Land at Old Mill Way Weston-Super-Mare North Somerset

Archaeological Evaluation

for Persimmon Homes (Severn Valley)

CA Project: 3317 CA Report: 11113

May 2011

Land at Old Mill Way Weston-Super-Mare North Somerset

Archaeological Evaluation

CA Project: 3317 CA Report: 11113

prepared by Alexandra Wilkinson, Project Supervisor

date 19 May 2011

checked by Richard Young, Project Manager

date 19 May 2011

approved by Simon Cox

signed

date 23 May 2011

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.

© Cotswold Archaeology Building 11, Kemble Enterprise Park, Kemble, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 6BQ t. 01285 771022 f. 01285 771033 e. [email protected] © Cotswold Archaeology Land at Old Mill Way, Weston-Super-Mare, North Somerset: Archaeological Evaluation

CONTENTS

SUMMARY...... 2

1. INTRODUCTION ...... 3

2. RESULTS (FIGS 2-3) ...... 6

3. DISCUSSION...... 8

4. CA PROJECT TEAM ...... 9

5. REFERENCES ...... 9

APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS...... 11 APPENDIX B: THE FINDS...... 14 APPENDIX C: THE PALAEOENVIRONMENTAL EVIDENCE...... 15 APPENDIX D: OASIS REPORT FORM ...... 19

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Fig. 1 Site location plan (1:25,000) Fig. 2 Trench location plan (1:1250) Fig. 3 South facing section through palaeolchannel in trench 1 (Scales 1m)

1 © Cotswold Archaeology Land at Old Mill Way, Weston-Super-Mare, North Somerset: Archaeological Evaluation

SUMMARY

Project Name: Land at Old Mill Way Location: Weston-Super-Mare NGR: ST 3563 6172 Type: Evaluation Date: 18-28 April 2011 Planning Reference: TEMP/10/1683 Location of Archive: To be deposited with Somerset Heritage Centre Accession Number: WESTM 2011.3 Site Code: OMW11

An archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology in April 2011 on land at Old Mill Way, Weston-Super-Mare. Nine trenches were excavated.

A large amount of modern material was spread across the southern field sealing intermittent buried topsoil and a naturally deposited alluvium. Several features were identified as of possible archaeological origin however the ephemeral nature and the high risk of modern contamination suggest they are more likely to be modern in date. In the northern field the alluvium was sealed by the current topsoil. Two palaeochannels were identified within this field along with two drainage channels still visible as earthworks.

2 © Cotswold Archaeology Land at Old Mill Way, Weston-Super-Mare, North Somerset: Archaeological Evaluation

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 In April 2011 Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological evaluation for Persimmon Homes (Severn Valley) on land at Old Mill Way, Weston-Super-Mare (centred on NGR: ST 3563 6172; Fig. 1). The evaluation was undertaken at the request of Mr Vince Russett, County Archaeologist for North Somerset Council (NSC), prior to the determination of a planning application for the erection of 50 dwellings and associated garages, roads and open space, along with 21 allotments and a nature reserve.

1.2 The evaluation was carried out in accordance with a detailed Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) produced by CA (2011) and approved by Mr Russett. The fieldwork also followed the Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Field Evaluation (IfA 2008), the Management of Archaeological Projects (English Heritage 1991) and the Management of Research Projects in the Historic Environment (MORPHE): Project Manager’s Guide (EH 2006).

The site

1.3 The proposed development encloses an area of approximately 3ha and comprises two fields located to the east of Worle. The two fields are divided by a railway line and are here termed the North and South Field.

1.4 The North Field, covering 1.5ha is triangular in shape and bounded to the north by a railway line and housing, to the south by a second railway line and to the west by existing housing and a strip of grassland and scrub.

1.5 The South Field covers c. 1.3ha and primarily comprises sparsely vegetated unimproved grassland. It is bounded to the south by Old Mill Way and to the east by a hedged footpath. The site is known to lie to the north side of a palaeochannel, the course of which is still marked by a ditch on the southern side of the field (Vince Russett pers. comm.)

1.6 The underlying bedrock geology of the site is mapped as Mudstone and Halite- Stone of the Mercian Mudstone Group, overlain by superficial deposits of tidal flat deposits, comprising sand, silt and clay (BGS 2011).

