Land at Oldland Common Bitton South Gloucestershire

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LAND AT OLDLAND COMMON BITTON

SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION

For

STRATEGIC LAND PARTNERSHIPS

CA PROJECT: 2766 CA REPORT: 09012

JANUARY 2009

LAND AT OLDLAND COMMON BITTON SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION

CA PROJECT: 2766 CA REPORT: 09012

prepared by Mark Brett; Senior Project Officer

date 19 December 2008

checked by Cliff Bateman; Project Manager

date 18 January 2009

approved by Mark Collard, Head of Contracts

signed

date 22 January 2009

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 Tel. 01285 771022 Fax. 01285 771033 E-mail: [email protected] © Cotswold Archaeology Land at Oldland Common, Bitton, South Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation

CONTENTS

SUMMARY...... 2

1. INTRODUCTION ...... 3

2. RESULTS (FIGS. 2 TO 7)...... 6

3. DISCUSSION...... 11

4. CA PROJECT TEAM ...... 13

5. REFERENCES ...... 13

APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS ...... 15 APPENDIX B: THE FINDS ...... 21 APPENDIX C: OASIS REPORT FORM...... 22

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Fig. 1 Site location plan (1:25,000) Fig. 2 Trench location plan, showing archaeological features - north (1:1500) Fig. 3 Trench location plan, showing archaeological features - south (1:1500) Fig. 4 Trench 9; plan and sections Fig. 5 Trench 16; plan, section and photograph Fig. 6 Trench 21; plan and section Fig. 7 Trench 24; plan, section and photograph

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SUMMARY

Project Name: Land at Oldland Common Location: Bitton, South Gloucestershire NGR: ST 6750 7095 Type: Evaluation Date: 8-17 December 2008 Location of Archive: to be deposited with Bristol’s Museums, Galleries and Archives Accession No. BRSMG 2008.103 Site Code: OLD 08

An archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology in December 2008 on land at Oldland Common, Bitton, South Gloucestershire. Twenty three trenches were excavated.

The evaluation identified a range of features within the proposed development area, including what is presumed to be the alignment of the Roman road between Berkeley Street and Bitton. Other features encountered include ditches, pits, furrows and a palaeochannel. A number of the ditches correspond with field boundaries depicted on the 1843 Tithe map, whilst others were previously unknown. Of these, some relate to features visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs.

A large earthwork feature, which is probably a fishpond of medieval or post-medieval date, lies in the south-western area of the site. South Gloucestershire Council has indicated that a strategy for preserving this feature in situ would be required for any development of the site and consequently this feature was not been targeted by the current trenching.

Following the submission of a draft of this report to David Evans, Historic Environment Record Officer at South Gloucestershire Council, Mr Evans confirmed that only the extant possible fishpond earthwork feature would require preservation in situ, and that a programme of archaeological recording secured by a condition to any permission granted would be appropriate mitigation for any disturbance caused by the proposed development on archaeological remains in the remainder of the site.

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1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 In December 2008 Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological evaluation for Strategic Land Partnerships on land at Oldland Common, Bitton, South Gloucestershire (centred on NGR: ST 6750 7095; Fig. 1). The evaluation was undertaken as Stage 3 of a package of archaeological evaluation works, including desk-based assessment (Stage 1) and geophysical survey (Stage 2), which will inform an application for development at the site.

1.2 The scope of the evaluation was agreed between David Evans, Historic Environment Record Officer, South Gloucestershire Council and Gail Stoten, Senior Consultancy Manager, CA. Subsequently, a detailed Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) for the evaluation was produced by CA (2008) and approved by David Evans. The fieldwork also followed the Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Field Evaluation issued by the Institute of Field Archaeologists (2001) and the Management of Archaeological Projects (English Heritage 1991). It was monitored by David Evans, including a site visit on 10 December 2008.

The site

1.3 The site is approximately 17.93ha in area and comprises five fields currently under pasture. It is bounded to the west by the modern A4175 (Barry Road), to the north by properties fronting onto the same road, to the east by farmland and to the south by a commercial nursery.

1.4 The site slopes generally from south-east to north-west, from approximately 60m AOD to 45m AOD. The underlying solid geology of the area is mapped as Mercia Mudstone (formerly Keuper Marl) of the Triassic period (BGS 1990). Locally, this comprised clays with outcrops of sandstone in the north-western part of the site.

Archaeological background

1.5 The archaeological background is contained within a previous desk-based assessment (CA 2007) and is briefly summarised below. A large earthwork feature, which is probably a fishpond of medieval or post-medieval date, lies in the south- western area of the site. South Gloucestershire Council has indicated that a strategy

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for preserving this feature in situ would be required for any development of the site and consequently this feature was not been targeted by the current trenching.

1.6 The line of a Roman road running from Berkeley Street to Bitton is thought to cross the western area of the site. Although no conclusive evidence has previously been identified for this feature on historic maps, aerial photographs or during a preceding site visit, it is reported to have been observed during a watching brief in the Nursery to the south of the site.

1.7 Undated cropmarks indicating a possible ring ditch and enclosure were identified from aerial photographs in the eastern area of the site. Their form suggests possible Neolithic/Bronze Age and Romano-British dates respectively although the origin of these marks is currently uncertain, and they may not reflect the presence of archaeological deposits.

1.8 Two cottages were depicted in the north-western area of the site on the 1843 Tithe map. These have since been demolished, but remains of their foundations may be present below current ground levels.

