ent ronm envi toric r his thei d in olve inv ople pe cal lo ting get

Archaeology

A HERITAGE LOTTERY FUND INITIATIVE

PB A community archaeology project A community archaeology project 1 ent ronm envi toric his heir Acknowledgements in t lved nvo There are so many people to thank and I am grateful to everyone for their le i op enthusiasm and commitment to SCARP. pe cal lo ting Firstly thanks to the Heritage Lottery Fund and Council, in get particular David Haigh, without whom this project would not have been possible.

Thanks also to the partners, South Gloucestershire Museums Group (who provided a cash contribution to the project) and to Thornbury and District Museum and & District Heritage Centre (and especially to Sandi Shallcross and David Hardill).

Contents In compiling this booklet many thanks to the contributors – Jenni Craft, Tony Harris, Mary Lennox, Chris Molan, Brian Orchard, Janet Presley, Dave Rowley, Jackie Sims, Jenny Smith, Peter Twinn and Rob Vernon. Chris Molan kindly donated the Roman illustrations and Richard Hunter undertook a photographic survey of many of the sites included. Also, big thanks to Lucy Newton who wrote the poems An introduction to Community Archaeology 5 included within.

Thanks also to those who helped, over a very short time, to complete a number of Prehistory 11 outstanding projects so they could be included in this booklet - Tony Harris, Mary Lennox, Janet Presley, Lynette Magnone, Jackie Skinner, David Gould, Lizzie Dawson, Ollie Keynes, Emma Ings, David Hughes, Michelle and Andy Gale, Sue Adams, Isabel Wright and Roman 19 Richard Hunter.

Lastly to all the volunteers from all of the groups who have made Medieval 29 this not only an enjoyable project, but a legacy for community archaeology.

The Tudor and Post Medieval 43

2 A community archaeology project A community archaeology project 3 ent ronm envi toric his Foreword heir in t lved nvo le i The South Gloucestershire Community Archaeology Project, or SCARP, was op pe a Heritage Lottery Fund initiative to get local people involved in their historic cal lo environment by providing them with training, skills and ongoing support in ting archaeological techniques. get

These techniques were primarily non-intrusive and involved earthwork, geophysical and building survey along with post-excavation processing, documentary and other archival research of historic sites, along with a small amount of excavation. However, the projects were focussed on sites important to members of the groups and that has been one of the most rewarding aspects.

This booklet, the text, images, illustrations and the surveys from which they have come, have been compiled almost entirely by volunteers on behalf of a range of community archaeology groups. It is not, of course, possible to include a full account of all their work, but full reports on each site will follow in due course. This booklet takes a chronological approach, providing a brief summary of current Community thinking relating to a number of key sites. It shows the potential for community archaeology to explore elements of the past and how this can contribute to tackling fundamental questions about history. Archaeology It has been a privilege to work with such dedicated, knowledgeable and thoroughly enjoyable people and to provide a legacy of community archaeology for future generations.

Paul Driscoll Community Archaeology Officer South Gloucestershire Council

4 A community archaeology project A community archaeology project 5 Eai xc vat ng at Sea Mills Roman port in all weathers © SMART The idea of SCARP was to provide local people with sustainable skills in archaeological survey, so that they can undertake their own projects and continue to make advances in understanding the history (modern and ancient) of the region. The focus was on non-intrusive survey, which is non-destructive and repeatable. This involved training people in traditional methods of earthwork and building survey, by using tape measures and conducting a scaled drawing onto permatrace, supplemented where necessary by advanced Total Station survey. However, the bulk of the work was focussed on geophysics, predominantly resistance with some gradiometry.

Roa m n Severn Valley Ware cup Below is a shortened list of archaeological groups (contacts for archaeology and from near Thornbury © Peter Twinn history societies can be found at the end) that are active in the area and show the D rAWIng up the results of the surveys of Sheiling School range of sites, periods and themes currently being explored. Fishponds © Janet Presley Building recording at Penpole Alveston Archaeological Research Team Lodge, Kings Weston House © SCARP AART are a small group of volunteers looking at the archaeology of the Alveston area, conducting documentary research, geophysics and excavation at a number Community Archaeology has grown considerably in the last decade, so of key sites around Thornbury. The Thornbury Archaeology Group, undertake that there are now hundreds of community archaeology groups, of varying regular fieldwork activities around the Thornbury area and have recently been membership sizes and agendas, throughout Britain. The influence of assisting at Strode Common prehistoric enclosure near Lower Hazel. community archaeology is recognised by national institutions such as the Council for British Archaeology, who have embarked on an ambitious Sea Mills Archaeological Research Team programme (again partly funded by the HLF) of providing community The Sea Mills Archaeological Research Team is a group of volunteers who are archaeology bursaries to professional organisations, to encourage outreach researching the history of the Roman Town of Abona at Sea Mills in . activities through them. SMART was the initial brainchild of Bristol City Museum together with Bristol and Avon Archaeological Society (BAAS) and Bristol City Council Planning Department. Community Archaeology has encouraged local people to take a more active role in The call for volunteers went out in 2009 for people to become involved in practical their historic environment (which does not necessarily have to be fieldwork), so that archaeology. they can contribute to a growing understanding of the past. Following initial work focussing on museum collections and cataloguing material Before SCARP began, there were only a small number of active archaeology from previous excavations nearby, the group graduated to fieldwork and after a groups throughout Bristol and South Gloucestershire. Through SCARP, the series of excavations around the Roman Town, began working on the allotments number of active groups has more than doubled, with some groups having more to the west of Sea Mills station. The results of this work have been fascinating, than 50 registered members. Furthermore the groups have joined together to revealing evidence of the history of a Roman port and its potential connections undertake a range of outside projects, for example working on the throughout the region, whether by boat or by road. , demonstrating a keenness to collaborate and thirst for exploring the past.

6 A community archaeology project A community archaeology project 7 South Gloucestershire Mines Research Group able to focus on a range of sites from different periods, including Iron Age hillforts, SGMRG is one of the longest running groups in South Gloucestershire, dedicated Roman towns, Saxon churches, Medieval moated and non-moated manors, to the survey, conservation and publication of sites related to the mining industry, Medieval Tithe barns, Medieval to Post-Medieval town houses and WWI POW one of the most important elements of South Gloucestershire’s past and one not just camps. The success of these projects has been staggering, helping to provide a focussed on coal – ochre, Celestine, iron, lead and stone were also mined. SGMRG springboard for further research and investigation and also helping in conservation regularly hold working parties to clear sites, undertake geophysical and other survey strategies. They also run a series of evening lectures and workshops at Yate work on collieries and remains, hold conferences and lectures and publish their work. Heritage Centre.