3 © Cotswold Archaeology Land at Old Mill Way, Weston-Super-Mare, North Somerset: Archaeological Evaluation

Archaeological background

1.7 During the Late Iron Age and early Roman period the area around the site comprised intertidal saltmarsh. Fieldwork in the area, including evaluation and excavations at St Georges, Scott Elm Drive, and works in advance of the West Wick Bypass has established buried landsurfaces dating to the Late Iron Age to early Roman period, and to the later Roman period (Rippon 2006, 64-65). Evidence from investigations at St Georges suggests that in the first century AD a large-scale salt production industry was established on the salt marsh (Cox and Holbrook 2009, 115-117).

1.8 Furthermore an archaeological evaluation undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology in November 2010 on land at Bristol Road approximately 1km north-east of the site, identified two areas of probable Late Iron Age/early Roman saltmaking, along with a palaeochannel and two south-west/north-east aligned Roman drainage ditches (CA 2010).

1.9 There was widespread reclamation of the North Somerset Levels in the later Roman period, with associated settlement, evidence for which has come from West Wick and St Georges (Rippon 2006; Cox and Holbrook 2009). Most areas of the Romano- British landscape are sealed by further deposits of alluvium laid down by later intertidal conditions. From around the 10th-century the area was re-colonised in a piecemeal fashion, initiated with infield enclosure. Evaluation trial trenching and excavation at West Wick to the east of the site recorded activity from the Saxon period and later (CA 2009).

1.10 Early Ordnance Survey mapping of the site indicates the presence of several drains partitioning the site, predominantly in the North field. Moorlands Farm and its associated outbuildings were present to the south of the site until the 1990s.

1.11 In 2009 the site was subject to large scale disturbance in connection with the increase in size of adjacent balancing ponds on the north side of the paleochannel. It was not known how this had affected the buried archaeology on site but it was believed that clay removed from the ponds may have been spread on the fields (Vince Russett pers. comm.).

4 © Cotswold Archaeology Land at Old Mill Way, Weston-Super-Mare, North Somerset: Archaeological Evaluation

Archaeological objectives

1.12 The objectives of the evaluation were to establish the character, quality, date and extent of any archaeological remains or deposits surviving within the site. This information will assist North Somerset Council in making an informed judgement on the significance of the archaeological resource, and the likely impact upon it of the proposed development.

Methodology

1.13 The fieldwork comprised the excavation of nine trenches (trench 1 was 1.60m in width and 29m in length, trenches 3, 4, 5 and 6 were 1.6m in width and 20m in length and trenches 7, 8, 9 and 10 were 1.6m in width and 30m in length), in the locations shown on the attached plan (Fig. 2). Deeper sondages were dug at one end of all trenches, these were photographed before being immediately backfilled to a safe level. In trenches 3, 4 and 8 these sondages were stepped out to enable safe access for more detailed recording. Trenches were laid out in the agreed locations excepting in the north field where trench 2 was unexcavated and trench 1 moved due to the presence of overhead powerlines. Trenches were set out on OS National Grid (NGR) co-ordinates using a Leica 1200 series SmartRover GPS and surveyed in accordance with CA Technical Manual 4 Survey Manual (2009).

1.14 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 CA Technical Manual 1: Fieldwork Recording Manual (2007).

1.15 Deposits were assessed for their palaeoenvironmental potential in accordance with CA Technical Manual 2: The Taking and Processing of Environmental and Other Samples from Archaeological Sites (2003) and during a site visit by Nick Watson of ARCA (See Appendix C) no deposits were identified that required sampling. All artefacts recovered were processed in accordance with Technical Manual 3 Treatment of Finds Immediately after Excavation (2010).

5 © Cotswold Archaeology Land at Old Mill Way, Weston-Super-Mare, North Somerset: Archaeological Evaluation

1.16 The archive, which is currently held by CA at their offices in Kemble, will be deposited with the Somerset Heritage Centre. A summary of information from this project, set out within Appendix D, will be entered onto the OASIS online database of archaeological projects in Britain.