1.9 A geophysical survey consisting of 17 ha of magnetic susceptibility reconnaissance survey followed by approximately 3.2 ha of targeted detailed magnetometry was carried out as Stage 2 of the evaluation process in October and November 2007 (AS 2007; results shown on Figs. 2 and 3). Areas of enhanced magnetic susceptibility, in general, could not be clearly related to the presence of archaeological features although is likely to be of anthropogenic origin. Detailed magnetometry targeted over an area immediately to the east of the fishpond revealed a number of anomalies of archaeological potential (Fig. 3; Area 1). A sample area covering the postulated alignment of the Roman road failed to reveal evidence for its location (Fig. 3; Areas 1 and 2). Magnetometry targeted over the previously identified cropmarks indicated the presence of a very low magnitude curvilinear, a discrete positive anomaly, and a strong linear response (Fig. 3; Area 3).

Archaeological objectives

1.10 The objectives of the evaluation were to provide data on the date, character, quality, survival and extent of the archaeological deposits within the application area in order that an informed decision on their importance in a local, regional or national context

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can be made. This information will clarify whether any remains are of sufficient importance to warrant consideration for preservation in situ, or alternatively form the basis of mitigation measures that may seek to limit damage to significant remains.

Methodology

1.11 The fieldwork comprised the excavation of 23 trenches (Fig. 2). With the exception of trench 10 which was added to the western end of trench 11, and the addition of a further trench (trench 24), in both cases to investigate linear soilmarks identified whilst in the field, the trenches were excavated in the locations agreed by David Evans.

1.12 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).

1.13 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). No deposits were identified that required sampling. All artefacts recovered were processed in accordance with CA Technical Manual 3: Treatment of Finds Immediately After Excavation (1995).

1.14 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 artefacts will be deposited with Bristol’s Museums, Galleries and Archives, along with the site archive, under Accession Number BRSMG 2008.103. A summary of information from this project, set out within Appendix C, will be entered onto the OASIS online database of archaeological projects in Britain.

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2. RESULTS (FIGS. 2 TO 7)

2.1 This section provides an overview of the evaluation results; detailed summaries of the recorded contexts and finds are to be found in Appendices A and B respectively. 2.2 The same stratigraphic sequence was recorded throughout the site, which comprised the natural substrate overlain by subsoil that typically measured up to 0.4m thick (except in trenches 19 and 20 where it had accumulated to a greater thickness against former boundaries), which was in turn sealed by topsoil that typically measured 0.35m in thickness.

2.3 Archaeological features were identified within 16 of the trenches; the remaining eight (trenches 1, 5, 7, 13, 15, 18, 22 and 23) were devoid of any archaeological features or deposits. Within Trench 5, a modern pit cut through the topsoil and contained plastic sheeting.

Trench 2

2.4 The northern rounded edge of presumed pit 204 was exposed. It measured 0.9m in width and was 0.15m deep. It contained a single charcoal-rich fill from which no artefacts were recovered. The pit was sealed by subsoil 201.

Trench 3

2.5 Ditch 303 was aligned east/west and measured 0.9m in width and a maximum of 0.3m in depth. It had a uniform profile and contained a single homogeneous silty clay fill with inclusions of occasional charcoal flecks. No dating material was recovered from the ditch, which was sealed by subsoil 301.

Trench 4

2.6 Stone culvert 404 was roughly constructed from sandstone blocks, with irregularly shaped sandstone slab capstones, within a that cut through the subsoil.

Trench 6

2.7 The southern side of irregular pit 604 was revealed. It measured at least 5.5m in length, 0.65m in width, and extended beyond the northern limit of the trench. It was

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steep-sided and cut through the subsoil into the outcropping sandstone bedrock. The feature was backfilled with a mixture of subsoil and sandstone rubble, from which sherds of medieval and post-medieval/modern pottery, as well as animal bone and small lumps of slag, were recovered. Trench 8

2.8 Ditch 804 was visible as a linear depression observed within the field (see Fig. 3 for location and extent). It was aligned north/south, measured 0.8m in width and a maximum of 0.25m in depth, and was filled by a single homogeneous silty clay deposit which contained occasional charcoal flecks. No dating material was recovered from the ditch, which was sealed by subsoil 801.

2.9 A layer of limestone rubble, 805, was identified at the western end of the trench, between the topsoil and the subsoil. This was, on average, 0.2m thick and contained two sherds of post-medieval pottery.

Trench 9 (Fig. 4)

2.10 Three ditches, all orientated on a similar east/west alignment, were identified. They ranged in width from 0.9m to 1.2m and survived to depths of between 0.15m and 0.3m. Ditches 904 and 908 were roughly concave in profile, whereas ditch 906 was more irregular. All were filled with homogeneous silty clay deposits and all were sealed by subsoil 901. A single, small sherd of Roman pottery was recovered from ditch 906; the remaining ditches contained no artefactual material.

Trench 11

2.11 Palaeochannel 1105 corresponded with a linear depression observed within the field (see Fig. 3 for location and extent). It was approximately 10m wide, 0.3m deep, and was cut along its western side by a modern stone-filled land drain. The palaeochannel was filled by light grey clay with dark orange mineral flecks from which no artefactual material was recovered. It was sealed by subsoil 1101.

2.12 Feature 1103 may represent the base of a plough furrow. It was 1.35m wide and 0.2m deep and aligned north/south. Its western side sloped moderately, whilst its eastern side was irregular and sloped very gently. It contained a deposit of silty clay from which no finds were recovered and it was sealed by subsoil 1101.

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Trench 12

2.13 Pit 1203 was partially exposed in trench 12, cutting subsoil 1201. It measured at least 0.75m in width, 0.1m in depth and contained a single fill of clay with frequent charcoal flecks.

