Boothroyd, J. and Smith, K. (2022). Evaluation at Bridgwater Tidal Barrier, Phase 2. Oxford: Oxford Archaeology. https://doi.org/10.5284/1109300. Cite this using datacite

Title
Title
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Title:		 Evaluation at Bridgwater Tidal Barrier, Phase 2
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Series:		 Oxford Archaeological Unit unpublished report series
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Downloads:
oxfordar1-514838_210522.pdf (12 MB) : Download
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DOI
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DOI
https://doi.org/10.5284/1109300
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Publication Type:		 Report (in Series)
Abstract
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Abstract:		 A total of 241 trenches each measuring 25m long and between 1.6m and 1.8m wide were excavated. This is slightly fewer than the 249 specified in the WSI as Trenches 221-225, 227, 228, 231 and 251 were either descoped from the works or the proposed locations were inaccessible due to environmental constraints. The trenches were located to target key construction impacts and were also based on the result of the geophysical surveys (Sumo 2018 and MS 2021) and information from the Somerset HER and background research. In addition to the trial trenches, a series of 54 geotechnical test-pits were excavated within the borrow pit areas and were monitored by a geoarchaeologist. The results of the geotechnical test-pits and the trial trenches will be used to construct a deposit model. The types of recording undertaken by the geoarchaeologist included an overlapping sequence of monoliths, 40 litre bulk samples and incremental samples of 2 litres. The trenches were laid out within the site at the position shown in the WSI by GPS with sub-15mm accuracy. The trenches were then excavated using a 360° tracked excavator equipped with a toothless grading bucket down to a depth of 1m, under constant supervision by an experienced archaeologist. All topsoil, subsoil or colluvial deposits were removed in spits under supervision down to either the first significant archaeological horizon, to the top of the natural geology or a maximum safe-working depth of 1m. Where archaeological features and/or deposits were encountered a representative selection of these were hand excavated to establish their nature, extent, date, complexity, state of preservation and horizontal and vertical limits within the trench. All archaeological features and deposits were planned and the sample that were excavated were recorded to standards in line with current best practice. The work included the recording of individual contexts in plan using GPS; section drawings of appropriate single contexts and features (at 1:20 or 1:10 scales as deemed appropriate). A photographic record was made for each trench and excavated feature. Recovered artefacts were recorded and bagged by individual context. Oxford Archaeology was commissioned by Kier Infrastructure on behalf of the Environment Agency and in consultation with Atkins to undertake a trial trench evaluation as part of the archaeological works associated with the development of the Bridgwater Tidal Barrier. The evaluation comprised 241 trenches and 54 geotechnical test pits which were located across several areas. In the western part of the site, this included Chilton Trinity Borrow Pit and a haul road which stretched from the western to the eastern part of the site. In the eastern part of the site, trenches were located within Pims Pill North and South and Wildmarsh Rhyne Borrow Pits. Two further areas to the north and adjacent to the River Parrett were subjected to geotechnical test pits. This included Fenlyns Clyce Borrow Pit to the north-west and Pawlett Reach Borrow Pit to the north-east. A geophysical survey identified a number of linear and sinuous features were recorded across the site, and these were targeted by the evaluation. The 54 geotechnical test pits have highlighted the potential for organic and peaty soils to survive at several metres depth below the surface, buried below tidal and freshwater alluvial deposits. This suggests that there may be high potential for paleoenvironmental and perhaps early prehistoric remains. It is probable that there was a small middle-late Iron Age settlement in the area of Chilton Trinity Borrow Pit, Trenches 43-53, as a handful of ditches in this area contained later Iron Age pottery.
Author
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Author:		 John Boothroyd
Kirsty Smith
Publisher
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Publisher:		 Oxford Archaeology
Year of Publication
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Year of Publication:		 2022
Locations
Locations
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Locations:
County: Somerset
District: Sedgemoor
Parish: Chilton Trinity
Country: England
Grid Reference: 329499, 139899 (Easting, Northing)
Subjects / Periods
Subjects / Periods
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Subjects / Periods:
DITCH (Monument Type England)
ROMAN PIT (Tag)
CARVED OBJECT (Object England)
TREE THROW (Monument Type England)
UNCERTAIN POND (Tag)
OYSTER SHELL (Object England)
ANIMAL REMAINS (Object England)
MEDIEVAL ANIMAL REMAINS (Tag)
POST MEDIEVAL DITCH (Tag)
HUMAN REMAINS (Object England)
ROMAN HUMAN REMAINS (Tag)
UNCERTAIN CARVED OBJECT (Tag)
UNCERTAIN DITCH (Tag)
SLAG (Object England)
ROMAN SHERD (Tag)
MIDDLE IRON AGE PIT (Tag)
HOB NAIL (Object England)
UNCERTAIN SLAG (Tag)
UNCERTAIN WORKED OBJECT (Tag)
CLAY PIPE (SMOKING) (Object England)
UNCERTAIN PIT (Tag)
PLANT REMAINS (Object England)
EVALUATION (Event)
MEDIEVAL PIT (Tag)
MEDIEVAL NAIL (Tag)
POST MEDIEVAL KNIFE (Tag)
POST MEDIEVAL FINGER RING (Tag)
POND (Monument Type England)
FINGER RING (Object England)
CERAMIC (Object England)
SPADE (Object England)
WORKED OBJECT (Object England)
RING DITCH (Monument Type England)
LATE IRON AGE BROOCH (Tag)
STAKE HOLE (Monument Type England)
MEDIEVAL SHERD (Tag)
POST HOLE (Monument Type England)
NAIL (Object England)
MEDIEVAL TREE THROW (Tag)
WHETSTONE (Object England)
MIDDLE IRON AGE ANIMAL REMAINS (Tag)
UNCERTAIN WHETSTONE (Tag)
POST MEDIEVAL CERAMIC (Tag)
ROMAN CERAMIC (Tag)
UNCERTAIN HOB NAIL (Tag)
MEDIEVAL RING DITCH (Tag)
MEDIEVAL DITCH (Tag)
PIT (Monument Type England)
KNIFE (Object England)
POST MEDIEVAL OYSTER SHELL (Tag)
ROMAN PLANT REMAINS (Tag)
BROOCH (Object England)
MIDDLE IRON AGE DITCH (Tag)
POST MEDIEVAL HORSESHOE (Tag)
POST MEDIEVAL SHERD (Tag)
ROMAN DITCH (Tag)
POST MEDIEVAL CLAY PIPE (SMOKING) (Tag)
UNCERTAIN POST HOLE (Tag)
HORSESHOE (Object England)
SHERD (Object England)
MEDIEVAL PLANT REMAINS (Tag)
UNCERTAIN STAKE HOLE (Tag)
UNCERTAIN RING DITCH (Tag)
POST MEDIEVAL ANIMAL REMAINS (Tag)
UNCERTAIN SPADE (Tag)
ROMAN OYSTER SHELL (Tag)
LATE IRON AGE (Historic England Periods)
ROMAN (Historic England Periods)
MIDDLE IRON AGE (Historic England Periods)
MEDIEVAL (Historic England Periods)
POST MEDIEVAL (Historic England Periods)
UNCERTAIN (Historic England Periods)
Identifiers
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Identifiers:
OASIS Id: oxfordar1-514838
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OASIS (OASIS)
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Created Date
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Created Date:		 07 Jul 2023