Land at Britwell Road Watlington Oxfordshire
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Land at Britwell Road Watlington Oxfordshire Archaeological Recording Action for Environmental Dimension Partnership Ltd on behalf of Bloor Homes CA Project: MK0250 CA Report: MK0250_2 December 2020 Land at Britwell Road Watlington Oxfordshire Archaeological Recording Action CA Project: MK0250 CA Report: MK0250_2 Document Control Grid Revision Date Author Checked by Status Reasons for Approved revision by 1 14/07/2020 SJB APS Draft - APS 2 04/12/2020 SJB APS Final Client review APS This report is confidential to the client. Cotswold Archaeology accepts no responsibility or liability to any third party to whom this report, or any part of it, is made known. Any such party relies upon this report entirely at their own risk. No part of this report may be reproduced by any means without permission. © Cotswold Archaeology © Cotswold Archaeology Land at Britwell Road, Watlington: Archaeological Recording Action CONTENTS SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................... 2 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................ 3 2. ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND ................................................................ 4 3. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ................................................................................... 5 4. METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................... 5 5. RESULTS (FIGS 2 - 5) ....................................................................................... 6 6. THE FINDS ........................................................................................................ 8 7. THE PALAEOENVIRONMENTAL EVIDENCE ................................................... 8 8. DISCUSSION ..................................................................................................... 9 9. CA PROJECT TEAM .......................................................................................... 10 10. STORAGE AND CURATION .............................................................................. 10 11. REFERENCES ................................................................................................... 11 APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS ................................................................... 12 APPENDIX B: PALAEOENVIRONMENTAL REMAINS ................................................. 14 APPENDIX C: OASIS REPORT FORM .......................................................................... 15 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Fig. 1: Site location plan (1:25,000) Fig. 2: Plan showing archaeological features (1:5000 & 1:50) Fig. 3: Section and photographs Fig. 4: Section and photographs Fig. 5: General photographs. 1 © Cotswold Archaeology Land at Britwell Road, Watlington: Archaeological Recording Action SUMMARY Project Name: Land at Britwell Road Location: Watlington, Oxfordshire NGR: 468211 194495 Type: Excavation Date: 22-25 June 2020 Planning Reference: APP/Q3115/W/19/3222822 Location of Archive: Oxford County Museum Accession Number: OXCMS:2020.53 Site Code: BTWL20 An archaeological recording action (excavation) was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology in June 2020 at Land off Brtiwell Road, Watlington, Oxfordshire, at the request of The Environmental Dimension Partnership Ltd on behalf of Bloor Homes. An 81sqm area centred on a cluster of probable pits and postholes was subject to further investigation. The excavation results broadly corroborate those of the preceding field evaluation, in that features of potential anthropogenic origin were identified. However, no dating evidence was recovered from any of the features. Three possible postholes seemingly formed part of the continuation of a north-south alignment with two examples investigated during the evaluation. This alignment appeared to turn to the southeast and continue, as evidenced by three further postholes, potentially forming part of a post-built structure or post-marked boundary. However, while a pit excavated during the evaluation contained a single fragment of charred daub no artefactual evidence was recovered from this phase of works. Very limited quantities of charred plant remains from two of the features do suggest that they were “formed” in a landscape in which some form of human activity was taking place, albeit distant from the site. The small size of the excavation area makes a definitive interpretation difficult, hindered further by the absence of any artefactual material or significant environmental material. The interpretation that the features form the corner of a post-built structure or boundary line is plausible; however, that some are naturally formed geological features cannot be discounted. 2 © Cotswold Archaeology Land at Britwell Road, Watlington: Archaeological Recording Action 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 In June 2020, Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological recording action at the request of The Environmental Dimension Partnership LLP (EDP), on behalf of Bloor Homes, located on Land off Britwell Road, Watlington, Oxfordshire (hereafter the Site, centred at NGR: 468211 194495; Fig. 1). The works comprised the archaeological investigation of a 9m x 9m area, totalling 81sqm, centred on a group of features of probable anthropogenic origin identified by a preceding trial trench evaluation of the Site and interpreted as small pits or postholes (MOLA 2017). 1.2 Planning permission has been granted at appeal for residential and commercial development /Q3115/W/19/3222822). Due to the presence of archaeological features within part of the Site permission was subject to two conditions, 18 and 19, requiring a programme of archaeological investigation to be undertaken within a defined area. Conditions 18 and 19 state: 18) Prior to commencement of the development within the specific area identified in Plan EDP 4 within the Archaeology and Heritage Assessment (reference EDP2769_04c), an Archaeological Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI), relating to the specific area identified in Plan EDP 4, shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. 19) Following the approval of the WSI referred to in condition 18, and prior to commencement of any development in the specific area identified in Plan EDP 4 referred to in condition 18 (other than in accordance with the agreed WSI), a staged programme of archaeological mitigation relating to the specific area identified in Plan EDP 4 shall be carried out in accordance with the approved WSI. The programme of work shall include all processing, research and analysis necessary to produce an accessible and useable archive and a full report for publication, which shall be submitted to the local planning authority within 12 months of completion of the archaeological works as set out in the WSI. 1.3 The scope of the archaeological recording action was set out in a Design Brief for Archaeological Recording Action (CAS 2020) is prepared by the County Archaeological Service, Oxfordshire County Council (hereafter CAS) and undertaken in accordance with a detailed Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) produced by CA (2020) and approved by the CAS. The fieldwork also followed the Standard and 3 © Cotswold Archaeology Land at Britwell Road, Watlington: Archaeological Recording Action guidance for archaeological excavation (CIfA 2014); The Management of Research Projects in the Historic Environment (MORPHE): Project Manager’s Guide and accompanying PPN3: Archaeological Excavation (Historic England 2015). The works were monitored remotely by the CAS (Richard Oram), including via the provision by email of base plans and photographs of the investigation area as the works progressed. The site 1.4 The application Site is located to the western limits of Watlington, on the north side of Britwell Road. Bounded by residential dwellings and Britwell Road to the south-east, commercial buildings to the north-east and agricultural land to the south/ southwest, the Site lies approximately 104m above the Ordnance Datum (aOD) and at the time of the investigation comprised fallow arable farmland. 1.5 The underlying geology of the Site is mapped as West Melbury Marly Chalk Formation, formed approximately 94 to 101 million years ago from warm chalk seas. Superficial Head deposits of Clay, Silt, Sand and Gravel were expected but not uncovered during the investigation (BGS 2020). 2. ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND 2.1 The wider archaeological background to the Site is set out in the report on the trial trench evaluation undertaken in 2017 (MOLA 2017). It is noted therein that prior to the evaluation very little evidence for Prehistoric and Roman activity had been recorded in the immediate vicinity of the Site aside from stray finds of coins and metal artefacts. Similarly, no evidence for Saxon activity is recorded in the immediate area. although the northern extent of the Site was noted to lie approximately 185m from the Grade II listed St Leonard Church, built in the 12th century, and therefore potentially potential close to any preceding Anglo-Saxon settlement focus. The Site was conjectured to form part of the agricultural hinterland surrounding Watlington in the medieval period and post-medieval periods, with late 19th century Ordnance Survey maps depicting most of the Site as undeveloped agricultural land, with the stream at its northern edge modified into watercress beds. The Site was re-developed in the early 1980s resulting in the realignment of several field boundaries and the construction