Southern Brooks Archaeology Southern Brooks Archaeology is one of the earliest groups to form, coming together as a pilot study for SCARP. Covering the parishes of Bradley Stoke, Filton, Patchway and Stoke Gifford, members of this group have undertaken research into the historic M4 Motorway 'A' Roads manors of Filton, demolished medieval or Post-Medieval farmsteads at Little Stoke, sitx es e plored through scarp Other Roads Railway Line/Station looked for Roman settlement at 40 Acres in Stoke Gifford and photographed a WWII or Urban Area n Kilometres r even Cold War bunker. e 2 1 0 1 2 3 v e 1 0 1 2 N S Miles r e v Thornbury New Parke Archaeology Group i R Thornbury New Parke Archaeology Group is a loose confederation of volunteers, both Wales Gloucestershire interested individuals and members of other archaeological groups, founded in 2012 urThornby éThornbury New Parke Fishponds as a result of work started by the “Friends of Park Farm Medieval Fishponds” (which

was set up to help look after the Park Farm Medieval Fishponds - Thornbury’s unique Wickwar éStrode Common Enclosure éWickwar Small Roman Town

Scheduled Monument). The group’s emphasis is on sites contained within the area of éSt Helens Church éRangeworthy Court

the Duke of Buckingham’s Tudor deer park (New Parke). Horton éHorton Court éGaunts Earthcott DMV éHorton Camp éOaklands Chipping Sodbury B N éHobbs House Bakery O As the group grew out of the Friends group, the emphasis to date has been on looking éWW1 POW Camp Winterbourne A Little Stoke Park é Yate at ponds within the Deer Park. As it has not been possible to work on the Medieval éWinterbourne Park é40 Acres éRam Hill Colliery D Fishponds, due to its scheduling in 2011, the group have concentrated on ponds éConygre House L éBroncksea Road Cold War Shelter O Filton éHallen Farm Roman Villa W contained within the estates of Camphill Communities Thornbury (the Sheiling School éPenpole Lodge éFrenchay Hospital S

T and the Hatch). The group is conducting a campaign of surveying and excavation éSea Mills éDyrham Park Bristol O in an attempt to define the form of the ponds and if possible their approximate C North éStokeleigh Camp construction dates. This is a long term project of mainly weekend events. éBurwalls éBarrs Court Moat éEastwood farm éBeachcroft Yate and District Archaeology Group YaDAG is probably the largest of the community archaeology groups in the area, with Bath and North East Somerset over 50 members and a regular fieldwork team, prepared to work in even the most inclement weather. Because YaDAG cover a wide geographical area they have been © Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey 100023410

8 A community archaeology project A community archaeology project 9 ent ronm envi toric his O thers heir There are a number of groups that have formed or expanded through SCARP, in t lved some created just to focus on individual projects and others, more commonly, as nvo le i extensions of existing history societies or museums. op pe cal lo Volunteers connected to Frenchay Museum have been surveying land just inside ting the grounds of Frenchay hospital, where historic maps indicate the presence of old get buildings. With geophysics, these buildings have been shown to exist along with potential internal sub-divisions.

At Rangeworthy Court, which is a Medieval Manor, local volunteers have been looking for the remains of a possible early structure that appears as a crop mark in dry weather by using geophysics and excavation. The Friends of Ram Hill Colliery, associated with the South Gloucestershire Mines Research Group (SGMRG), have surveyed Ram Hill Colliery, shedding more light on the functions of this significant post-medieval colliery. Elsewhere, the Brislington Community Archaeology Project, in Brislington, Bristol, Prehistory have been exploring a number of sites, including Arnos Vale and St Anne’s Well, whilst the King’s Weston Action Group have undertaken works on Penpole Lodge Human activity in South Gloucestershire and Bristol extends back to the in addition to their normal conservations works. Upper Palaeolithic, but much of the work of SCARP has been focussed on later prehistory, with an emphasis on enclosures of various kinds. But a key success of SCARP has been the collaborative working that has also The process of enclosing land must have been a significant part of human occurred. At Dyrham Park, National Trust volunteers and members of the Yate and development, for it represents a transition from open landscapes, where District Archaeology Group undertook together a geophysical survey of grounds groups moved around openly, towards ownership, privacy, defence and immediately adjacent to the house, whilst volunteers local to Avon Gorge worked potentially inclusion and exclusion. with students from the University of Bristol to survey and excavate the hillforts of Burwalls and Stokeleigh. Volunteers from diverse groups have also come together to help survey fishponds at Thornbury, Barrs Court Moat in Oldland and the landscape around Horton Court.

10 A community archaeology project A community archaeology project 11 Iron Age hill and promontory forts are a feature of this area, but our knowledge about them, their uses, dates and surrounding landscape is fairly poor. There is a sequence of such Hillforts along the Cotswold ridge, whilst promontory forts (which use natural cliff edges as one side of the enclosure) are known on either side of the Avon Gorge. Such sites are usually demarcated by significant earthworks and ditches and are usually thought to be defensive, although whether they were ever lived in is not clear. Su rveying at Strode Common Prehistoric Enclosure by the Other types of enclosures are also found throughout the region, but these do not Thornbury Archaeology Group display defensive attributes as their earthworks are too slight for protection, even if © SCARP palisaded. Instead they may have been domestic homesteads or may have been constructed to be seen from distance. they are not defensive yet give the clear impression of enclosure, either to keep things in, or to exclude others.

Strode Common Geophysical survey was carried out at Strode by Paul-David Driscoll, SCARP Common to ascertain if any prehistoric activity had survived. The geology at this site is exposed and Strode Common is a small oval enclosure in a pasture field west of Alveston, in many cases quite near the surface implying that interpreted as a banjo enclosure. The enclosure is defined by a small bank, up to much of the historic land surface may have eroded. 2.4m wide and surviving to a height of only 0.5m, enclosing an area approximately However, some tentative prehistoric features are 100m by 60m, which slopes gently downhill to the south. There is an out-turned recorded on the gradiometer survey, whilst the entrance on the north side suggesting there may have been an avenue like a banjo resistance survey may have identified activity relating enclosure. to the later history of the site. A Saxon charter (a document that defined land boundaries in the Early Banjo enclosure come in a variety of shapes and sizes, normally in the region of Medieval period) for the area, suggests that boundary up to 0.5ha, but are mainly sub-circular and are defined by an internal bank with stones were located along the southern edge of the an external v-shaped ditch. Banjo enclosure also have an elongated entranceway earthwork. There is a large exposed stone up on the

(a bit like an antenna) which gives the enclosure a banjo shape (hence the name). S trode Common site, but it was apparently moved in the 1960s from its This elongated passageway is normally quite pronounced or better defined than gradiometer results original position. Although not conclusive, the results © SCARP the remainder of the enclosure, suggesting that the approach was intended to of the resistance survey indicate at least two high be more impressive than the interior. This is not the case with Strode Common resistance anomalies that are of large enough size to (although later erosion/damage may account for this) and although present, the mirror the exposed boundary stone. As such, it may entrance is faint. be that parts of the Saxon boundary are still extant The banks associated with banjo enclosures are slight, which is certainly the case beneath the ground at Strode Common. with Strode Common which survives to a height of 0.5m at the most. These slight earthworks imply that some form of timber palisade was placed on top. Either way,

12 A community archaeology project A community archaeology project 13 Promontory Forts of the Avon Gorge by Paul-David Driscoll, SCARP

Three impressive promontory forts, Burwalls, Clifton Camp and Stokeleigh Camp, are positioned on opposite sides of the Avon Gorge, visible to each other and having commanding views over the river Avon. Two of these were surveyed as part of SCARP.