Trench 14

2.14 Ditch 1405 was aligned approximately north-east/south-west and measured 2.4m in width and a maximum of 0.65m in depth. It had a broad profile, with gently sloping sides, and contained a single homogeneous silty clay fill from which six sherds of Roman pottery and a single worked flint were recovered. The ditch was sealed by subsoil l1401

Trench 16 (Fig. 5)

2.15 Ditch 1602 cut subsoil layer 1601 into the underlying natural subsoil. It was aligned approximately north-west/south-east and measured 1.4m in width and 0.3m in depth. It had a concave profile and was filled by dark brown, gritty silt which contained pottery dated to the 16th to 18th centuries AD, as well as ceramic building material, glass, animal bone and an iron nail.

Trench 17

2.16 Probable ditch 1704 was partially exposed at the south-eastern end of the trench. It was at least 1.2m wide and 0.2m deep, with a gently sloping western side and a flat base. Ditch 1705 was also broad and shallow and measured 2.1m in width and 0.25m in depth. Both ditches lay on approximate north/south alignments and both were filled with similar homogeneous silty clay deposits. Neither contained any dating evidence.

Trench 19

2.17 Ditch 1904 was aligned east/west, measured 1m in width, and 0.2m in depth. It was filled by silty clay material very similar to the subsoil which appeared to seal it. It was evident that the subsoil became increasingly thicker from the south towards the line

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of the ditch (up to 0.65m thick) and on the northern side of the ditch the subsoil was relatively thin (approximately 0.2m thick). No finds were recovered from this trench.

Trench 20

2.18 Broad, shallow feature 2004 appears to represent a plough furrow. It was 5.5m wide, approximately 0.2m deep and filled with material very similar to the subsoil. It contained no dating evidence.

Trench 21 (Fig. 6)

2.19 Three intercutting linear features were revealed. Feature 2107 was 0.6m wide and 0.2m deep. Its north-eastern edge was irregular in profile and it had a flat base. Its south-western side was cut by 2105, which had a roughly concave profile and measured 0.5m in width and 0.25m in depth. Feature 2107 was also cut by 2109 which had moderately sloping sides and a flat base. It was 0.8m wide and 0.2m deep.

2.20 Features 2107 and 2109 contained small amounts of animal bone, and a single worked flint was also recovered from feature 2109.

2.21 Broad, shallow feature 2111 appears to represent a further plough furrow. It measured approximately 6.5m in width and was 0.2m deep. It contained a deposit which was very similar to the subsoil and from which no finds were recovered.

Trench 24 (Fig. 7)

2.22 During the current fieldwork, a shallow, unpronounced linear earthwork measuring approximately 120m in length and 20m in width was observed (see Figs. 2 and 3 for location and extent). It was agreed that a supplementary trench should be excavated across its alignment.

2.23 Make-up layer 2408, comprising silty clay and large stones, overlay the natural substrate at the north-western end of the trench. It measured 5.5m in width, up to 0.25m thick, and contained no finds. This material was overlain by probable road surface 2405 which consisted of various-sized stones and slag within a silty clay matrix and measured approximately 3.25m wide and up to 0.35m thick. There was a

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noticeable camber to this deposit in section, although the uppermost surface of the road appears to have been truncated, probably by ploughing.

2.24 A roadside ditch, 2407, was noted solely along the western edge of the road. It measured at least 1.1m in width and 0.4m in depth and contained single homogeneous clay fill 2406 from which no artefactual material was retrieved. The ditch was sealed by deposit 2403, comprising limestone fragments within a clay matrix, that appeared to have eroded from road surface 2405. A similar deposit, 2404, was present on the eastern side of the road. Both deposits were sealed by subsoil 2401.

The Finds and Palaeoenvironmental Evidence

2.25 Quantities of pottery, animal bone, ceramic building material, burnt stone, glass, worked flint and metalwork were recovered from 13 layers and ditch fills (Appendix B). Pottery fabrics have been matched, where possible, against the Bristol Pottery Type Series (Ponsford 1988, Ponsford 1998).

2.26 A total of 25 sherds of pottery (172g) were recovered from four ditch fills (603, 905, 1406, 1603), three layers (805, 1201, 1301) and as unstratified material (Tr 11 u/s). Roman pottery types (20 sherds; 78g) make up the majority of the pottery present. Fabrics present included Dorset Black Burnished ware, Gaulish samian, miscellaneous grey and oxidised wares, and from deposit 1301, a coarse flint/chert- tempered type. The majority of types present are considered to be broadly Roman in date, with the form of the Dorset Black Burnished ware suggesting 2nd century or later dating. The coarse flint/cherty fabric from deposit 1301 may be later prehistoric and residual, however a post-Roman date cannot be ruled out. One sherd of medieval pottery (13g) was present in ditch fill 603. This consisted of local Bath A unglazed cooking pot type ware, which was residual alongside later pottery types. The rest of the pottery present consisted of post-medieval types (5 sherds, 81g), predominately glazed earthenwares (BPT 285), typically dating from the 16th century to the 18th century. One sherd of yellow slipware (BPT 99) was present in layer 1201 and dates from 18th century.

2.27 Three worked flint flakes (5g) were present from ditch fills 1406 and 2103 and from an unstratified layer in Trench 11. In addition small quantities of burnt sandstone,

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probably of local derivation, were recovered from deposits 2003 and 2164. In neither instance is the stone worked and there are no other indications of dating.

2.28 A total of 27 fragments of animal bone (28g) were recovered from five ditch fills (603, 1603, 2104, 2106 and 2108) and a cultivation deposit (2003). Only one specimen from 2003 was identifiable to species, a fragment from a cattle mandible, the remainder of the assemblage was classified by size as cow-sized and sheep- sized. The bone was in poor condition and fragmented. Mollusc shell fragments were recovered from 1603 and 2003, the latter identified as the white-lipped snail (Cepea hortensis).

