Fosse Tillery Farm Fosse Way, Brokenborough, Wiltshire Archaeological Watching Brief for DMA Developments Ltd on behalf of Mr & Mrs P. Dear CA Project: 3705 CA Report: 12029 April 2012 Fosse Tillery Farm Fosse Way, Brokenborough Wiltshire Archaeological Watching Brief CA Project: 3705 CA Report: 12029 prepared by Sian Reynish, Project Supervisor and Alexandra Webster, Project Supervisor date 24 April 2012 checked by Richard Young, Project Manager date 24 April 2012 approved by Simon Cox, Head of Fieldwork signed date 24 April 2012 issue 01 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 Building 11, Kemble Enterprise Park, Kemble, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 6BQ t. 01285 771022 f. 01285 771033 e. [email protected] © Cotswold Archaeology Fosse Tillery Farm, Brokenborough, Wiltshire: Archaeological Watching Brief CONTENTS SUMMARY........................................................................................................................ 2 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................. 3 2. RESULTS (FIGS 2-3) .......................................................................................... 4 3. DISCUSSION....................................................................................................... 5 4. CA PROJECT TEAM ........................................................................................... 6 5. REFERENCES .................................................................................................... 6 APPENDIX A: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS ..................................................................... 8 APPENDIX B: THE FINDS ............................................................................................... 9 APPENDIX C: OASIS REPORT FORM............................................................................ 10 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Fig. 1 Site location plan (1:25,000) Fig. 2 The site, showing location of groundworks and archaeological feature (1:500 and 1:50) Fig. 3 Pit 103; section and photograph 1 © Cotswold Archaeology Fosse Tillery Farm, Brokenborough, Wiltshire: Archaeological Watching Brief SUMMARY Project Name: Fosse Tillery Farm Location: Fosse Way, Brokenborough, Wiltshire NGR: ST 9097 8953 Type: Watching Brief Date: 2-3 February 2012 Planning Reference: 11/01325/FUL Location of Archive: To be deposited with Wiltshire Heritage Museum Site Code: FTF 12 An archaeological watching brief was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology during groundworks associated with the construction of a horse arena (menage) at Fosse Tillery Farm, Fosse Way, Brokenborough, Wiltshire. A single pit/posthole was identified during the groundworks. This contained 90 sherds of Late Bronze Age to Early Iron Age pottery and poorly-preserved fragments of cattle long bones. 2 © Cotswold Archaeology Fosse Tillery Farm, Brokenborough, Wiltshire: Archaeological Watching Brief 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 In February 2012 Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological watching brief at the request of DMA Developments Ltd on behalf of Mr & Mrs P. Dear at Fosse Tillery Farm, Fosse Way, Brokenborough, Wiltshire (centred at NGR: ST 9097 8953; Fig. 1). The watching brief was undertaken to fulfil a condition attached to a planning consent granted by Wiltshire Council (WC) for the construction of a horse arena (menage) (Planning ref: 11/01325/FUL). The objective of the watching brief was to record all archaeological remains exposed during the development. 1.2 The watching brief was recommended by Melanie Pomeroy-Kellinger, County Archaeologist, WC and carried out in accordance with a detailed Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) produced by CA (2012) and approved by Melanie Pomeroy- Kellinger. The fieldwork also followed the Standard and Guidance for an archaeological watching brief (IfA 2008), the Statement of Standards and Practices Appropriate for Archaeological Fieldwork in Wiltshire (Wiltshire County Council 1995), the Management of Archaeological Projects 2 (English Heritage 1991), the Management of Research Projects in the Historic Environment (MORPHE): Project Manager’s Guide (English Heritage 2006). The site 1.3 The proposed development comprises an area of agricultural land immediately south of the lane linking Brokenborough with the Fosse Way. The site encloses an area of 894.6m2 and lies at approximately 95m AOD. The solid geology comprises mudstone and limestone of the Forest Marble Formation (BGS 2012). A limestone brash was encountered over much of the site. Archaeological background 1.4 Archaeological interest in the site arises principally from its proximity to the Roman Fosse Way, and from the identification during a preceding geophysical survey in the vicinity of a number of archaeological features including part of an enclosure and possible settlement features (Pomeroy-Kellinger, pers. comm). 