2. RESULTS (FIGS 2-3)

2.1 This section provides an overview of the evaluation results; detailed summaries of the recorded contexts, finds and palaeoenvironmental evidence are to be found in Appendices A, B and C respectively.

2.2 The natural mudstone substrate was not uncovered anywhere across the site, instead alluvial deposits were identified in all trenches and these extended in depth beyond 3m below present ground level (bpgl). In the North Field this alluvium was sealed by topsoil. In the South Field several of the trenches showed the alluvial deposits to be sealed by a buried topsoil and turf horizon, however this was inconsistent across the area and suggests differential topsoil stripping across the site. The alluvium encountered across the site is likely to be of the Upper Wentlooge Formation which covers most areas in the North Somerset Levels, and was laid down when the Levels were made up of large tracts of intertidal mudflats and saltmarshes (Rippon 2006). The alluvium and buried topsoil (where present) was covered by a thick layer of modern dumped material which consisted of a mixed silty clay which contained high amounts of modern building materials including scaffold poles, plastic fencing and concrete blocks. This was covered by a thin topsoil with scrubby vegetation. Trenches 3, 5, 7 and 8 contained no archaeological features. In trench 1 two channels thought to be natural in origin were identified, along with two small modern drainage channels visible as earthworks. In trenches 4, 9 and 10 features were identified which seem likely to be the result of modern disturbance.

Trench 1 (Figs 2 & 3)

2.3 Naturally deposited alluvium 102 was identified at a depth of 0.44m bpgl. It was cut by two channels; 103 which was filled by silty clay deposit 104 and channel 109 which contained a grey silty clay primary fill 108, and a secondary silty clay fill 107. These channels were orientated approximately east/west. Both features were covered by alluvial deposit 101. This deposit was cut by two later drainage channels,

6 © Cotswold Archaeology Land at Old Mill Way, Weston-Super-Mare, North Somerset: Archaeological Evaluation

106 and 110. Channel 110 was filled with topsoil 100 and 106 was filled by 105, a deposit which appeared to be a waterlogged topsoil. These drainage channels were visible on the ground and they run roughly north-west/south-east, parallel to others visible within the field.

Trench 4 (Fig. 2)

2.4 In trench 4 naturally deposited alluvium 405 was identified at a depth of 0.96m bpgl. A very shallow linear feature, 407, was identified as cutting the alluvium, it was filled by clayey silt 406 which contained a single piece of fired clay. This deposit had caused staining of the alluvium, recorded as 409. Although it is possible that this is a feature of some antiquity, it’s ephemeral nature and the possibility of contamination from overlying deposits suggests that this is likely to be of modern date, occurring during landscaping of the site when Moorlands Farm was removed and during redevelopment of the surrounding area. The feature was sealed by buried topsoil 408 and buried turf 404. This was then covered by two layers of modern material, 401 and 402. These were sealed by topsoil 400.

Trench 9 (Fig. 2)

2.5 The naturally deposited alluvial layer 903 was identified at a depth of 1.2m bpgl and was covered by alluvial layer 902. It is likely that these two deposits are the same material but have different colours due to the influence of a fluctuating water table. The alluvium appeared to be cut by small linear feature 905 which contained silty clay 904, a small amount of fired clay was recovered from this deposit. The alluvium was also cut by a similar feature 907, filled by silty clay 906. This deposit also contained some fired clay and ceramic building material dated to the modern period. These two features are very ephemeral, especially in plan and given the obvious modern disturbance across the site it seems likely that they are modern in date. Both features were covered by a mixed silty clay containing modern building debris 901. This was then sealed by topsoil 900.

Trench 10 (Fig. 2)

2.6 Within this trench naturally deposited alluvial layer 1003 was identified at approximately 1.05m bpgl. It was covered by another layer of alluvium 1004. These are probably the same material due to the reason stated above (section 2.5). The

7 © Cotswold Archaeology Land at Old Mill Way, Weston-Super-Mare, North Somerset: Archaeological Evaluation

alluvium was cut by a possible feature 1007, similar to those features recorded in trench 9. This very shallow feature was filled by primary deposit 1006 and secondary deposit 1005 which contained a single piece of fired clay. The feature was then sealed by a buried topsoil layer 1002, which was covered by modern make-up layer 1001. This was sealed by topsoil 1000.

