| Abstract: |
The fieldwork methodology is presented in detail in the WSI, which was approved by the Council’s archaeological officer prior to the start of the investigations, and followed national guidelines (CIfA 2014) and OA’s standard approach to excavation and recording. Key elements are;
5 trench evaluation with a 30m buffer zone established around identified badger setts
Within the areas specified for excavation, the existing topsoil was mechanically
stripped under archaeological control, and underlying subsoil removed in
successive spits, of appropriate depth, using a toothless ditching bucket, until either
the first archaeological horizon was encountered, or the natural drift geology identified. This exposed surface and all archaeological features was then digitally planned.Deposits were hand excavated. In January and February 2022, Oxford Archaeology undertook the third phase
of evaluation, immediately followed by targeted excavation, of a site at
Perryfields Road, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire. Both evaluation and
excavation targeted geophysical anomalies and were informed by earlier
phases of evaluation. The work was undertaken on behalf of EDP, for Taylor
Wimpey. Archaeological activity was concentrated in the north-east part of
the site, with the three excavation areas and one of the evaluation trenches
revealing a sequence of elongate pits and short lengths of ditch, interpreted
as a pit alignment running NE–SW. The excavation was notable for the notable
amount of early Iron Age pottery recovered from features within two of the
excavation areas. This was associated with quantities of fire-cracked stone and
charred plant remains, both indicative of nearby settlement. A radiocarbon
date probably belonging to the second half of the 5th century cal BC confirms
this phasing, providing uncommon settlement evidence of this date in the region.
Beyond this focus for activity, archaeological features were limited, with
evaluation trenches further to the south and west of the pit alignment
revealing only isolated, sterile pit and ditch features within two of the
trenches. |