3 © Cotswold Archaeology Fosse Tillery Farm, Brokenborough, Wiltshire: Archaeological Watching Brief 1.5 The Wiltshire Council Historic Environment Record (HER) also records a number of archaeological sites in the vicinity. An enclosure and features are visible as cropmarks immediately to the south of the site (HER ST98NW603). It is not clear if these are the same features identified in the geophysical survey. A scatter of medieval pottery (HER ST98NW471) was found in the same location in 1983. A further scatter of medieval pottery was found to the north-west during the same project (HER ST98NW472). In 2000 roman pottery, tile, a hobnail and some daub were found immediately to the south of the site (HER ST98NW311). An undated circular cropmark is visible to the north-west of the site (HER ST98NW608) and a bronze age thumbnail scraper was found in the vicinity of these cropmarks in 2000 (HER ST98NW151). Methodology 1.6 The fieldwork followed the methodology set out within the WSI (CA 2012). An archaeologist was present during intrusive groundworks comprising the removal of topsoil and subsoil within the horse arena (menage) (Fig. 2). 1.7 Where archaeological deposits were encountered written, graphic and photographic records were compiled in accordance with CA Technical Manual 1: Fieldwork Recording Manual (2007). 1.8 The archive and artefacts from the evaluation are currently held by CA at their offices in Kemble. Subject to the agreement of the legal landowner the artefacts will be deposited with Wiltshire Heritage Museum along with the site archive. A summary of information from this project, set out within Appendix D, will be entered onto the OASIS online database of archaeological projects in Britain. 2. RESULTS (FIGS 2-3) 2.1 The natural geological substrate 102, consisting of a light to mid yellowish brown limestone brash, was revealed at an average depth of 0.3m below present ground level (bpgl). This was overlain by mid yellowish brown clayey silt subsoil 101, and dark greyish brown clayey silt topsoil 100. 4 © Cotswold Archaeology Fosse Tillery Farm, Brokenborough, Wiltshire: Archaeological Watching Brief 2.2 Pit 103, was identified towards the north-western corner of the site. It was cut into the natural substrate and contained two fills, 104 and 105 (lower and upper fills respectively). Both were similar in composition however fill 104 contained considerably more stones. Sherds of Late Bronze Age to Early Iron Age pottery were recovered from both fills along with poorly-preserved fragments of cattle long bones. The majority of the animal bones were recovered from fill 105. The Finds and Palaeoenvironmental Evidence 2.3 The finds assemblage recovered from the watching brief is summarised in Appendix B. The pottery assemblage consisted of 90 sherds weighing 788g. Forty-five fragments of animal bone were also present. The assemblage was recovered from two stratified deposits, the fills of a single pit, and could be dated from the Late Bronze Age to the Early Iron Age. The level of preservation was good with the majority of sherds displaying negligible levels of abrasion. The pottery 2.4 The pottery from deposits 104 and 105 consisted of sherds in a fossiliferous limestone-tempered fabric. Identifiable forms included a vessel, probably a jar, with an everted rim with internal thickening and a second featuring an upright, simple rim. Sherds from a carinated vessel, possibly a bowl, were also recorded. All of the pottery was identified as material dating from the Late Bronze Age to Early Iron Age and compares to previously recorded material from archaeological investigations in Malmesbury (Brown 2006 and McSloy 2011). Other artefacts 2.5 Forty five fragments of animal bone were recorded from deposits 104 and 105, the majority (42 fragments) from fill 105. All comprise poorly-preserved fragments of cattle long bones from which no further information could be derived. 3. DISCUSSION 3.1 Pit 103 contained 90 sherds of Late Bronze Age to Early Iron Age pottery with identifiable forms including a jar and a carinated bowl. This material was spread equally between the two fills and suggests that deposition occurred within a limited 5 © Cotswold Archaeology Fosse Tillery Farm, Brokenborough, Wiltshire: Archaeological Watching Brief timescale. It is possible that the pit was utilised as a rubbish pit with material