Land at Birdlip, Cowley Gloucestershire

LAND AT BIRDLIP, COWLEY GLOUCESTERSHIRE

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION

CA PROJECT: 1677 CA REPORT: 04009

Author: Kevin Colls

Approved: Clifford Bateman

Signed: …………………………………………………………….

Issue: 01 Date: 14 JANUARY 2004

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.

Land at Birdlip, Cowley, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

CONTENTS

SUMMARY...... 2

1. INTRODUCTION...... 3

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

2. RESULTS...... 4

Trench 1...... 5 Trench 2...... 5 Trench 3...... 5 The Finds ...... 5 The Biological Evidence...... 5

3. DISCUSSION ...... 6

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

5. REFERENCES...... 6

APPENDIX 1: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS...... 7

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Fig. 1 Site location plan (1:25 000) Fig. 2 Trench location plan (1:500)

1 Land at Birdlip, Cowley, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

SUMMARY

Site Name: Land at Birdlip Location: Cowley, Gloucestershire NGR: NGR 9262 1441 Type: Evaluation Date: 12 January 2004 Planning Reference: CT.7073/A Location of Archive: To be deposited with Corinium Museum Site Code: BLG 04

An archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology in January 2004 at the request of Partridge Homes Ltd on land at Birdlip, Cowley, Gloucestershire. In compliance with an approved WSI (CA 2003), 3 trenches were excavated within the proposed development area.

Despite the archaeological potential of the application area, no archaeological remains were identified within the three excavated trenches.

2 Land at Birdlip, Cowley, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 In January 2004 Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological evaluation for Partridge Homes Ltd on land at Birdlip, Cowley, Gloucestershire (centred on NGR: SO 9262 1441; Fig. 1). The evaluation was undertaken to accompany a planning application for the construction of dwellings and access road.

1.2 The evaluation was carried out in accordance with a brief for archaeological recording (GCC 2002) prepared by Mr Charles Parry (Senior Archaeological Officer, Gloucestershire County Council), the archaeological advisor to the Local Planning Authority (LPA), and with a subsequent detailed WSI produced by CA (2003) that was approved by the LPA acting on the advice of Mr Parry. The fieldwork also followed the Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Field Evaluation issued by the Institute of Field Archaeologists (1999), Statement of Standards and Practices Appropriate for Archaeological Fieldwork in Gloucestershire (GCC 1995) and the Management of Archaeological Projects II (EH 1991). The site

1.3 The village of Birdlip lies on the edge of the Cotswold escarpment within the parishes of Great Witcombe, Cowley, and Brimpsfield. (Fig. 1). The site is situated at the northern edge of the village, adjacent to the B4070, on flat land at approximately 288m AOD.

1.4 The underlying geology of the area is mapped as Upper Inferior Oolite of the Middle Jurassic era (BGS 1972).

1.5 The site is currently utilised as a reclamation yard and contains several existing buildings including a garage to the south and Highcroft house and garden to the north.

Archaeological background

1.6 The site is located in an area of archaeological potential, in particular its lies adjacent to Roman Ermin Street. Evidence for Roman occupation has previously been identified during redevelopment of the Royal George Hotel 80m to the west of the current site (GCC 1990, Guy 1986). Early Roman pottery has also been

3 Land at Birdlip, Cowley, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

recovered during fieldwork surveys throughout the village. Evidence of Iron Age settlement is suggested by the recovery of a late Iron Age coin during these surveys and by the discovery of four burials in the late 19th century.

Archaeological objectives

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

Methodology

1.8 The fieldwork comprised the excavation of three trenches, each 1.6m wide, excavated to varying lengths (see Fig. 2 for location and extent). Due to existing buildings and site access, trench 2 could only be excavated to a length of 14m.

1.9 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 the CA Technical Manual 1: Excavation Recording Manual (1996).

1.10 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 site archive will be deposited with Corinium Museum.

2. RESULTS

2.1 No features or deposits of archaeological interest were observed during this evaluation and no artefactual material predating the modern period was recovered.

2.2 This section provides an overview of the evaluation results; detailed summaries of the recorded contexts can to be found in appendix 1.

4 Land at Birdlip, Cowley, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

Trench 1

2.3 Natural limestone brash 100 was revealed throughout the trench at a depth of 0.30m below present ground level (BPGL). This was sealed by subsoil 102 which, in turn, was overlain by topsoil 101.

