| Abstract: |
An evaluation was carried out by Wessex Archaeology on land at the Peugeot Citroen Stoke Plant, Coventry. Although both evaluation areas (A and B) had moderate to high potential for medieval settlement remains (based on earlier research of cartographic, historic and aerial photograph evidence), no archaeological deposits, features or artefacts pre-dating the early 20th century were recorded. A visual and metal detector survey of the spoilheaps did not recover any artefacts of note. The south-eastern part of Area A showed that in some places in situ topsoil/subsoil horizons were buried beneath modern dumped material, including redeposited natural clay that had obviously been disturbed locally. The same sequence of quarrying, dumping and burying of in situ soil horizons was recorded in excavations at Carter Road, bordering the east of the site, suggesting that this activity was widespread. Although most (11) of the trenches in Area A contained in situ subsoil deposits buried by modern dumping, no pre-20th century archaeological features or artefacts were recorded sealed below the recent horizons. The concrete slab of the car factory workshop floor over Area B directly overlay modern hardcore layers which in turn rested directly on natural alluvial clay. This, taken with the sharp change in the natural slope of this part of the site, suggests that extensive modern terracing associated with the development of the car factory had removed the original soil profile and thus any archaeological evidence. Overall, in both areas, there was much modern disturbance associated with factory or house construction, quarrying, and associated dumping, and truncation of the original soil profile has probably removed any archaeological evidence that may have existed. However, the lack of any residual material pre-dating the early 20th century suggests that, unless it was wholly removed during the various modern disturbances, it was not originally present. |