Burwalls is the least well preserved of the three forts and only partial remains of what must have once been significant ramparts and ditches survive. Much Re corDIng of features During of this site was destroyed when Burwalls House was excavation at Burwalls Camp © SCARP built between 1865 and 1875, but during this work the Rev Prebendary Scarth was able to examine the inner rampart, which he described as being ‘formed of a compact mass of concrete, a core of solid lime and beneath, suggesting that this site was utilised in the 2nd or early 1st millennium BC, burned wood, banked up on each side with stones and and prior to the construction of the ramparts. coated with turf.’ This is called a calcined rampart, but was dismissed by Lloyd Morgan, a later investigator of Stokeleigh Camp is an impressive promontory fort, with substantial surviving the site, who claimed that it only gave the impression ramparts and ditches, enclosing an area protected to its east by a sheer drop down Retssul of the of a calcined rampart after limestone and charcoal to the River Avon. Excavations in the 1970s, revealed the presence of stratified resistance survey at Stokeleigh Iron Age washed into the bank. However, excavations in May deposits including hearths, post-holes and other potential structural features, as camp showing circular feature adjacent to the 2012 appear to vindicate Scarth’s original observation, well as finds such as pottery (including Glastonbury Ware), baked clay, metalwork rampart as a slot through one of the surviving ramparts including a La Tène II brooch dating to the late 3rd to 1st century BC, as well as Prehistoric arrowhead revealed an irregular rubble and clay core, banked on coinage including one coin dating to 235-268 AD. The interpretation of the finds (possibly Mesolithic) found at Burwalls either side by turf. suggests occupation in the Mid-Late Iron Age and again in late 3rd century AD. during excavation © SCARP Further excavations in the interior of the promontory Survey work as part of SCARP, involving earthwork and geophysics, revealed the fort and adjacent to the inner ramparts, confirmed that potential survival of hut circles adjacent to the inner rampart. The resistance survey the land had been disturbed with only truncated Iron shows a clear circular feature with two parallel lines leading from it toward the Age features (post holes) surviving. rampart. The date of these cannot be ascertained without further excavation. However, and somewhat surprisingly, Bronze Age material, in the form of pottery, was found sealed

14 A community archaeology project A community archaeology project 15 Horton Camp Iron Age of combat at the majority of these sites. It is unlikely they were primarily village sites, as most are situated in apparently inconvenient, exposed locations with poor access to water. Furthermore, where these forts have been examined by modern by Mary Lennox of YaDAG archaeological techniques, most do not show intensive use (with Maiden Castle and the like exceptions). Just to the east of the village of Horton in South Gloucestershire lies an Iron Age hillfort known as It is now considered that many of the hillforts were built, at least in part, for display Horton Camp. It is a Scheduled Monument situated on and to stake a claim to territory. Horton Camp is situated on the tip of a promontory, the scarp of the Cotswold Edge, comprising a roughly with wide views to the River Severn and the hills of Wales. rectangular westward-sloping area approximately 160m long by 120m wide. Flanking this area to the In view of the many general and specific unanswered questions about Horton north and east is an impressive rampart, some 3m Camp, members of Yate and District Archaeological Group obtained the necessary high, while the western and southern boundaries are licence from English Heritage in 2012 to undertake geophysical surveys in the formed by the steep slopes of the scarp. interior and immediate surrounds of the hillfort to look for evidence of how the hillfort was used.

Retssul of the The hillfort is classified as an early Iron Age structure geophysics at Horton based on its size, morphology and position, though We started in October 2012 by dividing the interior into a grid of 20m squares, Camp showing probable segmented ditch in fact very little archaeological work has been and over the following four months, we undertook a resistance survey of the network © SCARP undertaken at this site. Assuming this classification whole of the inside area and all of the outside that was scheduled, followed by is correct, the ramparts would have been constructed a gradiometer survey of the same area. Resistance surveys work by passing an about 2,500 years ago by the local tribes people electrical current through the top 50cm or so of the soil; broadly speaking, areas digging a substantial ditch and using the debris to of high resistance represent areas of rock or stone and areas of lower resistance build up a bank on the inside edge of the ditch. There represent infilled ditches. is no evidence of the outer ditch now, although it was recorded in 1883 that a ditch was still “just visible”. It is The results have been very encouraging. The site shows marked variation between known that the present entrances into the hillfort were the northern part with a broad linear feature, the south western area with its mottled created during the 20th century and it is thought that appearance and the more featureless area in between. The white line running the original entrances would have been in the centre of more or less east to west in the southern section of the plot matches a 20th century the western edge and in the south-eastern corner. fence or hedge line which is marked on an OS map from 1978 but is now no longer there. The interesting dark linear feature on the northwest flank of the plot The function of hillforts is poorly understood. Early antiquarians assumed they were built for defence because of their positions on the tops of hills and their ramparts, but there is little archaeological evidence

16 A community archaeology project A community archaeology project 17 ent ronm envi toric his coincides with the curved entrance area shown on an 1842 hand-drawn sketch. heir Yet it is the outside of the hillfort that has proved most rewarding. The resistance in t lved survey has shown that a wide ditch did indeed adjoin the rampart and this ditch nvo le i was over 10m in width at some points. At a later point in history this ditch had been op pe infilled, so that now it cannot be seen by the naked eye. Both the gradiometer and cal lo resistance surveys have shown that a segmented ditch also followed the alignment ting of this buried ditch. This segmented ditch only survives as two linear features get visible in geophysics now, but may once have been another defensive or aesthetic ring, suggesting that this was actually a bi-vallate (many bank and ditch) hillfort.

M4 Motorway 'A' Roads P rehISToric sites explored through SCARP Other Roads Railway Line/Station Urban Area n Kilometres r e 2 1 0 1 2 3 v e 1 0 1 2 N S Miles r e v i R

Wales Roman Gloucestershire urThornby The West Country was a hugely important part of Roman Britain. Towards

Wickwar the end of the Roman period, it was part of the ‘Britannia Prima’ province, éStrode Common Enclosure which comprised the Southwest, Wales and the West Midlands.

Horton During the 3rd and early 4th centuries AD, it was a place of peace, éHorton Camp Chipping commerce and enterprise with planned settlements, religious centres, Sodbury B N O spas, ports, communication networks, villas, and industrial activity. Winterbourne Yate A

D L

O Filton W Wiltshire S

T Bristol O C North éStokeleigh Camp Somerset éBurwalls

Bath and North East Somerset

© Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey 100023410

18 A community archaeology project A community archaeology project 19 The Footprint of Rome in South Gloucestershire by Peter Twinn BA (Hons)

Very few wars that have ever been fought in the history of the world will have been over purely ideals, the majority will have been for extension of empire and the need for resources to feed itself, no matter how well they are presented. This was certainly the case with the Roman Empire in its desire toward an island off the north coast of its newly conquered territories of Gaul. Julius Caesar looked in envy, but it was Claudius in 43 AD who finally annexed Britannia, in doing so bringing what he believed to be ‘civilisation’ to these shores.

Rome was a machine that once it took hold invariably left its footprint in conquered Ro man hob-nail boot soles from territories, pushing onward through a system of roads that even today define our a grave near the Roman site at countryside like great arteries, initially helping the movements of troops, then later a Emersons Green © Peter Twinn great movement of goods and services across a gradually subjugated landscape. Roads that initially allowed fast troop movements, acted as spurs into hostile a variety of goods that would have fed the local, regional, and wider Roman territory where forts like Kingsholm and Gloucester (Glevum) arose to protect the economy. The southern Gloucestershire region being rich in iron ore from both the Roman flank against the last vestiges of the Britons in Wales. The Gloucester fort Iron Acton, and Forest of Dean locals, with some evidence of charcoal and coal later became a major settlement (colonia) alongside Cirencester (Corinium), and used at these sites too. Bath (Aquae Sulis). Then add to this a port at Sea Mills, Bristol, (Portus Abonae), which was used to cross the Severn to Caerwent (Venta), a military fort at the A recent discovery of what may turn out to be two Roman villas in the Emersons end of the first century AD, and connect with the forts/settlements at Glevum and Green area during a commercial archaeological excavation of the site from October Corinium. This road system that encompassed forts, villas, farmsteads, industrial, 2012 to March 2013 is believed to be something of a palimpsest (a series of sites and religious sites, is still fossilised in South Gloucestershire and Bristol landscape overlaying each other). The first villa/building was erected sometime around the today. reign of Antoninus Pius, 138-161 AD from both coin and pottery evidence.