2.3 One pit (containing modern plastics) and a tree throw were identified cutting the natural substrate.

Trench 2

2.4 Natural limestone brash 208 was solely revealed towards the centre of the trench at a depth of 0.30m below current ground level. The remainder of the trench was heavily truncated, with excavations (in excess of 1.2m BPGL) failing to exceed the limits of modern rubble deposit 202. All the above was sealed by concrete 201.

Trench 3

2.5 Natural limestone brash 305 was revealed throughout the trench at a depth of 0.43m below current ground level. This was sealed by subsoil 303 which in turn was overlain by a sequence of car park make-up deposits 301/2 and tarmac 300.

The Finds

2.6 No artefactual evidence was recovered during this evaluation.

The Biological Evidence

2.7 Although assessed for their palaeoarchaeological potential, no deposits were sampled during the course of this evaluation.

5 Land at Birdlip, Cowley, Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

3. DISCUSSION

3.1 Despite the archaeological potential of the application area (see archaeological background above), this archaeological evaluation identified no archaeological remains within the three excavated trenches.

3.2 The natural geological substrate was revealed at an average depth of 0.35m below current ground level. Modern truncation, in all likelihood associated with the former garage, was identified along the site frontage adjacent to the alignment of Ermin Street.

4. CA PROJECT TEAM

Fieldwork was undertaken by Kevin Colls, assisted by Darren Muddiman and Leslie Cross. The report was written by Kevin Colls. The illustrations were prepared by Lorna Grey. The archive has been compiled by Kevin Colls, and prepared for deposition by Ed McSloy. The project was managed for CA by Clifford Bateman.

5. REFERENCES

BGS (British Geological Survey) 1972 Geological Survey of Great Britain (England and Wales). Sheet 234, Gloucester. 1:50 000

CA (Cotswold Archaeology) 2003 Land at Birdlip, Cowley, Gloucestershire: Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological Evaluation

GCC 2002 Land at Birdlip, Cowley, Gloucestershire: Brief for Archaeological Recording

GCC 1990 Royal George Hotel, Birdlip, Gloucestershire. Archaeological Evaluation. GCC Report Glos. 3738

Guy, C. J. 1986 Royal George Hotel, Birdlip. In Trans. Bristol Gloucestershire Archaeo. Soc. 104, 234

APPENDIX 1: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS

Trench 1 – Dimensions 26m (including 6m extension) by 1.6m. Top at 288.38m AOD. Max depth 0.45m

100 Shallow dump of gravel overlying topsoil 101. Depth 0.06m 101 Topsoil deposit. Mid brown silty clay with charcoal inclusions. Depth 0.20m 102 Subsoil deposit. Light brown silty clay with frequent limestone fragments. Depth 0.10m 103 Natural limestone brash within a matrix of red brown silty clay 104 Modern pit cut. Circular in plan. Unexcavated 105 Fill of 104. Gravel deposit containing modern plastic 106 Void 107 Cut for tree throw. Irregular in plan. Depth 0.86m minimum. 108 Upper fill of 107. Brown silty clay with gravel. Contains modern plastic and glass Depth 0.60m 109 Primary fill of 107. Brown gravelly clay. Depth 0.10m

Trench 2 – Dimensions 14m by 1.6m. Top at 287.31m AOD. Max depth 1.20m.

201 Concrete. 0.15m in thickness 202 Modern limestone rubble with red brick and concrete. Excavated to 1.2m below current ground level. 203 Cut for modern sewer pipe trench. 204 Fill of 203. Sewer pipe capped in concrete 205 Modern pit cut. Filled by 206 206 Brick rubble fill of pit 205 207 Modern dumping/levelling deposit. Grey limestone rubble with frequent red brick and concrete. 208 Natural limestone brash within a matrix of red brown silty clay

Trench 3 – Dimensions 30m by 1.6m. Top at 287.83m AOD. Max depth 0.53m

300 Tarmac for existing car park. Depth 0.06m 301 Yellow brown gravel hardcore for 300. Depth 0.10m 302 Mixed Limestone and crushed red brick. Levelling deposit for 300 303 Subsoil deposit. Light brown silty clay with frequent limestone fragments. Depth 0.15m 304 Natural substrate. Same as 306 305 Natural limestone brash within a matrix of red brown silty clay 306 Natural mid brown silty clay with less frequent limestone fragments

7 Site

Fig. 1 Location plan 926 927

B4070

HIGHCROFT

natural Trench 1 103 tree throw 107

pit 104

144

natural HOLDENE 305

Trench 3

deposit 202

natural 208 Trench 2 THE HAVEN

site modern truncation evaluation trench

SO 0 50m

Fig. 2 Trench location plan (1:500)