Ampney Park Ampney Crucis Gloucestershire Archaeological Evaluation

AMPNEY PARK

AMPNEY CRUCIS

GLOUCESTERSHIRE

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION

C.A.T. JOB: 778 C.A.T. REPORT: 98919

JULY 1998

This report has been researched and compiled with all reasonable skill, care, and attention to detail within the terms of the project as specified by the Client and within the general terms and conditions of Cotswold Archaeological Trust Ltd. The Trust shall not be liable for any inaccuracy, error or omission in the report or other documents produced as part of the Consultancy and no liability is accepted for any claim, loss or damage howsoever arising from any opinion stated or conclusion or other material contained in this report or other documents supplied as part of the Consultancy.

This report is confidential to the Client. Cotswold Archaeological Trust Ltd. accept no responsibility whatsoever to third parties to whom this report, or any part of it is made known. Any such party relies upon this report entirely at their own risk.

Ampney Park, Ampney Crucis, Gloucestershire. Archaeological Evaluation.

CONTENTS

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ...... 1

SUMMARY ...... 2

1. INTRODUCTION ...... 3

1.1 Introduction ...... 3 1.2 Geology and topography ...... 3 1.3 Archaeological background ...... 3 1.4 Methodology ...... 4

2. RESULTS ...... 4

3. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS ...... 5

4. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...... 5

5. BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... 6

APPENDIX I ...... 7

List of Recorded Contexts ...... 7

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Figure 1. Location plan ...... 9 Figure 2. Study area showing location of trenches ...... 10

1 Ampney Park, Ampney Crucis, Gloucestershire. Archaeological Evaluation.

SUMMARY

In July 1998 Cotswold Archaeological Trust carried out an archaeological evaluation of land at Ampney Park, Ampney Crucis, Gloucestershire. Three trenches were dug, 1.5m wide, with a total length of 10m. No features of archaeological interest were identified.

2 Ampney Park, Ampney Crucis, Gloucestershire. Archaeological Evaluation.

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction

1.1.1 This report presents the results of an archaeological evaluation carried out on July 13th 1998 at Ampney Park, Ampney Crucis, Gloucestershire, (centred on NGR SP 06460 01980) (Fig. 1). The evaluation was undertaken on behalf of Mr and Mrs E Scott, in connection with an application for planning permission to construct a stable block on the site.

1.1.2 The proposed buildings would occupy an area of 300m2, immediately to the north of Ampney Park house. The area is currently occupied by gardens, consisting of a range of large mature trees surrounded by rough grass and areas of hard-standing used for vehicle parking.

1.2 Geology and topography

1.2.1 The site lies on level ground at a height of approximately 107m OD. The natural substrate in the area is formed of Forest Marble of the middle Jurassic period (Geological Survey of England & Wales, sheet 235). Natural deposits, consisting of limestone brash and clay, were encountered in the course of excavation at depths of 0.4-1.0m.

1.3 Archaeological background

1.3.1 The area proposed for development lies immediately to the north of Ampney Park manor house (SMR 9331), a gabled structure originally constructed between 1561 and 1625 (Verey 1979, 87), and containing Jacobean, Georgian, and nineteenth-century features. The house lies immediately to the north-west of Holy Rood Church (SMR 2011), which contains features dating from the Saxon period through to the nineteenth century (Verey 1979, 85),

3 Ampney Park, Ampney Crucis, Gloucestershire. Archaeological Evaluation.

and the whole complex is set within the landscape of Ampney Park. The possibility thus existed that archaeological deposits might be encountered associated with some or all of these features, although a search of the Gloucestershire SMR, and examination of early maps available at Gloucester Record Office did not produce any evidence of earlier activity within the proposed development.

1.4 Methodology

1.4.1 A detailed project design was prepared by Cotswold Archaeological Trust (Leah 1998) in line with the Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Field Evaluations issued by the Institute of Field Archaeologists (IFA 1994). The evaluation sought to determine whether any archaeological deposits survive in the area proposed for development, and the extent and depth of any overburden sealing these deposits.