These same roads enabled the movement in time of natural resources The later villa was built on top of spur of land about 40 metres from the first, itself exploited wherever found. In South Gloucestershire and beyond we know from dating to no later than the early 4th century AD with coins dating the building fabric archaeological evidence that mining for lead, silver, Iron, and stone, were prevalent. to no later than the House of Constantine, 307-361 AD, a new section of Roman As were the great villa estates which became part of the ‘bread basket’ of the road separating the two . This partial section of Roman road runs North South, empire through its intensive farming practices, alongside other industries such as itself running parallel to the Roman road that runs from Bath to Keynsham, past iron working, wool production, leather goods and pottery production. Specific sites Siston, and on through Yate toward the Hall End Roman town, thence to Berkeley along the Severn and Yate valleys have produced iron blooms used to produce Station where it joins the road from Portus Abonae to Glevum.

20 A community archaeology project A community archaeology project 21 Roa m n coin and other evidence from Berkeley © Peter Twinn

The villa site has a quarry which produced stone tiles and quite a quantity of stone and pottery roundels which are believed to be used for either gaming pieces, ranging from 4cms to over 12cms, but more likely as pot lid covers to prevent contamination of food or drink. These pieces seem to be common finds on Roman sites in Gloucestershire and elsewhere, other examples coming from Berkeley and another Roman settlement site in the Vale of Berkeley.

This villa site, with two wings stretching unusually towards the north, also has a large amount of water management, including a rare water mill, as well as a bathhouse, and other ancillary buildings. In one trench alone four pairs of shears Prta of the Roman Road at where discovered, giving rise to the potential for wool production at the site. Romano-British settlement at Emersons Green © Peter Twinn Several cremation burials in urns were discovered, as well as a beautiful stone lined S tone and pottery roundels grave that lay north south. When excavated, the grave proved to be devoid of any possibly acting as lid covers to bones due to the soil conditions, but there were a pair of Roman hob-nailed boot prevent contamination of food and drink © Peter Twinn soles sat at the southern end, roughly a size seven from the one well preserved example that remained intact.

Following the Roman road up through Yate and on past the Hall End Roman Initially the excavation was in search of an Early Medieval (Anglo-Saxon) monastic settlement, there is another undiscovered settlement being investigated which site, but as excavations have taken place, a plethora of Roman evidence has come already looks to have a potential temple complex akin to the Uley and Lydney sites to light, from coins (3rd-4th Centuries), pottery, wall plaster, and hypocaust flue tiles in Gloucestershire. Geophysics has provided some tantalising results that will used in a heated room of a high status building. The evidence leans toward either require further work, but it looks very promising so far. a villa, or potentially a Roman temple site believed to lie under the present church of St Marys, itself on top of an earlier Anglo-Saxon church. What is interesting Following the same Roman road, we finally come to Berkeley Station, at a juncture about this location is it is virtually opposite the major Roman temple complex at with the Glevum road, but also the site of the University of Bristol’s research Lydney, Gloucestershire; remarkably at a point at which the Severn Bore is believed excavation in the town of Berkeley. to start its journey up the Severn River valley.

The South Gloucestershire and Bristol region is punctuated with both old and newly discovered Roman sites, established around a road network that fed the Roman Empire at a local, regional, and national level. A footprint that survives today and one that still serves the economy both locally and internationally exporting and bringing goods to be consumed at many levels.

22 A community archaeology project A community archaeology project 23 Sea Mills – The Roman Town of Abona? by Chris Molan and Brian Orchard of SMART

In the winter of 2010-11 a large collection of finds, hitherto unseen, was examined at Bristol City Museum. Discovered on two adjoining allotment plots near a plateau at Sea Mills in Bristol, it comprised finds from the Bronze Age, Iron Age and Roman period including a locally made pre-Roman bronze brooch.

250-300 sherds of Samian ware, some identifiable to 1st.c. Graufesenque in Gaul, retained their glossy sheen and clean edges as if newly broken, convincing experts that they had ‘not moved far’. None of the Samian pieces matched in design, prompting a theory that the pottery covered a wide chronological span, the fragments had perhaps shattered on a hard cobbled surface similar to the newly discovered quayside and become sealed in tidal mud, then buried beneath hill- wash from the higher level. Alternatively, they may have been deliberately placed in a ditch or midden. S aMIAn pottery collected at Sea Mills © Chris Molan

Both theories presented a challenge to former archaeological thinking. The headland was severed by the railway cut in the 1880’s and the strip of land the trajectory line of one of the two Roman roads. A Roman seal box was also remaining beside the Avon (allotments since WWII), was generally assumed too discovered. disturbed to yield a reliable context for any loose surface finds. Yet these finds are not isolated and a further and significant discovery awaited the In 2011, a former archaeological map of Sea Mills was superimposed over an excavators. Another trench, this time below the wildlife pond, down slope towards allotment plan (map). Intriguingly, traces of two parallel Roman roads led toward the River Avon, revealed a cobbled surface, within which were embedded many the plateau, to where the 1960’s finds were discovered. small pieces of Roman pottery.

Former assumptions were now reviewed – the railway spoil, rather than being This area right on the edge of the River Avon, was definitely in use by the Romans. dumped on the open headland, could have been mostly used to construct the It might not have been initiated by them, but had definitely been repaired and platforms for the railway station and bridge. Excitement grew as further research possibly extended by them. The inevitable conclusion is that this area was part of revealed an Anglo Saxon charter that made reference to the remains of fortified the Roman port of Abona. Probably their boats came up at high tide loaded with ‘walls’ alongside the Avon near Sneyd Park. goods, then, when the tide ebbed, they settled onto this stony surface and from that resting place they could be unloaded in a dry and mud-free situation, then Excavations since 2011 have begun to reveal tantalising glimpses of the Roman refilled with other cargo before setting sail when the tide floated them off. The history of the outer edges of the Roman Town. In May 2012, a trench dug in a discovery of this surface has profoundly changed the interpretation of Abona. plot on the plateau, near the railway cut, revealed a Roman pedastalled bowl, Previously the Roman port was thought to be on the River Trym, using the tidal along with other material in what is interpreted as a midden. The trench was on protection of the inlet, rather than positioned on the main waterway of the Avon.

24 A community archaeology project A community archaeology project 25 In terPRetation of how the quayside of Sea Mills was utilised in the Roman period © Chris Molan A Warning

Follow me through the understory. We head south towards the glade, our crowns brush. The fine leaves - yours bare, mine circled by a band that gleams.