3. DISCUSSION

The road 3.1 The presumed road within trench 24 most likely represents the alignment of the Roman road running between Berkeley Street and Bitton, although its actual course as visible on the ground does not correspond with its historically projected alignment. The presence of slag on, or within, the road make-up may also be of some significance, possibly indicating metalworking within the vicinity.

3.2 The continuation of the road was not identified within the northern part of the site, but given its new projection it is conceivable that it may pass between trenches 5 and 6. However, it was neither visible as an earthwork nor as a geophysical anomaly in this part of the site.

3.3 It is likely that the ditches identified within trench 9 represent three of the four linear anomalies indicated on the geophysical survey, although the alignment of ditch 906 differs somewhat from that depicted by the survey. These three features are aligned broadly perpendicular to the line of the road and are perhaps associated with field systems that extend from the road alignment. Such a theory may be supported by the presence of Roman pottery in ditch 906, although the retrieval of this single small sherd is by no means conclusive evidence for the date of the ditches.

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3.4 Ditch 1405 was the only other feature from which Roman artefacts were recovered. However, it remains undetermined whether the ditch is broadly contemporary the postulated Roman field system identified within Trench 9, or associated with the redundant system depicted on the 1843 Tithe map

The fishpond 3.5 Trench 11 confirmed the presence of a broad, shallow, undated palaeochannel that appears from aerial photographs to run into the outer ditch of the presumed fishpond. However, there is no indication of its course beyond this feature. The ditch within trench 16, identified by the geophysical survey, corresponds well with a former field boundary depicted on the Bitton Tithe Map of 1843. It was filled by black industrial waste type material containing post-medieval pottery that may indicate intentional backfilling, possibly connected with the infilling of the pond itself. Certainly, topographically, it is not feasible that the features within trenches 11 and 16 represent inlet and outlet channels, as the pond lies in a low point within the site and both features run downslope towards it.

The ditches 3.6 A large number of the ditches identified by the evaluation correspond with former field boundaries depicted on the Tithe map, including those within trenches 8, 14, 16 and 19. The ditch in trench 8 contained post-medieval pottery.

3.7 The three ditches within trenches 3 and 17 were previously unknown, however they were similar in nature to those described above. Most of the ditches were filled with relatively sterile, homogeneous clay fills, indicative of general silting and were sealed by a layer of subsoil. None of the ditches within trenches 3 and 17 contained any dating evidence.

Other features 3.8 The northern part of the site contained little of archaeological significance. The undated pit in trench 2 is seemingly isolated and its charcoal-rich fill may represent debris from a hearth. The stone-filled pit within trench 6 could represent a soakaway associated with the former cottages that were located within the north-western part of the site. The stone culvert within trench 4 was cut through the subsoil and is therefore likely to be of relatively recent date.

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3.9 Elsewhere, although the three intercutting features within trench 21 correspond approximately with the northernmost side of the curved geophysical anomaly, there was no evidence within the trench of the southern side to this postulated feature and it is possible that these irregular features represent the base of a furrow. Further evidence of furrows was recorded in the north-eastern end of trench 21 as well as in nearby trench 20.

4. CA PROJECT TEAM

Fieldwork was undertaken by Mark Brett, assisted by Kelly Saunders and Darran Muddiman. The report was written by Mark Brett, assisted by Kelly Saunders. The illustrations were prepared by Rachael Kershaw. The archive has been compiled by Kelly Saunders, and prepared for deposition by Victoria Taylor. The project was managed for CA by Cliff Bateman.

5. REFERENCES

AS (Archaeological Surveys Ltd) 2007 Oldland Common, South Gloucestershire: Magnetic Susceptibility and Magnetometer Survey AS typescript report J205

BGS (British Geological Survey) 1990 Geological Survey of Greta Britain (England and Wales), Sheet 265: Bath

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2007 Land at Oldland Common, Bitton, South Gloucestershire: Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment. CA typescript report 07101

Ponsford, M.W. 1988, ‘Pottery’, in Williams 1988, 124–45

Ponsford, M.W. 1998, ‘Pottery’, in Price with Ponsford 1998, 136–56

Price, R. with Ponsford M.W. 1998, St Bartholomew’s Hospital, Bristol: The Excavation of a Medieval Hospital 1976–8 York, Council for British Archaeology Research Report 110

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Williams, B. 1988, ‘The excavation of medieval and post-medieval tenements at 94–102 Temple Street, Bristol, 1975’, Trans. Bristol Gloucestershire Archaeol. Soc. 106, 107- 68

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APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS

Trench 1 Ground level 44.39-45.08m AOD

No. Type Description Length Width Depth Spot- (m) (m) (m) date 100 Layer Topsoil. Dark grey brown clay silt 0.2 101 Layer Subsoil. Mid brown slightly silty clay 0.08 102 Layer Subsoil. Mid brown red slightly silty clay 0.42 103 Layer Natural Substrate. Mid brown red keuper marl

Trench 2 Ground level 45.75-46.43m AOD

No. Type Description Length Width Depth Spot- (m) (m) (m) date 200 Layer Topsoil. Dark grey brown clay silt 0.22 201 Layer Subsoil. Mid red brown silty clay 0.18 202 Layer Natural Substrate. Mid brown red keuper marl 203 Pit fill Fill of 204. Mid grey brown clay silt with frequent 0.9 0.15 charcoal flecks concentrated to base of deposit 204 Pit cut Shallow circular pit, partially exposed in trench, no 0.9 0.15 evidence of in-situ burning

