| Abstract: |
A total of four evaluation trenches were excavated within the site, as shown in
Figure 2. The trenches were located in order to provide a representative
sample of the areas likely to be affected by the emerging development
proposal. Due to the presence of Japanese knotweed, it was necessary to
amend the location of Trench 3. All amendments to the approved trench plan
were agreed with the archaeological representative of South Gloucestershire
Council. The evaluation has identified a moderately complex sequence of features and
deposits. These included a shallow feature cut by a later ditch; possible stone
wall footings, which were associated with a spread of stone rubble; three small
pits, one of which cut the wall footings, as well as part of a possible ditch,
which was situated beneath a possible yard surface associated with a stone
filled drain.
The recovered artefact assemblage was dominated by Roman pottery, which
suggested that some of these features could have dated to the Roman period;
however, due to the proximity of the Roman town, and a consequently high
potential for the presence of residual material, it was not possible to be entirely
confident of a Roman date. A small assemblage of Medieval pottery suggested that activity related to a former farm depicted on early maps, may have
extended back to the 12th to 14th centuries.
The occurrence of metallurgical residues and charcoal rich fills suggested that
industrial activity, possibly smithing, had occurred in, or near to, the northern
part of the site, in the area around Trenches 1 to 3. A small amount of
associated artefactual evidence suggested that this activity dated to the
Medieval period, although, due to the limited nature of the evidence, this date
remained tentative, and it was not possible to entirely rule out a Roman date
for this activity.
Due to the limited nature of the investigation, along with the relative
complexity of the encountered deposits and a high potential for the occurrence
of residual Roman artefacts, it was difficult to confidently assign specific dates
to the revealed features. However, it is entirely possible that at least some of
the remains may have been of Roman date and, therefore, related to the
Roman town situated to the north. There was also a potential that some of the
features and deposits may have been related to earlier phases of the farm
depicted on early maps, which possibly dated back to 12th to 14th centuries. |
