All Saints'church Oaksey Wiltshire

ALL SAINTS’ CHURCH OAKSEY WILTSHIRE

PROGRAMME OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL RECORDING AND HISTORICAL RESEARCH

For

ANDREW TOWNSEND ARCHITECTS

on behalf of

OAKSEY PCC

CA REPORT: 05172

JANUARY 2006 All Saints’ Church, Oaksey, Wiltshire: Programme of Archaeological Recording and Historical Research © Cotswold Archaeology

ALL SAINTS’ CHURCH OAKSEY WILTSHIRE

PROGRAMME OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL RECORDING AND HISTORICAL RESEARCH

CA PROJECT: 2047 CA REPORT: 05172

Authors: Jonathan Hart and David Cudlip

Approved: Mary Alexander

Signed: …………………………………………………………….

Issue: 01 Date: 25 January 2006

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.

1 All Saints’ Church, Oaksey, Wiltshire: Programme of Archaeological Recording and Historical Research © Cotswold Archaeology

CONTENTS

SUMMARY...... 3

1. INTRODUCTION ...... 4

The site ...... 4 Archaeological and historical background ...... 4 Methodology ...... 5

2. RESULTS ...... 6

Trench 1 (Fig. 2) ...... 6 Trench 2 (Fig. 2) ...... 6 Trench 3 (Fig. 2) ...... 6

3. DISCUSSION...... 7

4. CA PROJECT TEAM ...... 7

5. REFERENCES ...... 7

APPENDIX 1: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS...... 9

APPENDIX 2: THE FINDS...... 10

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Fig. 1 Site location plan (1:25,000) Fig. 2 The site, showing location of groundworks (1:1250)

2 All Saints’ Church, Oaksey, Wiltshire: Programme of Archaeological Recording and Historical Research © Cotswold Archaeology

SUMMARY

Site Name: All Saints’ Church Location: Oaksey, Wiltshire NGR: ST 9910 9365 Type: Programme of Archaeological Recording and Historical Research Date: September to October 2005 Location of Archive: To be deposited with Devizes Museum Site Code: ASO 05

A programme of archaeological recording and historical research was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology (CA) during groundworks associated with the replacement of the existing drainage at All Saints’ Church, Oaksey, Wiltshire.

The groundworks disturbed only reworked graveyard soils throughout the majority of the site; however, three coffins were revealed during the excavation of a soakaway pit at the western end of the church. These were not disturbed, and the trench was backfilled once recording had taken place.

The historical research comprised a search of cartographic sources and aerial photographs of the development area in the Wiltshire Sites and Monuments Record and National Monuments Record respectively. Neither search revealed information directly relevant to the current programme of development.

3 All Saints’ Church, Oaksey, Wiltshire: Programme of Archaeological Recording and Historical Research © Cotswold Archaeology

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 In September and October 2005 Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out a programme of archaeological recording and historical research for Andrew Townsend Architects on behalf of Oaksey PCC. This was focused on All Saints’ Church, Oaksey (centred on NGR: ST 9910 9365; Fig. 1).

1.2 The programme of archaeological recording and historical research was undertaken to fulfil a condition attached to a planning consent for the replacement of the existing drainage around the church. The objective of the programme of archaeological recording was to record all archaeological remains exposed during the development.

1.3 The archaeological fieldwork was carried out in accordance with a brief for archaeological recording (Andrew Townsend Architects 2005), and with a subsequent written scheme of investigation (WSI) produced by CA (2005). The fieldwork also followed the Standard and Guidance for an Archaeological Watching Brief issued by the Institute of Field Archaeologists (1999) and the Wiltshire County Council Standards for Archaeological Assessment and Field Evaluation in Wiltshire (CAS Wiltshire 19995).

The site

1.4 The development area comprises the churchyard attached to All Saints’ Church.

1.5 The underlying geology of the area is mapped as Kellaways Clay of the Upper Jurassic era (Geological Survey 1974).

Archaeological and historical background

1.6 The following information is based on a search of the Wiltshire Sites and Monuments Record (WSMR) and of maps held in the Wiltshire Local Studies Library within a 500m radius of the site.

4 All Saints’ Church, Oaksey, Wiltshire: Programme of Archaeological Recording and Historical Research © Cotswold Archaeology

1.7 A search was also conducted of the National Monuments Record (Aerial Photograph Library), but this did not produce any results of relevance to the current programme of works.