Trench 3 Ground level 46.08-46.46m AOD

No. Type Description Length Width Depth Spot- (m) (m) (m) date 300 Layer Topsoil. Dark brown silty clay 0.25 301 Layer Subsoil. Light orange brown silty clay 0.35 302 Layer Natural Substrate. Mid brown-pink marl, frequent manganese 303 Ditch cut E-W linear with even steep sides and a rounded 0.9 0.31 base 304 Ditch Fill Fill of 303. Mid red brown silty clay, occasional 0.9 0.31 flecks charcoal

Trench 4 Ground level 43.92-44.17m AOD

No. Type Description Length Width Depth Spot- (m) (m) (m) date 400 Layer Topsoil. Dark orange brown silty clay 0.3 401 Layer Subsoil. Mid pink brown silty clay, frequent 0.15 limestone fragments 402 Layer Natural Substrate. Dark pink marl, frequent limestone and manganese 403 Drain cut NW-SE land drain. Vertical sides and flat base 0.45 0.34 404 Drain fill Fill of 403. Stone lined sides and capping to create 0.45 0.34 void for drainage

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Trench 5 Ground level 42.16-43.28m AOD

No. Type Description Length Width Depth Spot- (m) (m) (m) date 500 Layer Topsoil. Dark brown clay silt 0.13 501 Layer Subsoil. Dark brown purple limestone fragments 0.16 and clay 502 Layer Natural Substrate. Red keuper marl to north, dark purple limestone outcropping 503 Fill Fill of 504, unexcavated. Mid grey clay and frequent 1.7 limestone fragments. Plastic observed. 504 Cut Unexcavated pit? Irregular in plan 1.7

Trench 6 Ground level 42.24-43.00m AOD

No. Type Description Length Width Depth Spot- (m) (m) (m) date 600 Layer Topsoil. Dark grey brown clay silt, includes much 0.07 post medieval debris including glass and pottery (not retained) 601 Layer Subsoil. Mid red brown silty clay, includes large 0.07 fragments limestone 602 Layer Natural Substrate. Mid brown red limestone bedrock and red keuper marl 603 Ditch fill Fill of 604. Mid grey brown clay silt, frequent small- 5.6 0.65 1.2 C16- medium slabs of limestone laid horizontally or C17+ slightly sloping 604 Ditch cut Partially exposed ditch. Irregular edges, steep 5.6 0.65 1.2 slightly concave sides. Not fully excavated due to depth of feature. Cuts the subsoil.

Trench 7 Ground level 46.83-47.08m AOD

No. Type Description Length Width Depth Spot- (m) (m) (m) date 700 Layer Topsoil. Dark red brown clay silt 0.23 701 Layer Subsoil. Mid red brown silty clay 0.29 702 Layer Natural Substrate. Mi brown red keuper marl, occasional lenses green clay

Trench 8 Ground level 45.34-46.05m AOD

No. Type Description Length Width Depth Spot- (m) (m) (m) date 800 Layer Topsoil. Mid grey brown clay silt 0.3 801 Layer Subsoil. Mid red grey brown silty clay 0.37 802 Layer Natural Substrate. Mid red brown clay, occasional lenses green clay 803 Gully fill Fill of 804. Mid brown grey silty clay, occasional 0.8 0.26 charcoal flecks 804 Gully cut N-S linear, even concave sides and base 0.8 0.26 805 Layer Mid grey brown silty clay and limestone rubble 7m+ 0.18 Pmed above 801

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Trench 9 Ground level 43.90-43.86m AOD

No. Type Description Length Width Depth Spot- (m) (m) (m) date 900 Layer Topsoil. Mid grey brown clay silt 0.25 901 Layer Subsoil. Mid red brown silt clay 0.4 902 Layer Natural substrate. Mid red brown clay 903 Ditch fill Fill of 904. Mid grey red brown silty clay, occasional 0.95 0.16 charcoal flecks 904 Ditch cut E-W linear, even concave sides and shallow 0.95 0.16 concave base 905 Ditch fill Fill of 906. Mid red brown silty clay, occasional 0.88 0.22 RB limestone fragments 906 Ditch cut E-W Linear. Concave sides, slightly stepped to 0.88 0.22 south with a shallow concave base 907 Ditch fill Fill of 908. Mid red brown silty clay 1.2 0.31 908 Ditch cut E-W linear. Concave sides, stepped to south, with a 1.2 0.31 concave base

Trench 11 Ground level 45.33-45.78m AOD

No. Type Description Length Width Depth Spot- (m) (m) (m) date 1100 Layer Topsoil. Mid grey brown clay silt 0.34 1101 Layer Subsoil. Mid red brown clay 0.15 1102 Layer Natural Substrate. Mid red brown clay with grey brown mottle 1103 Ditch N-S linear. Irregular concave sides shallow to east 1.34 0.21 cut and much steeper to west, concave base 1104 Ditch fill Fill of 1103. Mid red grey brown silty clay. 1.34 0.21 1105 Deposit Possible palaeochannel. Mid grey clay with dark red 11 0.35 flecks

Trench 12 Ground level 46.11-46.17m AOD

No. Type Description Length Width Depth Spot- (m) (m) (m) date 1200 Layer Topsoil. Mid grey brown clay silt 0.28 1201 Layer Subsoil. Mid orange brown silty clay 0.11 Pmed C18 1202 Layer Natural Substrate. Mid red brown clay 1203 Pit cut Partially exposed in trench. Sub circular in plan with 0.74 0.08 concave sides and an uneven base 1204 Pit fill Fill of 1203. Black clay silt with frequent charcoal 0.74 0.08 flecks.