The Finds and Palaeoenvironmental Evidence

2.7 Quantities of modern artefacts were recovered from six deposits comprising pottery, ceramic building material, fired clay and one fragment of plastic. (Appendix B).Due to the modern age of the artefacts, none of them will be retained.

2.8 Modern pottery, from the 19th century, was recovered from buried topsoil 302 and make-up 805 and consisted of refined whiteware and unglazed earthenware or ‘garden ware’.

2.9 Ceramic building material was recovered in small quantity and two of the fragments were identified as a roof tile from deposit 302 and a wall tile in refined whiteware from deposit 805.

2.10 A geoarchaeologist from ARCA, University of Winchester was invited onto site to assess the geoarchaeological potential of the stratigraphy with a view to taking samples for further laboratory assessment if needed. There was no evidence of any archaeological nor organic deposits, so it was deemed unnecessary to take samples and no further geoarchaeological work was recommended (For the full specialist report see Appendix C).

3. DISCUSSION

3.1 Within the North Field naturally deposited alluvium was identified below the current topsoil. It sealed earlier palaeochannels, the fills of which were entirely sterile and very similar to the earlier alluvial deposits through which they cut. These channels ran on a different orientation to modern gripes (drainage channels) still visible on the ground.

8 © Cotswold Archaeology Land at Old Mill Way, Weston-Super-Mare, North Somerset: Archaeological Evaluation

3.2 Naturally deposited alluvium was also recorded in the South Field however there was a thick layer of modern material spread across the entire area which sealed an intermittent topsoil layer below which the alluvium lay. Possible archaeological features were identified as cutting the alluvium. They all contained fired clay and one contained 19th to 20th century pottery. These features were entirely different both in form and size to the paleochannels identified in the North Field. They were very ephemeral and the contamination risk was high due the landscaping of the site following the removal of Moorlands Farm and the subsequent development of the surrounding areas. It therefore thought that they are more likely to be of modern origin.

4. CA PROJECT TEAM

Fieldwork was undertaken by Alexandra Wilkinson, assisted by Jamie Wright, Jay Wood and Daniel Sausins. The report was written by Alexandra Wilkinson, the finds report written by Angela Aggujaro and the illustrations prepared by Peter Moore. The archive has been compiled by Alexandra Wilkinson and prepared for deposition by James Johnson. The project was managed for CA by Richard Young and Simon Cox.

5. REFERENCES

BGS (British Geological Survey) 2011 Geology of Britain Viewer 1:50 000 http://maps.bgs.ac.uk/geologyviewer_google/googleviewer.html accessed 07 March 2011

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2009 Weston Gateway, Weston-Super-Mare: LiDAR Assessment and Archaeological Summary. CA Report 09194

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2010 Land at Bristol Road, Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset: Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological Watching Brief

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2010 Land at Bristol Road, Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset: Archaeological Evaluation

9 © Cotswold Archaeology Land at Old Mill Way, Weston-Super-Mare, North Somerset: Archaeological Evaluation

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2011 Land at Old Mill Way, Weston-Super-Mare, North Somerset: Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological Watching Brief

Cox and Holbrook 2009 First Century AD Saltmaking at St Georges, Worle, North Somerset Levels: Summary Report on Archaeological Investigations 2001-2004. Archaeology in the Severn Estuary 20, 99-121

PCG (Pre-Construct Geophysics) 2010 Land at Bristol Road, Weston-Super-Mare: Geophysical Survey

Rippon, S 2006 Landscape, Community and Colonisation: The North Somerset Levels during the 1st to 2nd Millenia AD. CBA Research Report 152

10 © Cotswold Archaeology Land at Old Mill Way, Weston-Super-Mare, North Somerset: Archaeological Evaluation

APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS

Trench 1 (West end: 5.2mAOD, East end: 5.25mAOD)