Be seated, warrior. Roa m n pedastalled bowl being This moss-covered trunk will packaged FOR delivery to Bristol serve us both. Museum © Richard Croft La Tene Late Iron Age brooch Ask your question, and I will from Sea Mills © Chris Molan give the answer. From the sacred metal ovals Etched with a cross. The area of the allotment field is proving to during the English Civil War, or that the allotment field is covered to a depth of one You seek a local victory. be the “working sector” of the settlement of metre by spoil dug from the 18th century floating dock project. Another theory, It matters not. Abonae. The business and residential part is much more fanciful, is that the people who originally settled at “The Place of the A force cuts through the further up the hill, away from the waterfront Bridge” (Bristol) did so at the Roman Bridge, which crossed the River Frome on its water - you will need to make area, where remains of streets and buildings way to Bath, and that this small community was later reinforced by the population your choice. have been located in the past. The only of Abona, once it had been abandoned by the Roman Army and they were driven Of submission, or rebellion, structure we have found is the base of a upstream. to an empire that would rule wall within one test pit, which was probably our isle. the base upon which rested a timber sill, There is so much scope for further exploration and investigation of Abona that supporting a wooden structure – likely to be SMART will be kept busy for many years to come; we have yet to fully explore how a warehouse or shelter for goods. Abona fitted into the Roman landscape in terms of neighbouring settlements, villas As more of the past is revealed, we and roads and further excavations beckon on the allotments. encounter the problem of attempting to weave a coherent story around firm evidence. Theories on the later history of Sea Mills include it being a military base

26 A community archaeology project A community archaeology project 27 ent ronm envi M4 Motorway oric 'A' Roads ist Roa m n sites explored through SCARP h Other Roads heir Railway Line/Station in t Urban Area ed Kilometres lv n o r e 2 1 0 1 2 3 inv v e 1 0 1 2 N ple S Miles o r pe e v al i c R lo ting Wales Gloucestershire get urThornby

Wickwar éWickwar Small Roman Town

Horton

Chipping Sodbury B N O Winterbourne Yate A

é40 Acres D L

O Filton éHallen Farm Roman Villa W Wiltshire S

T éSea Mills Bristol O C North Medieval Somerset After the official withdrawal of Rome from Britain in AD 410, the social system that had existed changed. In eastern Britain this change was rapid, brought about by Saxon incursions, but in other parts of the country, the Bath and North East Somerset changes appear to have been more gradual. © Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey 100023410

28 A community archaeology project A community archaeology project 29 In AD 577, a great battle supposedly happened at a place called Deorham, which has been identified as Dyrham. The battle was decisive leading to the expulsion of the native British leaders to Wales and the Saxons capturing Bath and Gloucester. Unfortunately there is no archaeological evidence to support this and the historical sources about this battle were written about 400 years later, so cannot be entirely trusted.

During this Early Medieval period, a number of sites demonstrate changing social and religious practices. Sites such as the Pucklechurch hunting lodge, where King Edmund was killed in AD 946, show the growth of kingship, whilst a number of churches, such as St Helens at Rudgeway and Hawkesbury Church show the growth and spread of Christianity.

In the Middle Ages, rural settlement focussed on a mixed agricultural economy of arable and pasture, but plagues such as the Black Death and changing trade routes affected Medieval South Gloucestershire and Bristol, like much of Britain. Re sISTAnce surveying at Barrs Court Moated Manor © SCARP Some places shrank to become what we call Shrunken Medieval Settlements, whilst others were abandoned altogether to become Deserted Medieval Villages. Some of these sites are still visible as earthworks. Barrs Court Moated Manor Some towns continued to thrive and in the 13-14th centuries market towns By Paul-David Driscoll, SCARP emerged. Sometimes these towns may have earlier origins and this can be seen through the characteristic dogleg that diverts an old road from its original course to Barrs Court Moat is the location of a Medieval moated the market – a typical supermarket strategy. once occupied by the Newton family.

The manor probably related to the “de la Barre” family, first mentioned in 1248, although the manor house is first recorded in the mid 14th century. That the house was built in the 14th century or earlier is likely, based on John Leland’s reflection that it was ‘a fayre old mannar place of stone,’ implying it was old by his time. Leland was writing in 1540 and had spent many years travelling throughout recording the culture and history of many places, including Barrs Court, which Retssul of the resistance survey at Barrs Court was by then owned by Sir John Newton, whose family Moat © SCARP had inherited it through marriage to the de la Barre’s.

30 A community archaeology project A community archaeology project 31 Hot r on Court House © Richard Hunter

Although few depictions of the manor house survive, a number of documents (letters held in Gloucester Record Office and a description by Rev Ellacombe) suggest that in AD 1444, the house comprised a great hall, a kitchen and three chambers and a variety of outbuildings. In the 16th and 17th centuries, this fairly modest Medieval manor house was elaborated and by the 18th century the house comprised an internal chapel, an entrance hall with a music gallery, an elaborate fireplace, a long parlour, green room and wardrobe, with a drawbridge entrance to the moated site and a garden walk, implying a formal garden of some kind. Evidence from the surrounding landscape suggests rabbit warrens and the same AD 1444 document cited by Ellacombe makes reference to a dovecote.

The moat surrounding the site is substantial, measuring in parts over 15m in width. Hot r on Court Ambulatory Although there is no evidence to confirm that it is Medieval in date (and could have © Richard Hunter been added as part of 17th century elaborations) it is likely that it made a complete Hot r on Court Manor with circuit in its original form. When the manor house was demolished in 1740, it is neighbouring Church in distance © SCARP likely that the southeast part of the moat was infilled.

The location of the manor house is not clearly understood, but is believed to have been in the northern part of the site. Geophysical survey undertaken as part of There is evidence that prior to the 12th century, there was a wooden building and SCARP has revealed a number of features that could be the remains of the house, church roughly where the present Horton Court is situated. There are a series of whilst a prominent circular feature, perhaps the dovecot, is also extant from the slight earthworks to the south-east of the main house, which could be those of a survey results. Furthermore, the survey demonstrated a walled enclosure of some deserted medieval settlement. Either way a Saxon manor certainly existed. kind, perhaps enclosing the formal gardens. Within this walled enclosure at least, one sub-rectangular feature can be noted, probably a garden feature. These latter Horton Court has been continuously occupied since Norman times and layers of elements are likely to be Tudor or later. subsequent new building and rebuilding is evidenced.

The oldest part of the existing buildings is the north wing known at the Norman Horton Court Hall. The manor was given to the cathedral of Old Sarum (later Salisbury cathedral) by Jenny Smith of YaDAG in the early 12th century.

Strategically located on the Cotswold scarp below the present day A46, the village Horton Court is a manor house incorporating a prebendal house and the whole of Horton is surrounded by evidence of prehistoric settlement from the Early Bronze property has been held variously by both the crown and the church during its long Age, Iron Age to the Romano-British settlement nearby. history. During the Tudor period in 1517, William Knight (c.1476-1547) was awarded the prebend of Horton. In 1541, he also became Bishop of Bath and Wells. He was At the time of the Domesday survey in 1086, Horton had a population of 26 an ambassador for both Henry VII and Henry VIII. In 1527 he was sent to Rome to households which was quite large and the total tax assessed was 10 geld units. promote Henry’s VIII’s divorce from Catherine of Aragon.