Trench 13 Ground level 46.39-46.07m AOD

No. Type Description Length Width Depth Spot- (m) (m) (m) date 1300 Layer Topsoil. Dark grey brown clay silt 0.3 1301 Layer Subsoil. Mid red brown silty clay. To the south west 0.32 RB a small concentration of limestone fragments and C2+ RB pot was observed 1302 Layer Natural Substrate. Mid brown red keuper marl

17 © Cotswold Archaeology Land at Oldland Common, Bitton, South Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation

Trench 14 Ground level 46.21-47.77m AOD

No. Type Description Length Width Depth Spot- (m) (m) (m) date 1400 Layer Topsoil. Dark grey brown silty clay, rare limestone 0.21 fragments 1401 Layer Subsoil. Mid red brown silty clay, rare limestone 0.49 fragments 1402 Layer Natural Substrate. Mid brown red keuper marl 1403 Land Unexcavated, NW-SE, stone filled drain 1404 Land Unexcavated, NW-SE, stone filled drain 1405 Cut N-S linear, moderate irregular sides and concave 2.4 0.63 ditch base 1406 Fill ditch Fill of 1405. Mid red grey brown clay silt, rare 2.4 0.63 RB charcoal flecks and snail shells

Trench 15 Ground level 49.15-50.39m AOD

No. Type Description Length Width Depth Spot- (m) (m) (m) date 1500 Layer Topsoil. Dark grey brown clay silt 0.23 1501 Layer Subsoil. Mid red brown silty clay 0.23 1502 Layer Natural Substrate. Mid brown red keuper marl with lenses of green clay

Trench 16 Ground level 47.80-48.23m AOD

No. Type Description Length Width Depth Spot- (m) (m) (m) date 1600 Layer Topsoil. Mid grey brown clay silt 0.22 1601 Layer Subsoil. Orange brown silty clay 0.2 1602 Ditch E-W linear, moderate concave sides and an uneven 1.4 0.29 cut base 1603 Ditch Fill of 1602. Dark grey brown silt 1.4 0.29 Pmed Fill 1604 Layer Natural Substrate. Orange brown clay with grey mottle

Trench 17 Ground level 50.59-52.13m AOD

No. Type Description Length Width Depth Spot- (m) (m) (m) date 1700 Layer Topsoil. Dark grey brown clay silt 0.3 1701 Layer Subsoil. Mid red brown silty clay 0.3 1702 Layer Natural Substrate. Mid brown red keuper marl, occasional lenses green clay 1703 Ditch fill Fill of 1704. Mid grey brown mottled slightly silty 1.17 0.18 clay, rare limestone fragments 1704 Ditch N-S ?linear, only western side exposed. Shallow 1.17 0.18 cut concave side and base. 1705 Ditch N-S linear, moderate concave sides and shallow 2.1 0.08 cut concave base. 1706 Ditch fill Fill of 1705. Light orange brown clay with occasional 2.1 0.08 fragments of limestone

18 © Cotswold Archaeology Land at Oldland Common, Bitton, South Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation

Trench 18 Ground level 52.66-53.92m AOD

No. Type Description Length Width Depth Spot- (m) (m) (m) date 1800 Layer Topsoil. Dark brown clay silt 0.22 1801 Layer Subsoil. Mid red brown silty clay 0.2 1802 Layer Natural Substrate. Mid brown red keuper marl with green clay lenses

Trench 19 Ground level 52.83-54.36m AOD

No. Type Description Length Width Depth Spot- (m) (m) (m) date 1900 Layer Topsoil. Dark grey brown clay silt 0.23 1901 Layer Subsoil. Mid orange brown silty clay 0.59 1902 Layer Natural Substrate. Dark brown red keuper marl with lenses of green clay 1903 Ditch fill Fill of 1904. Mid orange brown silty clay 1 0.2 1904 Ditch E-W linear, concave and even sides and base 1 0.2 cut

Trench 20 Ground level 54.93-56.03m AOD

No. Type Description Length Width Depth Spot- (m) (m) (m) date 2000 Layer Topsoil. Mid grey brown clay silt 0.23 2001 Layer Subsoil. Mid orange brown silty clay 0.47 2002 Layer Natural Substrate. Mid orange brown clay with mid grey mottle 2003 Deposit Possible cultivation feature. Mid grey brown clay silt 0.05 with snail inclusions

Trench 21 Ground level 57.43-57.48m AOD

No. Type Description Length Width Depth Spot- (m) (m) (m) date 2100 Layer Topsoil. Mid grey brown clay silt 0.25 2101 Layer Subsoil. Mid red brown silty clay 0.43 2102 VOID 2103 Layer Natural Substrate. Mid orange/red brown clay, occasional light grey mottle 2104 Ditch fill Fill of 2105. Mid red grey brown silty clay 0.5 0.24 2105 Ditch E-W linear, moderate concave sides and shallow 0.5 0.24 cut concave base 2106 Ditch fill Fill of 2107. Mid red grey brown silty clay 0.6 0.21 2107 Ditch NW-SE linear, moderate concave sides and shallow 0.6 0.21 cut concave base 2108 Ditch fill Fill of 2109. Mid red grey brown silty clay 0.82 0.19 2109 Ditch E-W linear, moderate concave sides and shallow 0.82 0.19 cut concave base 2110 Ditch fill Fill of 2111. Mid red grey brown silty clay. 6.7 0.22 2111 Ditch NW-SE linear. Concave sides, steep to NE and 6.7 0.22 cut shallow to SW with a shallow concave base. Probably a furrow

19 © Cotswold Archaeology Land at Oldland Common, Bitton, South Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation

Trench 22 Ground level 57.50-58.73m AOD

No. Type Description Length Width Depth Spot- (m) (m) (m) date 2200 Layer Topsoil. Mid grey brown clay silt 0.23 2201 Layer Subsoil. Mid orange brown silty clay 0.15 2202 Layer Natural Substrate. Mid red brown clay with grey blue mottle. Occasional fragments of limestone

