Shab Hill Radio Station, Birdlip, Gloucestershire. Archaeological Watching Brief 1 CONTENTS List of Illustrations 2 Summary 3 Glossary of archaeological terms 4 1. INTRODUCTION AND BRIEF 6 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Archaeological background 1.3 Site geology and topography 1.4 Project brief and methodology 2. WATCHING BRIEF RESULTS 8 3. DISCUSSION 8 4. BIBLIOGRAPHY 9 5. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 9 Shab Hill Radio Station, Birdlip, Gloucestershire. Archaeological Watching Brief 2 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Fig. 1 Location plan Fig. 2 Location of excavated area Shab Hill Radio Station, Birdlip, Gloucestershire. Archaeological Watching Brief 3 SUMMARY In August 1995 Cotswold Archaeological Trust carried out an archaeological watching brief during groundworks at the radio station site, Shab Hill, Birdlip, Gloucestershire. The work was a planning condition for the construction of a new aerial tower, and was commissioned by Aerial Sites plc. A small number of finds dating from the Neolithic period have been recovered from the Shab Hill radio station site, or within very close proximity. These have included a fragment of a Neolithic stone axe directly in the development area, and a similar fragment 100m to the south west. More significantly, the study area lies approximately 500m east from a site of large scale flint working and possible occupation within the Mesolithic, Neolithic and Bronze Age periods. Evidence to suggest Romano-British and medieval farming has been found within the same field. A gently sloping area 13.8m square was stripped by machine, at the rear of the present aerial tower and associated buildings. After an archaeological inspection, the area was then stripped through the natural to the construction site level. No archaeological activity was recorded within the stripped area. Sieving and general finds collection from the topsoil produced slate tile, pottery sherds, glass, clay pipe and fragments of animal bone, all of a modern date. A single posthole was identified. A brick fragment was recovered from the fill. This feature, together with a concrete feeder duct, had been noted prior to excavation as being associated with the aerial site. Therefore a modern date is ascribed to these features. Shab Hill Radio Station, Birdlip, Gloucestershire. Archaeological Watching Brief 4 GLOSSARY OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL TERM AND ABBREVIATIONS ARCHAEOLOGY For the purposes of this project, archaeology is taken to mean the study of past human societies through their material remains, from prehistoric times to the modern era. No rigid upper date limit has been set, but AD 1950 is used as a general cut-off point. BRONZE AGE Chronological division of the prehistoric period which sees the introduction of copper and eventual widespread adoption of bronze weapons, implements, jewellery etc. In Britain it is dated between c 2300BC-700BC. CONTEXT The simplest level of excavated archaeological data, ie a context could be the cut of a ditch (shown as [001]) or its fill (shown as (002)). MEDIEVAL Taken here as the period from the Norman invasion in AD 1066 to approximately AD 1500. MESOLITHIC A chronological division within the post-Glacial prehistoric period in which hunter-gathering formed the basis of economy. Settlement patterns are not well understood but may have taken the form of intermittently occupied, perhaps seasonal, camping sites. The material culture is represented by a range of flint-working, particularly microliths, bone and antler work and organic materials. The period is dated between c 10,000BC and 3500 BC. MICROLITHS Very small worked flint flakes and blades, commonly used throughout the Mesolithic period. NATURAL Defined in archaeological terms this refers to the undisturbed natural geology of a site, eg. Lower Lias clay, river terrace gravels etc. NEOLITHIC A chronological division of the prehistoric period during which agriculture and domesticated animals are introduced to Britain. It is dated between c 4500 BC-2000 BC. NGR National Grid Reference given from the Ordnance Survey Grid. OD Ordnance Datum; used to express a given height above mean sea level. POT-SHERD A fragment of a pottery vessel. Shab Hill Radio Station, Birdlip, Gloucestershire. Archaeological Watching Brief 5 ROMANO-BRITISH Term used to describe a fusion of indigenous late Iron Age traditions with Roman culture, often abbreviated as 'R-B'. SETTLEMENT An area of habitation, perhaps surrounded by associated closes, paddocks, approach ways and other features which together constitute a complex of earthworks or cropmarks distinct from fields. SMR Sites and Monuments Register. Shab Hill Radio Station, Birdlip, Gloucestershire. Archaeological Watching Brief 6 1. INTRODUCTION AND BRIEF 1.1 Introduction 1.1.1 In August 1995 Cotswold Archaeological Trust was commissioned by Aerial Sites plc to carry out an archaeological watching brief at Shab Hill, Birdlip, Gloucestershire (centred on NGR: SO 9383 1538) (Fig 1). The work was required as a condition for planning permission for the construction of a 63m high replacement aerial tower, and followed a brief prepared by Gloucestershire County Council (Hunter,1995). 