No. Type Description Length Width Depth Spot- (m) (m) (m) date 100 Layer Topsoil: Mid greyish brown sandy silt 0.14 101 Layer Mid yellowish brown clayey silt 0.43 102 Layer Alluvium: Light yellowish brown silty clay 103 Cut Cut of natural channel >2.8 0.4 104 Fill Fill of 103: Mid to light brownish grey, mottled with >2,8 0.4 reddish brown, clayey silt 105 Fill Fill of 106: Dark greyish brown silty clay 1.8 0.14 106 Cut Cut of drainage channel 1.8 0.14 107 Fill Secondary fill of 109: Mid brownish grey, mottled c.6 >0.42 with reddish brown, clayey silt 108 Fill Primary fill of 109: Dark brownish grey sily clay 0.02 109 Cut Cut of natural channel c.6 n/a 110 Cut Cut of drainage channel 1 0.1

Trench 3 (North-west end: 6.62mAOD, South-east end: 6.56mAOD)

No. Type Description Length Width Depth Spot- (m) (m) (m) date 300 Layer Topsoil: Mid greyish brown silty clay 0.22 301 Layer Made ground: Mid greyish brown silty clay with 0.95 modern building debris 302 Layer Buried topsoil: Mid to dark greyish brown silty clay 0.2 C19- C20 303 Layer Alluvium: Mid yellowish brown/mid grey silty clay 0.7 304 Layer Alluvium: Mid to dark grey slightly silty clay >0.45

Trench 4 (North-east end: 6.29mAOD, South-west: 6.31mAOD)

No. Type Description Length Width Depth Spot- (m) (m) (m) date 400 Layer Turf 0.2 401 Layer Made ground: Mid greyish brown silty clay with 0.6 modern building debris 402 Layer Made ground: Dark brownish grey silty clay with 0.55 modern building debris 403 Void Void 404 Layer Buried turf 0.25 405 Layer Alluvium: Mid yellowish brown silty clay >0.25 406 Fill Fill of 407: Light greyish blue clayey silt >1.9 0.81 0.21 407 Cut Cut of possible gully >1.9 0.81 0.21 408 Layer Buried topsoil 0.15 409 Deposit Stained alluvium >1.9 1.18 0.09

11 © Cotswold Archaeology Land at Old Mill Way, Weston-Super-Mare, North Somerset: Archaeological Evaluation

Trench 5 (North end: 6.26mAOD, South end: 6.15mAOD)

No. Type Description Length Width Depth Spot- (m) (m) (m) date 500 Layer Topsoil: Light greyish brown clayey silt 0.3 501 Layer Made ground: Mid greyish brown silty clay with 0.7 modern building debris 502 Layer Buried topsoil 0.1 503 Layer Alluvium: Mid brown silty clay >0.3

Trench 6 (North end: 5.97mAOD, South end: 6.02mAOD)

No. Type Description Length Width Depth Spot- (m) (m) (m) date 600 Layer Topsoil: Light greyish brown clayey silt 0.15 601 Layer Made ground: Mid greyish brown silty clay with 0.6 modern building debris 602 Layer Alluvium: Light blueish brown silty clay >1.25 603 Layer Buried topsoil 0.21

Trench 7 (North-west end: 5.91mAOD, South-east end: 5.93mAOD)

No. Type Description Length Width Depth Spot- (m) (m) (m) date 700 Layer Topsoil: Grey silty clay 0.2 701 Layer Made ground: Mid greyish brown silty clay with 1.1 modern building debris 702 Layer Alluvium: Light brownish grey silty clay >1.3

Trench 8 (North-east end: 5.93mAOD, South-west end: 5.98mAOD)

No. Type Description Length Width Depth Spot- (m) (m) (m) date 800 Layer Topsoil: Mid greyish brown silty clay 0.25 801 Layer Made ground: Mid greyish brown silty clay with 0.7 modern building debris 802 Layer Buried topsoil 0.15 803 Layer Alluvium: Mid orangey brown/light grey silty clay 1.1 804 Layer Alluvium: Mid blueish grey silty clay >0.4 805 Layer Yellowish brown/blueish grey mixed deposit c.0.2 C19- containing post medieval/modern pottery C20

Trench 9 (North-west end: 6.08mAOD, South-east end: 6.00mAOD)

