Land South of Horwood Lane Wickwar South Gloucestershire Archaeological Evaluation for Linden Homes Western CA Project: CR0005 CA Report: CR0005_1 May 2019 Land South of Horwood Lane Wickwar South Gloucestershire Archaeological Evaluation CA Project: CR0005 CA Report: CR0005_1 Document Control Grid Reasons for Approved Revision Date Author Checked by Status revision by 29 May Paolo Alex Cliff A Draft Internal Review 2019 Guarino Thomson Bateman This report is confidential to the client. Cotswold Archaeology accepts no responsibility or liability to any third party to whom this report, or any part of it, is made known. Any such party relies upon this report entirely at their own risk. No part of this report may be reproduced by any means without permission. © Cotswold Archaeology © Cotswold Archaeology Land South of Horwood Lane, Wickwar, South Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation CONTENTS SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................... 2 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................ 3 2. ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND ................................................................ 3 3. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ................................................................................... 5 4. METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................... 5 5. RESULTS (FIGS 2-7) ......................................................................................... 6 6. THE FINDS ........................................................................................................ 8 7. DISCUSSION ..................................................................................................... 10 8. CA PROJECT TEAM .......................................................................................... 10 9. REFERENCES ................................................................................................... 11 APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS .................................................................... 12 APPENDIX B: THE FINDS .............................................................................................. 18 APPENDIX C: OASIS REPORT FORM .......................................................................... 19 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Fig. 1 Site location plan (1:25,000) Fig. 2 Trench location plan showing archaeological features and geophysical survey results (1:1,250) Fig. 3 Trench 1: plan, section and photograph (1:200 & 1:20) Fig. 4 Trench 3: plan, section and photograph (1:200 & 1:20) Fig. 5 Trench 11: plan, sections and photograph (1:200 & 1:20) Fig. 6 Trench 14: plan, section and photograph (1:200 & 1:20) Fig. 7 Trench 28: plan, sections and photograph (1:200 & 1:20) Fig. 8 Historic maps 1 © Cotswold Archaeology Land South of Horwood Lane, Wickwar, South Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation SUMMARY Project Name: Land South of Horwood Lane Location: Wickwar, South Gloucestershire NGR: 372646 187428 Type: Evaluation Date: 23 April – 1 May 2019 Planning Reference: SGC ref: PK17/4552/O Location of Archive: To be deposited with Bristol’s Museum, Galleries and Archives Site Code: SHRW19 An archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology between 23 April 2019 and 1 May 2019 on land south of Horwood Lane, Wickwar, South Gloucestershire. Thirty-eight trenches were excavated. A number of ditches and amorphous pits were identified throughout the site, with a single ditch potentially dating to the Roman period. The majority of the recorded features dated to the post-medieval period and, coupled with the findings of preceding a geophysical survey and studies of historic mapping, it is likely that the features represent post-medieval field boundaries and agricultural activities. 2 © Cotswold Archaeology Land South of Horwood Lane, Wickwar, South Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 In April and May 2019 Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological evaluation for Linden Homes Western on land south of Horwood Lane, Wickwar, South Gloucestershire (centred at NGR: 372646 187428; Fig. 1). Outline planning consent for the construction of 90 residential dwellings with public open space, landscaping and associated infrastructure was granted by South Gloucestershire Council (SGC; ref: PK17/4552/O), conditional on a programme of archaeological work (Condition 15). Archaeological evaluation was required by Dr Paul Driscoll, Archaeology and Historic Environment Record Officer, SGC. 1.2 The evaluation was carried out in accordance with a detailed Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) produced by CA (2019) and approved by Paul Driscoll. The fieldwork also followed Standard and guidance: Archaeological field evaluation (CIfA 2014). It was monitored by Paul Driscoll, including a site visit on 25 April 2019. The site 1.3 The proposed development area is approximately 5.83ha and comprises two open fields, currently under pasture. It is bounded to the west by Sodbury Road, to the north by Horwood Lane, to the south by Pincots Lane and to the east by further fields. The site lies at approximately 90m AOD and slopes gently to the east and to the west from the central part of the site. 1.4 The underlying bedrock geology in the western area of site is mapped as interbedded limestone and mudstone of the Langport and Wilmcote Members and as Cotham Member mudstone in the east of site, all formed during the Jurassic and Triassic Periods (BGS 2019). The natural geological substrate was identified within all excavated trenches and consisted of orange and blue clays with occasional stone outcrops. 2. ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND 2.1 The site has been subject to archaeological desk-based assessment (AC 2017) and geophysical survey (AS 2019). These assessments are summarised briefly below. 3 © Cotswold Archaeology Land South of Horwood Lane, Wickwar, South Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation 2.2 No evidence of prehistoric activity has been recorded within the site or wider study area, and the potential for encountering archaeological remains from this period within the site was deemed by the assessment to be low (AC 2017). 2.3 A small Roman roadside settlement has been identified from both geophysical survey and archaeological excavation at Hall End, on the west bank of the Ladden Brook, c.1.7km to the west of the current site (AAU 2009). The roadside settlement contained both timber and stone buildings, and covered an area of c.16ha. It was occupied between the 2nd & 4th centuries AD and appears to have overlain a corner of an earlier (1st century) Roman fort (AC 2017, 26). A villa and bathhouse of 2nd- century AD date have been identified within a clearing in Lower Woods, c.1.8km north-west of the application site (ibid.). The assessment concluded that during the Roman period, the current site is likely to have been part of the agricultural hinterland of the nearby roadside town and villa estates. 2.4 In 1086, at the time of the Domesday Book, Wickwar (‘Wichen’) was recorded as an agricultural community comprising 28 households. Medieval buildings survive within the centre of Wickwar, along the High Street, with the Holy Trinity parish church dating to the 12th century (ibid.). Notably, the B4060 (Sodbury Road), which forms the western boundary of the current site, follows a medieval salt route (saltway) linking the major production centre at Droitwich (Worcestershire) to the north with Old Sodbury and Pucklechurch. It is probable that the site lay in the agricultural hinterland of Wickwar from the medieval period onwards. The 1838 Wickwar Tithe Map shows small enclosed fields along the north side of Pincots Lane which may relate to small gardens with associated dwellings; these were no longer depicted on the 1886 First Edition Ordnance Survey mapping. Historic mapping also shows the site divided into four smaller fields, with the north-western area of the site in use as an orchard until the mid-20th century. 2.5 A geophysical survey of the current site was undertaken by Archaeological Surveys Ltd in March 2019 (AS 2019; see Fig. 2 of this report). In summary, several linear and discrete anomalies were identified in the western part of the site interpreted as pits or ditches. Further anomalies seemingly representing former field boundaries, land drains and ridge and furrow agriculture were identified in the eastern parts of the site. A number of small rectilinear enclosures were also identified at the southern limit of the site. 4 © Cotswold Archaeology Land South of Horwood Lane, Wickwar, South Gloucestershire: Archaeological Evaluation 2.6 A geophysical survey (Stratascan 2016) and trial-trench evaluation (CA 2018), undertaken directly to the north of the current site, identified evidence of ridge and furrow cultivation and a single undated ditch (ibid.). 3. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 3.1 The objectives of the evaluation were to provide information about the archaeological resource within the site, including its presence/absence, character, extent, date, integrity, state of preservation and quality, in accordance Standard and guidance: Archaeological field evaluation (CIfA 2014). This information will enable the SGC to identify and assess the significance of any heritage asset, consider the impact of the proposed development upon it, and to avoid or minimise conflict between the heritage asset’s conservation and any aspect of the development proposal, in line with the