| Abstract: |
Five trenches, numbered 1 - 5 inclusive, were positioned within the development area, avoiding
extant former school buildings and, where possible, live services These were targeted evenly on the area of impact of the proposed buildings and landscaping (as shown on MBA
drawing No.334.2/010F as supplied by James Donlon). Trenches orientated broadly E-Wwere
aligned perpendicular to the alignment of an historic stream running down the eastern side of the
site. The eastern end of Trenches 3 and 4 were excavated as close as possible to the western
bank of the stream to evaluate the potential for timber or stone revetment, or associated
structures.
Where hard standing was present, this was broken out using a hydraulic breaker attached to a
JCB{ype machine excavator. A toothless ditching/grading bucket was then fitted and used to
excavate the five trenches. Machine excavation proceeded in spits no greater that 0.20m thick to
the first significant archaeological horizon or natural geology (whichever was encountered first)
under close archaeological supervision. Where truncation from the construction of the school had
not occurred, the first potentially significant horizon comprised a colluvial soil. The top of this
deposit was exposed and, where no archaeological features were apparent, the deposit then
removed to the top of the underlying natural geology.
ln February 2010 Oxford Archaeology returned to the site and extended trench 1, 6.30m to the
south-east. This involved excavating through the historic stream running down the eastern side
of the site, to evaluate the potential for timber or stone revetment, or associated features. The
depth of the ditches was determined by three auger holes located on the base of the trench. ln June, Oxford Archaeology (OA) carried out an archaeological evaluation at the
former Bartlemas Nursey School, off cowley Raod, oxford (sp 524 055). The work
was commrssioned by Marcus Beale Architects Ltd (MBA) on behalf of Oriet College,
and was intended to inform a planning application for the proposed redevelopment of
the site. The evaluation revealed natural geotogy comprising lJpper Oxford Ctay,
which was overlain by a colluvial soil which may represent a buried ptoughsoil.
Two noñh-south aligned linear features produced post-medieval artefactual evidence,
and are likely to represent a precursor to the system of ceramic fietd drains on the
same alignment, which was also evident in a number of the trenches.
Evidence for 2dh century landscaping of the natural topography of thesrte, assocrafed
with the construction of the existing school buitdings in the 1g50s, was a/so obserued.
The evidence recovered probabty reflects the agricultural use of the site prior to the
construction of the school, possibty on marginal land on the periphery of Cowtey
Marsh, as indicated on a number of cartographic sources.
No evidence for features or deposifs pre-dating the 1ïth century was revealed within
the trenches.
ln February 2010, Oxford Archaeology (OA) returned to the site, with the aim to extend
Trench 1 over the present day draining ditch, bounding the Eastern extent of the site,
and to retrieve if possible, any datable material.
The western extent of a ditch, and re-cut was found, and both contained 20th century
material. |
