| Title: |
Bristol Water plc Mains Replacement, Chesterblade. Archaeological Observations July-August 1997 |
| Number of Pages: |
26 |
| Biblio Note |
Please note that this is a bibliographic record only, as originally entered into the BIAB database.
The ADS have no files for download, and unfortunately cannot advise further on where to access hard copy or digital versions.
|
| Publication Type: |
Report
|
| Abstract: |
A watching brief was carried out during the laying of a replacement water main which passed through an area of earthworks. Romano-British and medieval material had been recorded in the surrounding area, and significant areas of ridge and furrow had been identified on aerial photographs. During the watching brief, it became apparent that the earthworks represented remnants of prior occupation. Three evaluation trenches were subsequently excavated within the already-stripped pipeline easement. Within Trench 1, the remnants of a yard associated with a building which had lain nearby in 1775 were noted, and a short length of an apparent structural wall was exposed. Trench 2 revealed a phase of 12th-14th century occupation, succeeded by a post-medieval demolition and boundary-building phase of the 16th or 17th century. Medieval features included a wall, a scoop, a shallow ditch, a cobbled surface and a stone revetment. An examination of aerial photographs and early maps suggested that the post-medieval features represented the remnants of a boundary enclosure extant in 1775 and 1840 but removed by 1886. A prominent bank within Trench 3 was found to contain evidence of a drystone wall. Medieval and post-medieval pottery were recovered from the make-up of the wall, suggesting that it was of post-medieval date. The bank formed the western boundary of an enclosure within which lay the assumed building identified in Trench 2. At the foot of the bank were traces of a shallow ditch. A similar bank at the southern end of Trench 3 lacked any evidence of a wall, although a ditch was present. This bank formed the western boundary of an enclosure which was parallel with that mentioned above. Substantial quantities of 12th-14th century pottery suggested the likelihood of a further building at the northern end of this enclosure. A general scatter of prehistoric material was observed throughout the plot of land containing the earthworks. Beyond the area subject to evaluation, a number of further but much abraded field boundaries were noted, all of which could be related to documented features, but none of which produced any datable material. All comprised earthen banks, and were assumed to have been of medieval origin. Elsewhere along the pipeline, small quantities of medieval and post-medieval pottery were recovered, and a scatter of prehistoric material was noted. It was concluded that the investigation had indicated the presence of extensive medieval occupation. The excavated evidence, combined with information from documentary sources, suggested that the area had been subject to several phases of occupational expansion, decline and revival between the 12th and 18th centuries before its final abandonment in the 19th century. [AIP] |
| Author: |
R A Broomhead
|
| Publisher: |
R A Broomhead
|
| Year of Publication: |
1998
|
| Subjects / Periods: |
|
MEDIEVAL
(Historic England Periods)
|
|
| 1775 (Auto Detected Temporal) |
|
PREHISTORIC
(Historic England Periods)
|
|
|
MEDIEVAL
(Historic England Periods)
|
|
| 18th Centuries (Auto Detected Temporal) |
|
MEDIEVAL
(Historic England Periods)
|
|
| 19th Century Aip (Auto Detected Temporal) |
| 12th14th Century (Auto Detected Temporal) |
|
| Note: |
Date Of Issue From:
1998
Date Of Coverage From:
01
Date Of Coverage To:
01
Editorial Expansion:
Site name: CHESTERBLADE, MAINS REPLACEMENT
Study area: 1.2km
Investigation type: Post-determination/Research
District: Mendip
Monument:
Ngr: ST65754170, ST65884083
Parish: Evercreech
Postcode: BA4 4QZ, BA4 4EQ
|
| Source: |
BIAB
(Archaeological Investigations Project (AIP))
|
| Created Date: |
18 Jan 2009 |
