LAND AT CLACKERS BROOK EAST MELKSHAM WILTSHIRE Post-Excavation Assessment and Updated Project Design for CgMs Consulting on behalf of Brookbanks Consulting and clients CA Project: 9107 CA Report: 11034 February 2012 Clackers Brook, East Melksham, Wiltshire: Post-Excavation and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology CONTENTS SUMMARY........................................................................................................................6 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................. 7 Location ............................................................................................................... 7 Archaeological background.................................................................................. 7 2. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES .................................................................................... 8 3. METHODOLOGY................................................................................................. 9 4. RESULTS ............................................................................................................ 11 Fieldwork summary.............................................................................................. 11 Period 1 (Neolithic/Early Bronze Age) ................................................................. 11 Period 2 (later prehistoric to early medieval period) ............................................ 11 Period 3 (11th to 13th centuries).......................................................................... 12 Period 4 (post-medieval)...................................................................................... 13 Stratigraphic Record: factual data........................................................................ 14 Stratigraphic record: statement of potential ......................................................... 14 Artefactual record: factual data ............................................................................ 15 Artefactual record: statement of potential ............................................................ 16 Biological record: factual data.............................................................................. 17 Biological record: statement of potential .............................................................. 19 5. SUMMARY STATEMENT OF POTENTIAL......................................................... 20 6. STORAGE AND CURATION ............................................................................... 21 7. UPDATED AIMS AND OBJECTIVES .................................................................. 21 8. PUBLICATION ..................................................................................................... 24 Publication synopsis ............................................................................................ 24 3 Clackers Brook, East Melksham, Wiltshire: Post-Excavation and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology 9. PROJECT TEAM ................................................................................................. 26 10. TASK LIST ........................................................................................................... 27 11. TIMETABLE ......................................................................................................... 28 13. REFERENCES .................................................................................................... 29 APPENDIX 1: STRATIGRAPHIC ASSESSMENT BY JÖRN SCHUSTER AND PETER DAVENPORT.................................................................................................................... 32 APPENDIX 2: POTTERY BY ANGELA AGGUJARO ....................................................... 33 APPENDIX 3: METALWORK AND WORKED BONE BY ED MCSLOY........................... 37 APPENDIX 4: WORKED FLINT BY ED MCSLOY............................................................ 40 APPENDIX 5: OTHER FINDS BY ED MCSLOY .............................................................. 41 APPENDIX 6: METALLURGICAL RESIDUES BY DAVID DUNGWORTH....................... 43 APPENDIX 7: HUMAN REMAINS BY JONNY GEBER.................................................... 48 APPENDIX 8: ANIMAL BONES BY JONNY GEBER ....................................................... 50 APPENDIX 9: PLANT MACROFOSSIL AND CHARCOAL REMAINS BY SARAH COBAIN ......................................................................................................... 55 4 Clackers Brook, East Melksham, Wiltshire: Post-Excavation and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Fig. 1 Site location plan (1:25,000) Fig. 2 Site location plan, showing areas of excavation and archaeological features (1:2,000) Fig. 3 Plan of Area 1 (1:500) Fig. 4 Plan of Area 2A (1:250) Fig. 5 Plan of Areas 2B and 2C (1:500) Fig. 6 Sample excavation across linear hollow 1009 and ditch 1035, looking west Fig. 7 Section of linear hollow 1009 and ditch 1035 (1:50) Fig. 8 The barbed-and-tanged arrow head in situ in animal burial pit 1268. Scale 0.2m Fig. 9 The inhumation in Area 2B. Scale 1m Fig. 10 The heavily burnt pit 1127, three-quarters excavated. Scale 1m Fig. 11 Scoop 1133 with stone blocks. Scales 1m 5 Clackers Brook, East Melksham, Wiltshire: Post-Excavation and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology SUMMARY Site Name: Clackers Brook Location: East Melksham, Wiltshire NGR: TS 9188 6382 Type: Excavation Date: March to August 2010 Planning Reference: 04/01895/OUTES Location of archive: To be deposited with Wiltshire Heritage Museum Site Code: CBM10 A programme of archaeological investigation was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology in April and July to August 2010 at Clackers Brook, East Melksham, Wiltshire. Three areas were excavated across the development area, split into five stripped areas in all. The great majority of features excavated were of the 11th to 13th centuries, with evidence of iron production and probably ironworking. There was no clear evidence of domestic occupation, perhaps because the site had been heavily truncated. An animal burial with a barbed-and- tanged flint arrowhead suggests Early Bronze Age activity. A single human inhumation contained a medieval potsherd, but this is considered most likely to be intrusive and the burial to be of Roman or early medieval date. This document presents a quantification and assessment of the evidence recovered from the excavation. It considers the evidence collectively in its local, regional and national context, and presents an updated project design for a programme of post-excavation analysis to bring the results to appropriate publication. 6 Clackers Brook, East Melksham, Wiltshire: Post-Excavation and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 During March/April and July/August 2010 Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological excavation of two areas of land (Areas 1 and 2) at Clackers Brook, (centred on NGR: TS 9188 6382; Fig. 1). The programme of archaeological work was undertaken at the request of CgMs Consulting (on behalf of Brookbanks Consulting and clients) as a condition of planning consent granted by West Wiltshire District Council (WWDC) for residential development (04/01895/OUTES). There was no formal brief but, following discussions between CgMs and Susan Farr (Assistant Archaeologist at Wiltshire County Council Archaeological Service) a detailed Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) was produced by CgMs (2007). The WSI was subsequently approved by WWDC acting on Ms Farr’s advice. The fieldwork also followed the Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Field Evaluation issued by the Institute of Field Archaeologists (2008), Statement of Standards and Practices Appropriate for Archaeological Fieldwork in Wiltshire (WCC 1995), the Management of Archaeological Projects 2 (English Heritage 1991), and the Management of Research Projects in the Historic Environment (MORPHE): Project Manager’s Guide (EH 2006). It was monitored through site visits by Melanie Pomeroy-Kellinger, David Vaughan and Claire King of Wiltshire Council Archaeology Service. Location 1.2 The site is located immediately east of the edge of the built up area of Melksham (Fig. 1). It lies at between 35 and 40m AOD, with the ground level dropping away to the south. Area 1 is located on the north-west side and the highest part of the site, in an area of former arable farmland. Area 2 is located to either side of a tributary stream to the north of Clackers Brook close to Little Snarlton Farm (Fig. 2). 1.3 The underlying geology of the area is mapped as Oxford Clay of the Upper Jurassic period (BGS 1990). 1.4 The site had been arable, but had been left fallow at the time of excavation. Archaeological background 1.5 The archaeological potential of the site is summarised in an Environmental Impact Assessment (Dawson 2004). In summary, geophysical survey (GSB 2004) and trial trenching evaluation carried out in 2004 (OA 2004) revealed evidence for linear boundaries and ironworking (probably smelting), both of probable medieval date. 7 Clackers Brook, East Melksham, Wiltshire: Post-Excavation and Updated Project Design © Cotswold Archaeology Two areas of archaeological potential were identified from the geophysical survey, in the north-west corner of the site (Area 1), and at the eastern end (Area 2), where hollows, a wall foundation and floor/yard surfaces were also identified during the trial trench evaluation (Fig. 2 and 4). 1.6 A post-medieval wall and associated stone slab