1.8 Archaeological interest in the site arises from its location within the historic core of Oaksey village. The current village has medieval origins, being referred to as Wochsie in the Domesday Book (WSMR). Traces of further medieval settlement have been identified within 500m to the south-west of the historic core of Oaksey. These are visible as earthworks and 12th to 13th-century pottery was recovered from a drainage trench excavated in 1951 (WSMR ST99 SE452). All Saints’ Church itself has 12th-century origins and was altered and added to throughout the 13th to 15th centuries (Pevsner and Cherry 1985).

1.9 The site of a medieval tower house is located within 300m to the south of the church. This is visible as an earthwork feature although earlier references dating to the 17th to 19th centuries refer to moats, embankments and ruins (WSMR ST99 SE453).

1.10 The earliest map to depict All Saints’ Church is the 1843 Tithe Map of Oaksey. This depicts residential development within the village along the roads radiating out from the central crossroads. The church lies within the south-western corner of the crossroads and the surrounding landscape comprises fields. This picture remains largely unaltered on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd edition Ordnance Survey maps of Oaksey dating to 1875, 1900 and 1921 respectively. The only major development came with the addition of postwar housing to the west of the historic core of the village.

Methodology

1.11 The fieldwork followed the methodology set out within the WSI (CA 2005). An archaeologist was present during intrusive groundworks (Fig. 2), comprising: • The removal of the open concrete drainage channels at the base of the church walls along with all associated drainage. • Repairs to low-level masonry revealed following the removal of drainage channels.

5 All Saints’ Church, Oaksey, Wiltshire: Programme of Archaeological Recording and Historical Research © Cotswold Archaeology

• The excavation of new drainage gullies below existing and new rainwater downpipes and the connection of these to existing drainage.

1.12 Written, graphic and photographic records were compiled in accordance with the CA Technical Manual 1: Fieldwork Recording Manual (2005).

1.13 Subject to the agreement of the legal landowner the finds and site archive will be deposited with Devizes Museum.

2. RESULTS

Trench 1 (Fig. 2) 2.1 The natural geological substrate 104 consisting of yellow clay, was revealed at an average depth of 1m below present ground level in this trench. It was truncated by cut 103, within which lay drainage pipe 102. This was covered by a 0.9m deep layer of churchyard soil (101), which was sealed by topsoil and turf layer 100. Some disarticulated human bone was recovered from 101, but was reinterred, as it was seen to have come from charnel deposits disturbed by the installation of pipe 102.

Trench 2 (Fig. 2) 2.2 Graveyard deposit 201 was excavated to a depth of 0.7m below the present ground level within this trench. It was sealed by turf and topsoil layer 200. No features or deposits of archaeological interest were observed during groundworks and, despite visual scanning of spoil, no artefactual material predating the modern period was recovered.

Trench 3 (Fig. 2) 2.3 In the western end of trench 3, a 2m x 2m area was excavated to a depth of 1m below the present ground level. At the limit of excavation, the lids of three coffins 302, 303 and 304 were revealed. These were sealed by a 0.8m deep layer of graveyard soil deposit 301. No grave cuts were visible in any of the sections of the trench, presumably due to the heavily reworked nature of the deposits through which they had been cut. Layer 301 yielded a sherd of locally produced pottery, dating from the 12th to 13th centuries. This was sealed in turn by topsoil and turf deposit 300.

6 All Saints’ Church, Oaksey, Wiltshire: Programme of Archaeological Recording and Historical Research © Cotswold Archaeology

3. DISCUSSION

3.1 The programme of archaeological recording identified the presence of three coffins at the far western end of trench 3 (Fig. 2). These were not disturbed, trench 3 being carefully backfilled after recording was completed; they did not appear to be related to any extant gravestones, although it may be possible to trace them to known burial plots. During the rest of the groundworks, no archaeologically significant deposits were encountered. The one sherd of medieval pottery recovered was from graveyard deposit 301, which has been reworked extensively, and so cannot be viewed as a secure source of dating.

4. CA PROJECT TEAM

4.1 Fieldwork was undertaken by Jonathan Hart, Allen Wright and David Cudlip. This report was compiled by Jonathan Hart and David Cudlip. The illustrations were prepared by Lorna Gray. The archive has been compiled by David Cudlip, and prepared for deposition by Teresa Gilmore. The project was managed for CA by Mary Alexander.