1.1.2 This report presents the results of the archaeological watching brief carried out at the Shab Hill radio station. 1.2 Archaeological background 1.2.1 Shab Hill is situated within a rich archaeological landscape (Hoyle,1993,10) with evidence of almost continuous activity and occupation from the later Mesolithic period (from c 6500BC) onwards. 1.2.2 The only recorded finds on, or immediately adjacent to, the study area consists of two fragments of Neolithic polished stone axes (Glos SMR 3803 and 14850). Fieldwalking prior to the construction of the Birdlip by-pass has identified a wide swathe of settlement and activity areas close to Shab Hill (Darvill,1987,11). 1.2.3 The area known as Barrow Wake, which lies approximately 500m to the west of the study area, has produced high concentrations of flints (Glos SMR 13044, 13052). These concentrations have been interpreted as flint working and/or occupation sites (Darvill, 1987,31) and date from the later Mesolithic through to the Bronze Age. A further Mesolithic flint microlith scatter was located 275m south west from the study area (Glos SMR 13043). Neolithic and Bronze Age activity and/or occupation areas are also located 800m to the south west of the study area (Glos SMR 13053 and 13054). 1.2.4 Fieldwalking has also identified scatters of Romano-British and medieval pottery sherds and tile at Barrow Wake (Glos SMR 6702 and 14854). These scatters have been interpreted as the result of manuring practices associated with nearby medieval and Romano- British settlements (Glos SMR 3739/14855 and 3740/14856). Roman settlements are located along the Roman Road known as Ermin Street (now the A417). A medieval settlement is centred on the village of Stockwell (Darvill,1984,25) 1 km to the south of the study area. 1.2.5 A number of small fixtures associated with past aerials, now removed, are situated around the study area. The station has been used as a base for radio communications for at least the last 50 years. Shab Hill Radio Station, Birdlip, Gloucestershire. Archaeological Watching Brief 7 1.3 Site geology and topography 1.3.1 The study area (measuring approximately 190m²) is located at the Shab Hill radio station, close to the peak of Shab Hill, at a height of 283m OD. The radio station is situated 1.5 km south west of the village of Birdlip and 4.5 km east of the limits of the city of Gloucester. 1.3.2 The study area comprises a small parcel of land at the rear of the main complex of buildings which house the radio station and other private firms. 1.3.3 The study area showed a moderate downward slope across the site to the south. The land is presently under pasture, but with a tendency to be fairly rough and uneven. 1.3.4 The underlying natural substrate is encountered at a depth of approximately 0.30m and comprises a limestone with clay belonging to the Great Oolite series of the middle Jurassic. This is overlaid by a thin mixed limestone brash 0.20m in depth. 1.4 Project brief and methodology 1.4.1 The aim of the watching brief was to record by means of a watching brief any archaeological remains within the study area to mitigate the effects of the development. 1.4.2 Topsoil and the underlying limestone brash were excavated by JCB in thin 0.10m spits to the top of the natural substrate, under archaeological supervision. Archaeological deposits were sampled by hand to meet the aims of the excavation, as stated within the brief. Once archaeological investigation and recording was completed, the area was stripped to the construction site level. 1.4.3 During the course of the watching brief, a total of 100 litres of topsoil (approximately a 5% sample) was sieved to recover flint artefacts. 1.4.4 Recording was undertaken in accordance with the CAT Field Recording Manual. 1.4.5 Artefacts discovered during the course of the investigation were taken to the Trust for cataloguing and analysis. 1.4.6 The finds and the site archive will, with the landowners consent, be deposited at the Corinium Museum, Cirencester, Gloucestershire. Shab Hill Radio Station, Birdlip, Gloucestershire. Archaeological Watching Brief 8 2. WATCHING BRIEF RESULTS 2.1 The stratigraphy identified during the investigations consisted of a limestone with clay natural substrate (103) at a depth of approximately 0.30m. This was overlain by a 0.20m thick layer of reddish brown clay with a high percentage of limestone brash (102). This was in turn overlaid by a brown clay loam topsoil (101), 0.10-0.15m in depth. 2.2 Two features were located (Fig 2). A concrete feeder duct [004](005): 0.70m in width and 0.60m in depth which crossed the entire study area.