32 A community archaeology project A community archaeology project 33 William Knight was responsible for building a large portion of St Helens Church Horton Court and as a result of his extensive travels in Italy, by Tony Harris of YaDAG introduced Renaissance features into the building. Dated 1521, from an inscription which was formerly in the garden, an The ruins of old St Helens church are situated in Rudgeway, south of the modern unusually decorated fireplace was built. Above the doorway village of Alveston on the B4427. The parish of Alveston was not formed from of the former west porch is William Knight’s coat of arms, Olveston parish until 1846 and then the modern village of Alveston grew some incorporating a protonotary’s hat and oversize rosettes. distance away, which encouraged the congregation to appeal for a new church. He also built a detached loggia with four stucco roundels A new church was built in 1885 and the old church was not used regularly for of figures from classical antiquity – Nero, Hannibal, Julius services and fell into disuse and decay. The old dangerous structure was Caesar and Atilla. demolished by order in 1962, just leaving the tower and the north aisle wall.

Geophysical survey in 2012 has helped to shed further light The origins of the St Helens are not at all clear, partly because of the confusion on the history of Horton Court. Although evidence for a between the names Alveston and Olveston, but it is probable that the church has formal Tudor garden was not found, the footprint of previous Saxon origins. Translations of Anglo-Saxon charters make reference to a church structures was found and probably relate to a cheese house at Alveston and from these it appears that there was a small church or chapel and kitchen recorded in documentation of the 16th century. in Alveston in the historic Olveston parish that was part of the living of St Mary’s church of Olveston and may have been a chapel of ease for the households in Alveston manor.

In December 2011 and January 2012, members of the Yate and District Archaeology Group (YaDAG) undertook a geophysical survey of the ruins of St Helens Church. Apart from the current architectural description of the only surviving parts of the church, little is recorded of St Helens Church. The survival of the church below ground has not been documented and part of this project was to identify the extent of the archaeology and any other features of interest in the church grounds.

The results of the resistance survey clearly defined a series of high resistance anomalies indicating either walls, floors or other compacted surfaces. Although we have no detailed plan of St Helens, there is sufficient information in the form of old Retssul of the drawings, such as the one by Kip of 1712, outline drawings on old maps and more geophysical surveys at Horton Court © SCARP recent photographs to show that the church consisted of a nave with a tower at the Annotated results west end, a sanctuary at the east which was narrower than the nave, a porch on of the geophysics at Horton Court showing the south wall and another structure on the north wall adjacent to the tower. probable cheese house and kitchen

34 A community archaeology project A community archaeology project 35 Eatixc va on trench showing tops of Victorian brick lined burial vaults © SCARP The Medieval Manors of Filton by Jackie Sims of Southern Brooks Archaeology

Filton is one of the four parishes covered by the Southern Brooks Archaeology group and work has been ongoing to locate the Medieval manors of the parish, of which there may have been more than one.

Although it is not recorded as a place in its own right in Domesday and appears to fall under the manor of Horfield, it is likely that Filton was an early Saxon settlement with the name ending ‘tun’, a common Early Medieval suffix. Leases dating to 1678, (held in Bristol Record Office) imply that at some point in its Medieval history, Filton had been divided into two manors, one occupied by the Blouts and the other by the de Filtons. Reference is made in 1418 to Conygre House as being one of Nthor wall and tower of the these manors. The name Conygre relates to rabbits and it is likely that a lord of the ruined church of St Helens manor would have had rabbit warrens for the keeping of such animals (which were © SCARP prized for the pelt and meat)

Manorial estates would normally comprise a range of features, such as a manor house, one or more dovecots, rabbit warrens and fishponds, along with agricultural land. In the north western edge of the parish was a very large field called Although we were not allowed to excavate within the Kingsfield, in which it has been recorded were at least three dovecots (which were scheduled area of the churchyard we were able to dig by law only allowed to be annexed to a Manor House). To its north is Hayes Lane several trenches outside the scheduled area. Two and Hay is a term found in map evidence associated with Filton. The John Speed of these trenches revealed brick built burial vaults, map of 1610 spells the manor as Fylton, but the Isaac Taylor Map of 1777 refers to probably of Victorian origin and a third trench revealed it as Filton Hay, whilst another map of 1796 refers to it as Felton upon Hay. The Hay a large worked stone that was probably the bottom part of the name may be Saxon in origin and may relate to a farm (as in the Saxon part of a gravestone and also some sherds of Medieval word to hew, cut down). Somerset ware and examples of Roman black burnished ware, which indicates habitation on the site The Earldom of Berkeley, with its castle and territories was granted to Robert or nearby since at least the Roman period. Fitzharding as a reward for his services during the Civil War between King Stephen and Empress Maud and for his friendship with Henry Plantagenet, Maud’s son,

Anno tATed results of the geophysical survey later Henry II. Fitzharding established St Augustine’s Abbey in Bristol in 1142 and showing the outline of the church (not visible on as part of this, 6 messuages in Filton together with much of Horfield, forming the the ground) © SCARP Results of the resistance survey © SCARP Manor of Horfield, were endowed to the Abbey.

36 A community archaeology project A community archaeology project 37 In sIDe of Winterbourne Barn showing the original roof which has been dated to 1342 The © SCARP Watcher

My father breaks the mottled green stones into dust, and feeds them to the flame. He calls it a furnace, that small place where the miracle occurs. They call him a sorcerer. Eatixc va ng in the grounds of Winterbourne Barn © SCARP He tends the heat, Wb inter ourne Medieval Barn © SCARP channelling air into the pit. I watch and wait. Stories of the others, living in the valley, he speaks aloud for me. We map our province Writing in 1618, John Smyth confirmed that Winterbourne Barn With ditch and mound, with ‘twice a year representatives of the manor by Jenni Craft of YaDAG glances outwardly. of Filton went to the Leet Court at Berkley and presented all those things which to a Approximately 700m to the west of village of Winterbourne, South Gloucestershire, It’s ready. Rugged metal Leet appertaineth … and appear thereat by lies Church Lane Conservation Area which contains the Grade I listed St Michael’s To be melted into shape, the name of Tithingman and Tithing of ffilton Church and site of an ancient manor house, 14th century Medieval barn, Medieval Into blade. and Hay.’ dovecote and a well preserved complex of Medieval fishponds. It is a classic Medieval manorial site where the field systems could possibly have remained Therefore is it possible that the other manor unchanged for a thousand years. of Filton was located around Hayes Farm? It is outside of the modern parish boundary, The earliest documentary sources show that the manor of Winterbourne was held but further work may help to provide a by Aluin under Edward the Confessor (1042-66). At the time of the Domesday more solid depiction of the boundary and Survey, Winterbourne was classed as a “member” of the Royal Manor of Bitton in hopefully answer some of these important Langley and Swinehead Hundred and is described in the following entry: questions.