5. REFERENCES

BGS (British Geological Survey) 1974 Geological Survey of Great Britain (England and Wales) 1:63,360; Solid and Drift Sheet 252: Swindon

Andrew Townsend Architects 2004 Repairs to All Saints’ Church. Oaksey, Wiltshire: Brief for Archaeological Watching

CA 2005 All Saints’ Church, Oaksey, Wiltshire: Written Scheme of Investigation for a Programme of Archaeological Recording

Pevsner, R. and Cherry, B. 1985 The Buildings of England: Wiltshire Penguin Books

7 All Saints’ Church, Oaksey, Wiltshire: Programme of Archaeological Recording and Historical Research © Cotswold Archaeology

Cartographic sources

1843 Tithe map of Oaksey, Wiltshire 1875 1st edition Ordnance Survey map of Oaksey, Wiltshire 1875 2nd edition Ordnance Survey map of Oaksey, Wiltshire 1900 3rd edition Ordnance Survey map of Oaksey, Wiltshire 1921 4th edition Ordnance Survey map of Oaksey, Wiltshire

Aerial photographic sources

RAF/106G/UK/1721 FS 2094 RAF/106G/UK/1721 RV 6144-6146 RAF/CPE/UK/2098 RS 4430 RAF/CPE/UK/2110/RP 3064 RAF/CPE/UK/2110/RS 4064 RAF/540/1357 F22 8-10 US/7PH/GP/LOC234 V 5026 OS/82103 V 165-167 OS/82103 V 207 OS/75112 V 142-144 OS/70030 V 96 OS/70030 V 136 FSL/71221 V 221064-221065 OS/69437 V 49-50 OS/69437 V 87 ST9993/4 ST9993/5 ST9993/6 ST9993/7 ST9993/8 ST9993/9

8 All Saints’ Church, Oaksey, Wiltshire: Programme of Archaeological Recording and Historical Research © Cotswold Archaeology

APPENDIX 1: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS

Trench 1

100 Turf and topsoil. 0.1m deep. 101 Mid brown silty clay, occasional disarticulated bone. Graveyard deposit. 0.9m deep. 102 Modern ceramic drainage pipe at base of trench. 103 Cut for 102. 104 Yellow clay natural at 1m bpgl. L.O.E.

Trench 2

200 Turf and topsoil. 0.1m deep. 201 Mid brown silty clay. Graveyard deposit. 0.6m deep.

Trench 3

300 Turf and topsoil. 0.2 m deep. 301 Mid brown silty clay. Graveyard deposit. 0.8m deep. 302 Coffin lid. 303 Coffin lid. 304 Coffin lid.

9 All Saints’ Church, Oaksey, Wiltshire: Programme of Archaeological Recording and Historical Research © Cotswold Archaeology

APPENDIX 2: THE FINDS

Context Description* Count Wt (g) Spot-date 300 CBM: flat roof tile 1 37 Med/pmed Animal bone: 301 Medieval pottery: Minety ware 1 69 C12-C15

Small quantities of artefactual material comprising pottery, ceramic building material, and animal bone were recovered.

A single sherd of medieval Minety ware pottery, produced approximately 8km distant from the site, was recovered from layer 301. Part of a handle survives on this sherd suggesting that the vessel represented is a pitcher or globular bodied jug. As such it probably dates to the 12th or 13th centuries. A single fragment of unglazed flat roof tile of later medieval or post-medieval type was recovered from layer 300.

10 Reproduced from the 2002 Ordnance Survey Explorer map with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office N c Crown copyright Cotswold Archaeological Trust 100002109

Site

0 5km

COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY

PROJECT TITLE All Saints Church, Oaksey, Wiltshire Wiltshire FIGURE TITLE Site location plan

SCALE PROJECT NO. FIGURE NO. 1:25,000@A4 2047 1 Reproduced from the 2005 Ordnance Survey Superplan map with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office N c Crown copyright Cotswold Archaeological Trust 100002109

999090 999191

937937

Tr 1

Tr 2

ccoffinoffin 304304

coffincoffin 303303 Tr 3 coffincoffin 302302

993636

SSTT

0 100m

COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGY

PROJECT TITLE All Saints Church, Oaksey, observed groundworks showing archaeological feature Wiltshire FIGURE TITLE Trench location

SCALE PROJECT NO. FIGURE NO. 1:1000@A4 2047 2