Trench 23 Ground Level 58.43-60.12m AOD

No. Type Description Length Width Depth Spot- (m) (m) (m) date 2300 Layer Topsoil. Mid grey brown clay silt 0.24 2301 Layer Subsoil. Mid orange brown clay silt 0.15 2302 Layer Natural Substrate. Mid red brown clay with blue grey mottle and occasional fragments of limestone

Trench 24 Ground level 43.61-43.73m AOD

No. Type Description Length Width Depth Spot- (m) (m) (m) date 2400 Layer Topsoil. Dark grey brown clay silt 0.12 2401 Layer Subsoil. Mid orange brown silty clay 0.18 2402 Layer Natural substrate. Mid brown red keuper marl 2403 Deposit Dark brown red silty clay with occasional medium to 1.34 0.26 large fragments of limestone. Erosion of possible track 2405 on its western edge. 2404 Deposit Dark brown red silty clay with occasional medium to 1.4 0.2 large fragments of limestone. Erosion of possible track 2405 on its eastern edge 2405 Deposit Medium red silty clay (redeposited natural) with 60% 3.24 0.36 small to large fragments of limestone. Medalling for a trackway 2406 Ditch fill Fill of 2407. Mid brown grey fine silty clay 1.09 0.4 2407 Ditch N-S linear, to western edge of trackway 2405. Only 1.09 0.4 cut the eastern edge exposed within the trench. A concave slightly undercut side and a concave base 2408 Deposit Mid orange brown silty clay, bedding for trackway 5.54 0.15 2405

20 © Cotswold Archaeology Land at Oldland Common, Bitton, South Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation

APPENDIX B: THE FINDS

Context Artefact type Count Weight (g) Spot-date BPT 603 Post-medieval pottery: glazed earthenware 1 11 C16-C17+ 46 Medieval pottery: Bath A cooking pot type 1 13 285 earthenware Animal bone; cow-sized 4 5 805 Post-medieval pottery: glazed earthenware 2 62 PMED 285 905 Roman pottery: greyware 1 2 RB - Tr 11 u/s Roman pottery: samian 1 1 - Worked flint: flake 1 1 1100 Flint: natural 1 8 - - 1201 Post-medieval pottery: yellow slipware 1 6 PMED – 99 C 18 1301 Pottery: Dorset Black Burnished, misc 12 47 RB? C2+ - oxidised, coarse flint/chert-tempered 1406 Roman pottery: Fine black sandy, coarse 6 28 RB - sandy type Worked flint: flake 1 3 1603 Post-medieval pottery: glazed earthenware 1 2 PMED 285 Ceramic building material: tile, brick, misc 4 47 Burnt stone 2 12 Post-medieval glass: window 3 5 Iron: nail 1 2 Animal bone; sheep-sized 1 1 Mollusc; unidentified 8 0.5 2003 Fired clay: misc 1 8 - - Burnt stone 3 29 Mollusc; white lipped snail 4 1 Animal bone; cattle, cow-sized, sheep-sized 9 10 2104 Burnt stone 8 39 - - Animal bone; cow-sized 1 1 2106 Animal bone; cow-sized 11 10 - - 2108 Worked flint: flake 1 2 - - Animal bone; sheep-sized 1 1

21 © Cotswold Archaeology Land at Oldland Common, Bitton, South Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation

APPENDIX C: OASIS REPORT FORM

PROJECT DETAILS

Project Name Land at Oldland Common, Bitton, South Gloucestershire Short description An archaeological evaluation was undertaken by (250 words maximum) Cotswold Archaeology in December 2008 on land at Oldland Common, Bitton, South Gloucestershire. Twenty three trenches were excavated.

Previous work Desk-based assessment (CA 2007) (reference to organisation or SMR numbers etc) Geophysical survey (AS 2007)

Future work Unknown PROJECT LOCATION Site Location Land at Oldland Common, Bitton, South Gloucestershire Study area (M2/ha) 18ha Site co-ordinates (8 Fig Grid Reference) ST 6750 7095 PROJECT CREATORS Name of organisation Cotswold Archaeology Project Brief originator David Evans, Historic Environment Record Officer, South Gloucestershire Council and Cotswold Archaeology Project Design (WSI) originator Cotswold Archaeology

Project Manager Cliff Bateman Project Supervisor Mark Brett PROJECT ARCHIVES Intended final location of Content (e.g. pottery, archive animal bone etc)

Physical Bristol’s Museums and Pottery, animal bone, Art Galleries ceramic building Accession No. BRSMG material, burnt stone, 2008.103 glass, worked flint and metalwork. Paper Bristol’s Museums and Proforma recording Art Galleries sheets Digital Bristol’s Museums and Trench location survey

22 © Cotswold Archaeology Land at Oldland Common, Bitton, South Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation

Art Galleries data; digital photos. Accession No. BRSMG 2008.103 BIBLIOGRAPHY

AS (Archaeological Surveys Ltd) 2007 Oldland Common, South Gloucestershire: Magnetic Susceptibility and Magnetometer Survey AS typescript report J205

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2007 Land at Oldland Common, Bitton, South Gloucestershire: Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment. CA typescript report 07101

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2009 Land at Oldland Common, Bitton, South Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation. CA typescript report 09012

23 Reproduced from the 2005 Ordnance Survey Explorer map with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office N c Crown copyright Cotswold Archaeological Trust 100002109

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

0 2.5km

COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY

PROJECT TITLE Land at Oldland Common, Bitton South Gloucestershire FIGURE TITLE South Site Location Plan Gloucestershire

