historic Environment (MoRPHE): Project Manager’s Guide (HE 2015). The fieldwork was monitored by WCCPA, with site visits being made on 26th November and 21st December 2015, and 11th January 2016. 4 © Cotswold Archaeology Griffin Quarry, Southam, Warwickshire: Archaeological Evaluation 2. SITE BACKGROUND Site location, topography and geology 2.1 The proposed development area, which covers approximately 42ha, is located 1.5km north-east of Southam town centre and 0.5km south-west of the village of Stockton (Fig. 1). It comprises ten fields, predominately arable, bounded to the north by the A426 Rugby road and on all other sides by open farmland. Topographically, the site occupies the south-east facing slope of a broad hill, which overlooks the valleys of the River Itchen to the west and the River Stowe to the south and east. The top of the hill is occupied by the existing quarry, with the cement works located on the hill’s northern flank. The ground descends from c. 112m above Ordnance Datum (aOD) by the A426 west of Griffin Farm to c. 93m aOD at the boundary south-east of the farm. 2.2 The bedrock geology of the area comprises interbedded Jurassic