No. Type Description Length Width Depth Spot- (m) (m) (m) date 900 Layer Topsoil: Mid greyish brown silty clay 0.17 901 Layer Made ground: Mid greyish brown silty clay with 0.85 modern building debris 902 Layer Alluvium: Mid yellowish brown silty clay 0.2 903 Layer Alluvium: Mid greyish brown silty clay >0.2 904 Fill Fill of 905: Mid greyish brown silty clay 1.29 0.24 905 Cut Cut of possible gully 1.29 0.24 906 Fill Fill of 907: Mid grey silty clay 1.44 0.2 Mod. 907 Cut Cut of possible gully 1.44 0.2

12 © Cotswold Archaeology Land at Old Mill Way, Weston-Super-Mare, North Somerset: Archaeological Evaluation

Trench 10 (West end: 6.01mAOD, East end 6.15mAOD)

No. Type Description Length Width Depth Spot- (m) (m) (m) date 1000 Layer Topsoil: Mid greyish brown silty clay 0.2 1001 Layer Made ground: Mid greyish brown silty clay with 0.8 modern building debris 1002 Layer Buried topsoil 0.15 1003 Layer Alluvium: Mid yellowish brown silty clay >0.4 1004 Layer Alluvium: Light greyish blue silty clay 0.11 1005 Fill Secondary fill of 1007: Mid blueish grey silty clay 1.13 0.31 1006 Fill Primary fill of 1007: Mid blueish grey with yellow tint 0.48 0.04 silty clay 1007 Cut Cut of possible gully 1.13 0.34

APPENDIX B: THE FINDS

Context Description Ct. Wt. Date 302 Ceramic building material: roof tile 1 34 C19-C20 Modern pottery: refined whiteware 1 2 Plastic 1 1 406 Fired clay 1 5 - 805 Ceramic building material: misc. 3 27 C19-C20 Modern pottery: unglazed earthenware ‘garden ware’ 1 6 904 Fired clay 5 17 - 906 Fired clay 2 176 Mod. Ceramic building material: misc. 1 12 1005 Fired clay 1 12 -

APPENDIX C: THE PALAEOENVIRONMENTAL EVIDENCE

University of Winchester West Hill Winchester SO22 4NR Tel: +44 1962 827554 Web: http://www.ARCAUK.com

OLD MILL WAY, WESTON-SUPER-MARE: A GEOARCHAEOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE FIELD STRATIGRAPHY

Nick Watson May 2011

Introduction

Old Mill Way was visited by the author on Wednesday 27 April 2011, in the presence of Alex Wilkinson and Sarah Cobain of Cotswold Archaeology. The site is divided in half by a railway line and surrounded by modern housing estates. The purpose of the visit was to assess the geoarchaeological potential of the stratigraphy with a view to taking samples for further laboratory assessment (if needed). A brief description of the stratigraphy is given below following the norms laid down by Jones et al (1999) and Tucker (1982).

Site description and assessment

At the time of the visit three machine cut evaluation trenches remained open to the east of the railway line in an uncultivated field of bulrush. Cut to a depth of approximately 1.20m each contained c. 1m of redeposited clays mixed with modern building rubble dumped onto the site probably during the building of the adjacent new housing estate. There was no evidence for a soil buried beneath this made ground which suggests that the site had had been stripped of its topsoil beforehand. The base of the trenches exposed fine-grained alluvium which comprised an iron oxide, orange mottled, grey silt/clay. There was no evidence of any archaeological nor organic deposits.

A more interesting section through the stratigraphy was preserved in the west face of Trench 1 in a field to the west of the railway line. This uncultivated field had two or three shallow drainage channels (possibly furrows within the ridge and furrow field system?) filled with deeper, but undifferentiated topsoil. A palaeochannel was exposed in the trench, and

measured approximately 3m wide by 1m in depth. It was cut into and filled by 5YR4/2 olive grey silt/clay, and its position marked only by a discontinuous line of black manganese granules. Brown and black granules formed as a result of redox processes (vertical movements of the water table) were ubiquitous in the fill and evenly distributed below about 0.35m. The previously discussed silt/clay graded into a 2.5Y5/1 grey silt/clay (presumably reflecting a stratigraphic zone below the water table) which upon exposure to the air quickly oxidised. Colour in clays is largely a product the oxidation state of iron cations and with depth blue predominates over orange because of the reducing environment, one where there is little or no oxygen. This stratigraphy was remarkable for the complete absence of visible features: there were no structures such as fine sand laminae, no shell of any sort, nor any organic matter. No archaeological material had been recovered. Although there was evidence for bioturbation it was too feeble to completely disrupt any structures had they been present. Therefore it must be concluded that the clays were laid down in a very low energy environment bereft of vegetation. Such conditions were typical of the estuaries of the Yeo and Axe rivers prior to large scale drainage schemes and consequent land reclamation; that is to say large areas of mudflats crisscrossed by shallow sinuous channels.