DRAWN BYSCALE PROJECT NO. FIGURE NO. RK 1:25,000@A4 2766 1 5 3 7m 3m

WEST STREET m 1 713 86m 677 6756

Reproduced from the 2002 Ordnance Survey Superplan map with the permission 177 3 7

ROA of Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery OfficeOURT 177a 5 14

188 N c Crown copyright Cotswold Archaeological Trust 100002109 177b D

100a GOOCH C

6736 3 179 7 179a

3 100b 192 181b

1 Surgery T 181a 13 ROAD

BM CASTLE

47.04m HIGH STREE 183 2 22

THE CLA T1 MP

202

195 108

102 TCB

Shelter

Piggeries

Works 204

201

11 16

713 6

8 11 208

Church 17

207 124

Ponds

41.1m 217

T2 ETL site pit 105 Area 5 204

Cherry Tree evaluation trench (PH) 107 2 pit archaeological feature 504

8 boundary depicted 1843 (removed) area of geophysical survey, showing geophysical anomalies

Hall OAD T4 earthworks/soilmarks observed in .84m the field

BM 41 (course of) pit 3 ROMAN R 604 T6 culvert

403 Area 6 7

El Sub Sta ditch 6 303 T3

E Path ( LOS um)

BARRY 1 Path (um) CHEQUERS C

ROAD CH Works Path (um)

12 711711

Ward Bdy 42.4m CH

Park Farm

Poultry House COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY 2 22 T7 PROJECT TITLE ditch 2407 & Land at Oldland Common, Bitton road 2405 South Gloucestershire T24 (see Fig. 7) FIGURE TITLE Trench location plan. showing 32 archaeological features - northern T9 (see Fig. 3) T8 (see Fig. 3) MS part of site BM 44.22m DRAWN BYSCALE PROJECT NO. FIGURE NO. Area 2 SOSO 0 150m RK 1:1500@A3 2766 36 2

CH Poultry House

2 22 T7 677 6776 Reproduced from the 2002 Ordnance Survey Superplan map with the permission 6756 7 7

of Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office 7 5 N c Crown copyright Cotswold Archaeological Trust 100002109 rubble

6736 805 7 Area 2 T9 (see Fig. 4) 3 32 T8 ditch MS 804 BM 44.22m

pit T17 1203

T12 ETL

ditch 1705 ditch 1704 Nursing Home

palaeochannel furrow 709 1103 T11 Area 1 T19 Area 3 site 48

48a evaluation trench

ditch archaeological feature 50 ditch T13 1405 T14 1904 boundary depicted 1843 (removed) T20 area of geophysical survey, showing T15 furrow 2004 geophysical anomalies

earthworks/soilmarks observed in T16TT16T1166 (see( (see(sseeee Fig.F FFig.igig. .55) 55))) furrow the field features 2105 2111 T18 2107 & 2109

BARRY ROAD Pond ditch 46.9m 1602 T21

(see Fig. 6) 65

e of)

urs

(co T22

ROAD

ROM Area 4

ETL

Tank

707 The Nurseries

COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY

Tank PROJECT TITLE Land at Oldland Common, Bitton T23 South Gloucestershire

BM 50.66m FIGURE TITLE Trench location plan. showing archaeological features - southern part of site

DRAWN BYSCALE PROJECT NO. FIGURE NO. SOSO 0 150m RK 1:1500@A3 2766 3 24m 1 706 24m 3 3

6 6 7

7 N

B A

natural natural ditch 902 A 902 906 ditch B 905 903 904

natural natural 902 ditch 902 908 C 907

0 5m

Section AA Section BB Section CC

S N S N S N 43.4m 42.3m 43.3m AOD AOD AOD 903 905 907 ditch ditch 904 906 ditch 908

0 2m

COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY

PROJECT TITLE Land at Oldland Common, Bitton South Gloucestershire FIGURE TITLE Trench 9: plan and sections

DRAWN BYSCALE PROJECT NO. FIGURE NO. RK 1:50/1:20@A3 2766 4 N

13m to end of trench natural 1604 A A

1603 ditch 1602

0 5m

Section AA

S N 48.1m AOD

topsoil 1600

subsoil 1601 1603 1601

ditch 1602

0 2m

COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY

PROJECT TITLE Land at Oldland Common, Bitton South Gloucestershire FIGURE TITLE Trench 16: plan, section and photograph DRAWN BYSCALE PROJECT NO. FIGURE NO. RK 1:50/1:20@A3 2766 5 N

natural 2103 natural 2103 furrow 2110 2111

A A 8m to end of trench

natural 2103 2108 2106 2104 feature feature feature 2107 2109 2105

0 5m

Section AA N

S 48.1m topsoil 2100 AOD

subsoil 2101

2106 2104 2108

feature feature feature 2105 2109 2107

0 2m

COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY

PROJECT TITLE Land at Oldland Common, Bitton South Gloucestershire FIGURE TITLE Trench 21: plan and section

DRAWN BYSCALE PROJECT NO. FIGURE NO. RK 1:50/1:20@A3 2766 6 N

ditch 2407 A A

make-up natural 2408 2402 4m to end of trench natural 2402

2401 2403 road 2405 2404 2401

0 5m Section AA W 44.0m AOD

2400

road 2405 2403 2401 2404 2401

make-up 2408

2406

ditch 2407 E

2400

2401

make-up 2408

0 2m

COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY

PROJECT TITLE Land at Oldland Common, Bitton South Gloucestershire FIGURE TITLE Trench 24: plan, section and photograph DRAWN BYSCALE PROJECT NO. FIGURE NO. RK 1:50/1:20@A3 2766 7