| Title: |
A41 Aston Clinton Bypass. An Archaeological Evaluation |
| Number of Pages: |
106 |
| 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.
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| Publication Type: |
Report
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| Abstract: |
An archaeological evaluation was undertaken along the proposed route of the A41 Aston Clinton Bypass. Four areas along the route corridor were archaeologically trenched (805m in total). Site A comprised 250m of trenches adjacent to a scheduled medieval moated site at Vatches Farm. No archaeological features or finds were encountered. Site B comprised the excavation of 7 trenches either side of the B489 road (the reputed line of the ancient Lower Icknield Way). Previous fieldwalking on the west side of the B489 road had produced evidence for a Roman and possibly also Iron Age settlement here. The data was supplemented by geophysical survey which demonstrated the existence of linear features and other anomalies of potential interest. The trial trenching demonstrated the existence of Late Iron Age ditches containing both domestic finds and evidence of iron smelting to the west of and parallel with the existing road. Other trenches produced Roman finds and features, including pits and ditches, some of which were probably dated by these Roman finds. Trench 7 produced a particularly dense concentration of pits most of which produced Roman finds. However, the pottery assessment concluded that the majority of these pits also produced sherds of early Saxon pottery. This evidence suggested that a small scale Late Iron Age and Roman occupation site, almost certainly in the form of a farmstead, was later utilised by incoming Saxons for habitation. Whether there was direct continuity between late Romano-British occupants and the Saxon settlers was not clear at this stage. Site C, further to the east of site B, comprised a single trench which was designed to test a geophysical anomaly. The feature was found to be a hollow of relatively recent date. Site D comprised three trenches on higher, well drained ground, at the south eastern end of the bypass corridor near Tring. A slight trace of a linear feature on the geophysical survey was located within Trench 12. The ditch was heavily truncated but contained a complete (though crushed) Late Iron Age pot. The ditch probably functioned as a land division/field boundary in the Late Iron Age, and implied that the land was cleared for agriculture in this area. No other dateable features were found and it was therefore unlikely that Site D was intensively settled. The pottery vessel may have been deliberately placed at the base of the ditch as a votive offering. [Au(abr)] |
| Author: |
RPS Group Ltd
|
| Publisher: |
RPS Group Ltd
|
| Year of Publication: |
2000
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| Locations: |
| Location - Auto Detected: |
Vatches Farm |
|
| Subjects / Periods: |
| Medieval (Auto Detected Temporal) |
|
EARLY MEDIEVAL
(Historic England Periods)
|
|
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LATE IRON AGE
(Historic England Periods)
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| Iron Age (Auto Detected Temporal) |
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ROMAN
(Historic England Periods)
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| Saxon (Auto Detected Temporal) |
|
| Note: |
Date Of Issue From:
2000
Date Of Coverage From:
01
Date Of Coverage To:
01
Editorial Expansion:
Site name: A41 ASTON CLINTON BYPASS
Study area:
Investigation type: Evaluation
District: Aylesbury Vale
Monument: PIT. Early Medieval (410-1066), HOLLOW. Undated, GULLY. Undated, FEATURE. Early Medieval (410-1066), DITCH. Undated, PIT. Undated, PIT. Late Iron Age, PIT. Medieval (1066-1540), DITCH. Late Iron Age, POST HOLE. Undated, RIDGE AND FURROW. Undated, [finds].
Ngr: SP87501250
Parish: Aston Clinton
Postcode: HP225ES
|
| Source: |
BIAB
(Archaeological Investigations Project (AIP))
|
| Created Date: |
19 Jan 2009 |