Recommendations

As was discussed with Cotswold Archaeology officers on site, it was was deemed fruitless to take samples for laboratory assessment and consequently no further geoarchaeological work is recommended.

References

Jones, A.P., M. E. Tucker, & J. K. Hart. (1999) Guidelines and recommendations. In Jones, A.P., Tucker, M.E. and Hart, J.K. (Eds.) The description and analysis of Quaternary stratigraphic field sections. Quaternary Research Association technical guide 7, London, 27-76.

Munsell Color (2000) Munsell soil color charts. Munsell Color, New Windsor (NY).

Tucker, M.E. (1982) Sedimentary rocks in the field. Wiley, Chichester.

Trench 9

Modern building material and redeposited clays to a depth of 1m. Top of the alluvial stratigraphy is at the base of the trench around the trowel.

Trench 1

Unit1 0-0.2m 10YR3/1 very dark grey silt/clay with frequent roots. Diffuse and irregular boundary to:

Unit 2 0.2- 5YR4/2 olive grey 0.55m silt/clay. Frequent orange iron oxide mottling. Occasional roots. Gradual boundary to:

Unit 3 0.55- 2.5Y5/1 grey 0.9m silt/clay, frequent granular size brown /black manganese nodules and stains.

Palaeochannel outlined in black, shallow field drain maked with a white arrow and edge of palaeochannel/line of Mn nodules marked with red arrow.

APPENDIX D: OASIS REPORT FORM

PROJECT DETAILS

Project Name Land at Old Mill Way, Weston-Super-Mare Short description An archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology in April 2011 on land at Old Mill Way, Weston-Super- Mare. Nine trenches were excavated.

Project dates 18-28 April 2011 Project type Field Evaluation

Previous work None

Future work Unknown PROJECT LOCATION Site Location Land at Old Mill Way, Weston-Super-Mare, North Somerset Study area 3ha Site co-ordinates ST 3563 6172

PROJECT CREATORS Name of organisation Cotswold Archaeology Project Brief originator North Somerset Council Project Design (WSI) originator Cotswold Archaeology

Project Manager Richard Young and Simon Cox Project Supervisor Alexandra Wilkinson MONUMENT TYPE none SIGNIFICANT FINDS none PROJECT ARCHIVES Intended final location of archive Content

Physical n/a n/a Paper Somerset Heritage Centre Context sheets, trench sheets, registers Digital Somerset Heritage Centre Database, digital photos BIBLIOGRAPHY

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2011 Land at Old Mill Way, Weston-Super-Mare, North Somerset: Archaeological Evaluation. CA typescript report 11113

19 N t 01285 771022 Cotswold f 01285 771033 Archaeology w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk e [email protected]

PROJECT TITLE Old Mill Way, Weston-Super-Mare North Somerset

FIGURE TITLE Site location plan North Somerset 0 1km

FIGURE NO. Reproduced from the 1998 Ordnance Survey Explorer map with PROJECT NO. 3317 DATE 16-05-2011 the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller DRAWN BY PJM REVISION 00 of Her Majesty's Stationery Office c Crown copyright Cotswold Archaeological Trust 100002109 APPROVED BY PJM SCALE@A4 1:25,000 1

t 01285 771022 Cotswold f 01285 771033 3 South facing section of palaeochannel in trench 1 Archaeology w www.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk (scales 1m). e [email protected]

PROJECT TITLE Old Mill Way, Weston-Super-Mare North Somerset

FIGURE TITLE Photograph

PROJECT NO. 3317 DATE 16-05-2011 FIGURE NO. DRAWN BY PJM REVISION 00 APPROVED BY PJM SCALE@A4 N/A 3