38 A community archaeology project A community archaeology project 39 “In SUINHEVE Hund. erant T.R.E. ad firmam xxxvi hide. in BETUNE cum ii evidence that this was a Medieval moated site. This Membris Wapelei & Wintreborne. In d’nio erant v car.& xli vill’i & xxix bord. theory is supported by one of the old field names to cum xlv car. Ibi xviii fervi cum i molino. Hoc m. T.R.E. reddeb firmam unius the west of the manor, Lower Orchard Moat. noctis & mo. fimilit’facit.” Following an approach by our Community The full translation of the entry is: Archaeology Officer, Paul Driscoll, South Gloucestershire Council agreed that a small trench “In Swinehead Hundred in the time of King Edward there were in could be opened to the south of the barn as part the revenue of 36 hides in Bitton, with its two members, Wapley and of the local Festival of Archaeology event held at Winterbourne. In lordship there were 5 ploughs, 41 villagers and 29 Winterbourne Barn in 2012. smallholders with 45 ploughs. 18 slaves with 1 mill. In the time of King Edward this manor paid one night’s revenue; now it does likewise.” The results were interesting and confirmed that a large amount of earth and builders rubble had been used to The jewel in the crown of the conservation area is the Medieval barn whose roof build up a mound, possibly as a bund or flood defence structures have been dated to 1342 by dendrochronology. Dendrochronology is in this area. However, as the excavation went deeper a

the process by which tree rings are counted, measured and then compared to a Retssul of the very well preserved drain was discovered. master database to establish the felling date of timbers. This date suggests that resistance survey © SCARP the barn was built by Thomas de Bradeston, who was lord of the manor at the time, Initially there was not much evidence to date the making it a rare example of a secular barn. The original structure would have been structure but on closer examination we could see that comparable to the great tithe barn at Bradford on Avon. the drain was lined with what appeared to be roof tile. We then looked at the tiles on the roof of the barn and De Bradeston was an interesting character who often appears in historical could see that the drain tile profile exactly matched references of the period. He was a close confidant of Lord Berkeley, governor of the tiles on the western end of the roof. The tiles were Berkeley Castle as well as having close links with Edward III. He was knighted in examined by a building expert who confirmed they 1330 and fought at the battle of Crecy in 1346. were 19th century machine made tiles and with this information we were able to establish the date of the In 2004, a resistance survey was carried out by Sagascan which appeared to show drain. an earlier structure lying beneath the current building. However, no further work was undertaken to establish the exact nature of this feature. There are plans to do further exploratory work in Winterbourne Conservation Area as we believe this In 2012, Yate and District Archaeology Group were given permission by South fossilised medieval manorial landscape still has many Gloucestershire Council to carry out another resistance survey to see if the results secrets to reveal, particularly with regard to the period could be improved. These again showed the faint outline of a structure beneath prior to the 14th century. the barn, but more excitingly another potential feature was revealed. To the south of the barn a low resistance feature indicates the presence of a substantial ditch, which seems to have the appearance of a moat; this could be the first tangible

40 A community archaeology project A community archaeology project 41 ent ronm envi M4 Motorway oric 'A' Roads ist Meivl d e a sites explored through SCARP h Other Roads heir Railway Line/Station in t Urban Area ed Kilometres lv n o r e 2 1 0 1 2 3 inv v e 1 0 1 2 N ple S Miles o r pe e v i cal R lo ting Wales Gloucestershire get urThornby

Wickwar

éST Helens Church éRangeworthy Court Horton éHorton Court éGaunts Earthcott DMV Chipping Sodbury B N éHobbs House BakeryO Winterbourne Yate A éWinterbourne Barn D éConygre House L O Filton W Wiltshire S T Bristol O C North Somerset éBarrs Court Moat Tudor

Bath and North East Somerset © Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey 100023410 Post-Medieval

42 A community archaeology project A community archaeology project 43 Water features in the Hatch pond © Richard Hunter The Tudor period is represented by a number of key sites, but the jewel of these is Acton Court, a courtier mansion that was elaborated for a visit by King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn in 1535. The period between 1540 and 1900 saw great changes to the landscapes of South Gloucestershire. The dissolution of the monasteries brought land previously owned by the monasteries into secular hands.

Much of this land would become enclosed as the open Medieval field systems that had formed the basis of the landscape for centuries, were broken up into smaller units. Some of this happened piecemeal, by mutual agreement between commoners and people of wealth in return for compensation at losing rights to land, but in the mid 18th century Inclosure Acts were passed by parliament, which U nderTAKIng a drawn earthwork paved the way for the creation of the modern landscape. survey of the fishpond at Sheiling School © SCARP Su rveying the pig pond at Sheiling By the end of the Post-Medieval period, much of the region had a strong industrial School © SCARP focus. South Gloucestershire was also to witness one of the major battles (or perhaps more correctly skirmishes) of the English Civil War, the Battle of Lansdown in 1643. Mining of many varieties, but predominantly coal, was a very important industry in the region, helping to fuel the industrial “revolution”. Collieries and other mining heritage sites abound throughout the South Gloucestershire and Bristol. The Sheiling School is based at Thornbury Park House (1832-36). The estate includes a large hay field and a farm (based at Watch Oak Lodge). Within the estate are four ponds, about which little is known. Before the group started work Thornbury New Parke only one of the ponds was recorded on the Historic Environment Record. by Dave Rowley of Thornbury New Parke Archaeology Group The ponds are: King Henry VIII granted a royal license to empark 1000 acres of the land around Thornbury in July 1510 and later granted a license to empark a further 500 acres 1. The “Pig Pond” - This pond has two inlets at the end of a stone lined channel. in 1517. The park was one of three deer parks associated with Thornbury Castle It is unclear what the water source is (a spring?) or where the outlet from the and earlier manor house, the other two being the Medieval Eastwood Park and pond goes. There is a stone capped culvert along the course of another Marlwood Park. The deer park was developed in two stages in 1508-10 and channel. There is also a deep cistern that we have discovered during our 1515-1517, and it has been suggested that the earlier boundary line from the investigations. The shape of the pond is rather indistinct due to the vegetation 1508-10 development can be traced in the existing field boundaries. The Duke that currently masks it. From our excavations it appears that the pond has been was executed in 1521, which brought an end to his grandiose plans for Thornbury, cut out of the bedrock (Thornbury Rock or Dolomitic Conglomerate). which included a canal to the River Severn. However, the area of the deer park has been retained almost complete for some 500 years (albeit not as a deer park) and within it are two schools, whose estates contain some important historic features.

44 A community archaeology project A community archaeology project 45 2. T his is a large pond that is closest to Thornbury Castle. Water appears to have Exploring the Mining been diverted from the nearby stream running through the pond and back out into the stream. It also appears that the pond is fed by springs emanating from Heritage of South somewhere close to the Castle. There is a weir in the stream that would allow Gloucestershire the water to be diverted into the pond. On the OS 1881 map, a sluice is shown where the current weir exists. This pond is shown on the 1716 estate map as a by Rob Vernon of SGMRG pencilled addition, so we know that it is at least 18th century in date. This pond has been surveyed after some vegetation clearance but further work is required In November and December 2011 and January 2012, to clarify how the pond is lined. SGMRG members conducted geophysical surveys on several mines sites in South Gloucestershire. 3. T his pond has stone walls and is always full of water as the stream runs directly Two techniques were employed - an earth resistance through it. There is a very high wall by the outlet from the pond. The pond has meter (Geoscan RM15) that measures the conductivity a slipway on the west side that may have permitted livestock to reach the water. of an electric current passing through the ground; and Another suggestion is that it was used to clean wagons. a fluxgate gradiometer (Geoscan FM256) that records minute changes in magnetic flux density. 4. T his is a possible Duck Decoy pond. The pond contains an island and on the 1881 OS map is shown with one of its “pipes” still extant. All traces of the Earth resistance surveys generally produce high “pipes” are now gone. There is a very complex water management system values for walls, and low values for ditches. associated with this pond that has many fascinating features and much The fluxgate gradiometer will generally show up stonework. This is a fascinating feature that should be further investigated but magnetic anomalies produced by ironwork, furnaces, will be quite challenging to do. This pond could date to the 17th century when fires and other features. Both techniques are now the idea of Decoy ponds was first imported from Holland. widely used for archaeological surveying but rarely are surveys conducted on industrial sites. Retssul of the The Hatch Community is based around the 16/17th Century Old Grammar School resistance survey at Ram in Castle Street. Within its curtilage there is a rather unusual serpentine shaped Hill Colliery © SCARP This is often due to (1) physical difficulty in surveying pond. This pond is probably related to the 18th century Thornbury House which Annotated results of such sites, (2) the wide range of data, which in the the geophysical survey stood where Warwick Place now stands. This pond is the latest to be investigated showing the outline of case of the fluxgate gradiometer is often 100 times the possible reservoir by the group. There is also a well preserved Ice House within the estate and © SCARP more than those seen elsewhere, and (3) the lack of perhaps the pond was the source of the ice stored there. The pond is fully stone Oldwood East Gradio- experience in interpreting this type of data. lined and has an interesting water feature. It is thought that the pond was originally meter © Rob Vernon fed from the stream that runs alongside the pond. In November 2011, a small earth resistance survey was conducted on the Ram Hill Colliery Site. As the site is a Scheduled Monument formal permission had first to be obtained from English Heritage for the survey to proceed. The survey on the northeast side of the site, adjacent to the road was conducted to identify a

