Grange Hill Quarry, Naunton, Gloucestershire
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GRANGE HILL QUARRY, NAUNTON, GLOUCESTERSHIRE ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION C.A.T JOB: 823 C.A.T REPORT: 99984 JANUARY 1999 This report has been researched and compiled with all reasonable skill, care, and attention to detail within the terms of the project as specified by the Client and within the general terms and conditions of Cotswold Archaeological Trust Ltd. The Trust shall not be liable for any inaccuracy, error or omission in the report or other documents produced as part of the Consultancy and no liability is accepted for any claim, loss or damage howsoever arising from any opinion stated or conclusion or other material contained in this report or other documents supplied as part of the Consultancy. This report is confidential to the Client. Cotswold Archaeological Trust Ltd accept no responsibility whatsoever to third parties to whom this report, or any part of it is made known. Any such party relies upon this report entirely at their own risk. © Cotswold Archaeological Trust Headquarters Building, Kemble Business Park, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 6BQ Tel. 01285 771022 Fax. 01285 771033 E-mail: [email protected] Grange Hill Quarry, Naunton, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation CONTENTS LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ........................................................................................... 2 SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................... 3 1. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 4 1.1 Introduction ................................................................................................... 4 1.2 Geology, Topography, and Landuse ............................................................. 4 1.3 Archaeological Background ......................................................................... 5 1.4 Methodology .................................................................................................. 6 2. EVALUATION RESULTS......................................................................................... 7 2.1 General .......................................................................................................... 7 2.2 Prehistoric ..................................................................................................... 7 Trench 1 ........................................................................................................ 7 Trench 3 ........................................................................................................ 8 Trench 5 ........................................................................................................ 8 Trench 7 ........................................................................................................ 8 Trench 8 ........................................................................................................ 9 2.3 Post-medieval Quarrying .............................................................................. 9 2.4 Aerial Photographic Results ......................................................................... 10 3. ASSESSMENT OF RESULTS ................................................................................... 10 4. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................ 11 5. BIBLIOGRAPHY ....................................................................................................... 12 APPENDIX 1 ................................................................................................................... 18 Pottery Assessment ................................................................................................. 18 APPENDIX 2 ................................................................................................................... 19 Finds List ................................................................................................................ 19 APPENDIX 3 ................................................................................................................... 20 Palaeo-Environmental Assessment......................................................................... 20 1 Grange Hill Quarry, Naunton, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure 1 Location plan ..................................................................................................... 13 Figure 2 Trench location plan .......................................................................................... 14 Figure 3 Trenches 1 and 3, plans and sections ................................................................. 15 Figure 4 Trench 5, plan and sections ............................................................................... 16 Figure 5 Trenches 7 and 8, plans and sections ................................................................. 17 2 Grange Hill Quarry, Naunton, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation SUMMARY In December 1998 Cotswold Archaeological Trust was commissioned by Jefferson Consulting Limited on behalf of The Natural Stone Market Limited to undertake an archaeological evaluation on land at Grange Hill Quarry, Naunton, Gloucestershire. The purpose of the evaluation was to assess the depth and preservation of archaeological deposits within an area that may be developed to create a building stone quarry. Nine evaluation trenches were excavated and a number of features dating to the Middle Iron Age were identified. 3 Grange Hill Quarry, Naunton, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Introduction 1.1.1 This report presents the results of an archaeological evaluation conducted between the 7th and 13th January 1999 at Grange Hill Quarry, Naunton, Gloucestershire (centred on NGR SP 115 244) (Fig. 1). The evaluation was required to provide sufficient information to assess the potential archaeological implications of development of the site. 1.1.2 The evaluation was conducted in compliance with the Standard and Guidance of Archaeological Evaluations (IFA 1997); the Management of Archaeological Projects (MAP 2) issued by English Heritage (1991), and the Statement of Standards and Practices Appropriate for Archaeological Fieldwork in Gloucestershire (Gloucestershire County Council 1995). The project design was submitted to, and approved by Gloucestershire County Council prior to the commencement of fieldwork. 1.2 Geology, Topography, and Landuse 1.2.1 The underlying geology of the site comprises Lower Fuller’s Earth clay, Stonesfield Slate Beds (with clay band), and Taynton Stone (Jefferson pers comm.). The study area slopes gently downward from 238m OD at the northern boundary to 231m OD at the southern boundary. 1.2.2 The study area is bounded to the north and east by agricultural land, to the south by a single-track road, and to the west by the existing quarry. The area is currently open agricultural land and comprises 3.7ha. 4 Grange Hill Quarry, Naunton, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation 1.3 Archaeological Background 1.3.1 Early prehistoric activity is known from the vicinity of the study area; three barrow sites are recorded within 1-2km of the site (Gloucestershire SMR 4238, 4239, and 5919), and worked flint has been recovered from both to the north-east, at Huntsman’s Quarry (SMR 11376) and south of Naunton village (SMR 3980). 1.3.2 The fields immediately to the east of the site, around Summerhill Farm, have produced a variety of evidence of Iron Age and Roman activity in the area. Prior to 1928 Roman pottery and tile, and several Iron Age and Roman silver coins were recovered from fields to the west of Summerhill around a slight earthwork, interpreted as an enclosure bank (Grinsell 1967, 193). Subsequent excavations immediately to the west of the farm uncovered an undated, but probably late Roman stone-lined inhumation burial (Dunning 1934, 129). The area around the burial and vestigial earthworks is currently under statutory protection as Gloucestershire SAM 174 (SMR 92), however, subsequent work suggests that the pottery and tile scatter extends beyond the scheduled area as far as the bounds of the proposed development (Gloucestershire SMR 9325). A further possible double ditched enclosure feature was also identified as a cropmark, immediately to the north of the scheduled area (Gloucestershire SMR 9325). 1.3.3 Approximately 1.5km to the north-east of the study area a programme of fieldwalkng, geophysical survey, and evaluation trenching was conducted at Huntsman’s Quarry prior to expansion (Gloucestershire SMR 9890). Evidence for activity dating from the Bronze Age, Iron Age and Roman periods was identified and included a ring-ditch with cremation; inhumation burials dating to all three periods; evidence for Iron Age bronze-working, and settlement evidence dating to the Iron Age and Roman periods. 5 Grange Hill Quarry, Naunton, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation 1.4 Methodology 1.4.1 The aim of the evaluation was to establish whether archaeological deposits lay within the study area and, if so, to establish their extent, date, character, condition, significance, and quality. 1.4.2 All recording was undertaken in accordance with the CAT Technical Manual 1: Site Recording Manual. All artefacts recovered were retained for processing and analysis in accordance with the CAT Technical Manual 3: Treatment of Finds immediately after Excavation and are listed in Appendices 1 and 2. A single environmental sample was taken