2. RESULTS

2.1 Three trenches were dug, 1.5m wide and a total of 10m long in the locations shown on Fig. 2, representing a 5% sample of the area of the proposed buildings. The trenches were mechanically excavated, and then hand cleaned throughout, to reveal any archaeological features present. In the event no such features were observed. In Trench 1, natural limestone brash (102) lay immediately below the topsoil and lawn turf (101) at a depth of approximately 0.4m. In Trenches 2 and 3 this natural brash (205) (308) and garden soil (204) (304) lay at a depth of up to 1.0m, overlaid by a series of modern layers of crushed stone and chippings from a former yard surface, now turfed over in places. A full summary of recorded contexts is included as Appendix I.

4 Ampney Park, Ampney Crucis, Gloucestershire. Archaeological Evaluation.

3. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

3.1 As outlined above, no significant archaeological deposits were encountered in the course of this evaluation. It is likely that the site has been a garden area at least since the construction of the current manor house in the sixteenth century. Also, in spite of the possibility that material may have survived associated with the church, the earliest phases of which date from the late Saxon period, no such earlier deposits were identified.

4. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Cotswold Archaeological Trust would like to thank Mr & Mrs E Scott, Mr M Casey of Lane Fox, and Mr Charles Parry, Archaeology Officer, Gloucestershire County Council for their assistance in the course of this project.

Fieldwork was carried out by David Kenyon and Peter Moore. This report was compiled by David Kenyon and illustrated by Peter Moore.

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5. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Geological survey of England & Wales, 1962 1:63,360 sheet 235, Cirencester

IFA, 1994 Standard and guidance for archaeological field evaluations, Institute of Field Archaeologists

Leah, M, 1998 Ampney Park, Ampney Crucis, Gloucestershire, project design for an archaeological evaluation. Cotswold Archaeological Trust

Verey, D, 1979 The Buildings of England, Gloucestershire: The Cotswolds (2nd Edition), London

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APPENDIX I

List of Recorded Contexts

Note: stratigraphic descriptions are given from the earliest to the latest deposits. Cut features are designated by square brackets, thus; [000], all other deposits are in round brackets; (000). O.D. heights are established relative to a benchmark on Holy Rood Church.

Trench 1

Modern ground surface at 108.5m

(102) Natural brash. Compact, pale orange-brown sandy clay, frequent large limestone fragments, not excavated.

(101) Topsoil. Firm dark brown/black clayey silt with occasional charcoal and small gravel. Heavily rooted by nearby trees. Up to 0.4m thick.

Trench 2

Modern ground surface at 108.2m

(205) Natural brash. Compact, pale orange-brown sandy clay, frequent large limestone slabs and fragments, not excavated.

(204) Former garden soil. Dark grey/black clayey silt, some occasional gravel. 0.5m thick.

(203) Hardcore foundation for (202). Mid brown sandy clay with large limestone frags. 0.1m thick.

(202) Former yard surface. Light grey stone chippings, 0.10-0.15m thick.

(201) Topsoil. Firm dark brown clayey silt with occasional charcoal and small gravel. Heavily rooted by nearby trees. 0.1m thick.

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Trench 3

Modern ground surface at 107.6m

(308) Natural brash. Compact, pale orange-brown sandy clay, frequent large limestone slabs and fragments, not excavated.

(307) Mixed interface layer between (304) and (308). Firm mottled greenish orange silty clay, some small limestone frags. Up to 0.2m thick. Willow pattern plate fragments recovered from this context.

[306] Cut of late drain feature. Wide ‘U’ shaped linear ditch 1m wide and 0.3m deep. Runs W-E.

(305) Fill of [306]. Soft orange/brown silty clay, frequent large limestone fragments.

(304) Former garden soil. Firm dark grey/black clayey silt. Occasional small gravel. Up to 0.3m thick.

(303) Garden soil. Soft dark grey/green clayey silt, occasional limestone pieces. 0.3m thick.

(302) Hardcore foundation for (301). Mid greenish brown sandy clay with large limestone frags. 0.3m thick.

(301) Former yard surface. Light grey stone chippings, 0.15m thick

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Figure 1. Location plan

9 Ampney Park, Ampney Crucis, Gloucestershire. Archaeological Evaluation.

Figure 2. Study area showing location of trenches