46 A community archaeology project A community archaeology project 47 M4 Motorway 'A' Roads roughly square shaped structure identified on maps, and believed to be a reservoir. ptos Medieval sites explored through SCARP Other Roads Railway Line/Station Urban Area n Kilometres Late December 2011 and early January 2012, saw efforts concentrated in the r e 2 1 0 1 2 3 v e 1 0 1 2 N Oldwood Colliery area. Earth resistance and fluxgate gradiometer surveys were S Miles r e v carried out in the fields to the east of the colliery. The first surveys were conducted i R at 1m resolution over a supposed engine house and chimney believed to be used Wales Gloucestershire to haul wagons up the adjacent tramway that joins the main railway line further urThornby to the east. The earth resistance survey showed several linear anomalies that éThornbury New Parke Fishponds

correspond to the walls of the engine house, and a further linear anomaly that Wickwar delineated the northern edge of the tramway.

Horton

Over the same area, the fluxgate gradiometer showed a cluster of anomalies over Oaklands Chipping é Sodbury B N the position of, and within the confines of, the engine house, probably generated O Winterbourne éWW1 POW Camp Yate A by fired material or even metalwork. The southern boundary showed an intense Little Stoke Parké éRam Hill Colliery D magnetic anomaly probably generated by a combination of the metal wire fence L éBroncksea Road Cold War Shelter O Filton Frenchay Hospital W and possible demolition rubble from the engine house. éPenpole Lodge é Wiltshire S

T éDyrham Park Bristol O Further surveys using both techniques at 0.5m resolution (readings taken every C North 0.5m) provided clearer information about the engine house, and delineated some Somerset of the internal walling and the location of a possible engine bed. éEastwood Farm

The second surveys, at 1m resolution, were conducted over Arnold’s Pit, some 430 Bath and North East Somerset metres north of the Engine House. There was once a small spoil tip associated with this airshaft, but it had been removed and the area had been put back © Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey 100023410 into cultivation. A strong positive anomaly on the fluxgate gradiometer survey corresponded exactly to the shaft position. It is not known how this shaft had been treated, if at all, so the anomaly could be generated by either in-situ shaft structures or metal in the shaft fill, or even metalwork associated with a shaft-cap. The extent of the spoil tip was delineated by a weakly contrasting anomaly with several patches of isolated high readings, referred to as iron-spikes, possibly generated by fragments of iron plate-way, one example of which was found there. The shaft location on the earth resistance data was not as obvious. The earth resistance survey did show some contrast between high and lower resistance readings trending roughly north-south that are more likely to be a response to the underlying geology, rather than man-made features.

48 A community archaeology project A community archaeology project 49 The Future of Archaeology in Contacts and websites

South Gloucestershire and Bristol A website on SCARP can be found at Southern Brooks Archaeology www.archaeology.ning.com http://www.sbarch.org.uk/ This booklet has been compiled from the hard work, The following are email or website Thornbury and District Museum & dedication, knowledge and enthusiasm of local volunteers details for archaeology groups, Thornbury Archaeology Group that form community archaeology groups. These groups museums and history societies who www.thornburymuseum.org.uk/ have been involved in SCARP in some Thornbury New Parke Archaeology have made massive strides in helping us to understand the capacity. history of South Gloucestershire and Bristol and more is still Group [email protected] Alveston Archaeological Research Team Yate and District Archaeology Group to come. (AART) [email protected] www.yateheritage.co.uk/about/yate- Brislington Community Archaeology district-archaeology-group.htm Groups have helped to uncover one of the most important Project Yate & District Heritage Centre Roman port towns in the Western Roman Empire, have www.brislingtonarchaeology.org.uk/ www.yateheritage.co.uk/ conducted intensive and extensive surveys of Iron Age hillforts, Frenchay Museum

have reworked the history of sites such as Winterbourne Barn www.frenchaymuseumarchives.co.uk/ Organisations by showing that it may have been part of a Medieval moated NewMuseum.html Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery manorial complex and helped with conservation strategies. Friends of Barrs Court Moat www.bristol.gov.uk/page/leisure-and- www.moat1.homestead.com/homepage. culture/bristol-museum-and-art-gallery Hopefully by now, the power of community archaeology to tackle html Bristol City Council local historic environment questions has been shown. One of the Friends of Ram Hill Colliery www.bristol.gov.uk/archaeology most exciting parts of SCARP was watching the collaboration that www.ramhillcolliery.org.uk/ Bristol Record Office occurred between groups, with volunteers from different societies Horton History Society www.bristol.gov.uk/page/records-and- [email protected] helping out on other group’s archaeological activities. This also archives-0 extended to having members of community archaeology group Kings Weston Action Group Council for British Archaeology www.facebook.com/ present on a development site, where archaeology was being www.new.archaeologyuk.org/ KingsWestonActionGroup dealt with through the planning system. English Heritage Kingswood Museum www.english-heritage.org.uk/ www.kingswoodmuseum.org.uk/ The strength of community archaeology is in being Gloucester Record Office Rangeworthy History Society able to make use of local knowledge, enthusiasm and www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/archives [email protected] now skills. People local to a particular area usually care National Trust Sea Mills Archaeological Research more about that history than that of a distant place, no www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ matter how enticing. Team [email protected] South Gloucestershire Council This has been the great outcome of SCARP – that www.southglos.gov.uk/archaeology local archaeology can be explored through dedicated South Gloucestershire Mines Research Group http://sgmrg.co.uk/ University of Bristol, Department of volunteers in order to understand the rich tapestry of Archaeology and Anthropology

the past and answer questions about our history. www.bris.ac.uk/archanth/

50 A community archaeology project A community archaeology project 51 ent ronm envi toric r his thei d in olve inv ople pe cal lo ting get

South Gloucestershire Community Archaeology Research Project with thanks to the Heritage Lottery Fund, South Gloucestershire Council, South Gloucestershire Museums Group and to Thornbury and District Museum and Yate Heritage Centre.

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