| Title: |
Evaluation at Queens Drive, Swindon |
| Series: |
Oxford Archaeological Unit unpublished report series
|
| Downloads: |
|
oxfordar1-513909_209463.pdf (6 MB)
:
|
Download
|
|
| Biblio Note |
This report was uploaded to the OASIS system by the named Publisher. The report has been transferred into the ADS Library for public access and to facilitate future research.
|
| Licence Type: |
ADS Terms of Use and Access
|
| DOI |
|
| Publication Type: |
Report (in Series)
|
| Abstract: |
Trenches and spoil heaps were contained with Heras anti-climb fencing to protect members of the public. Trench locations were CAT scanned prior to a during excavation. The trenches were excavated using an appropriately powered mechanical excavator fitted with a toothless bucket under the direct supervision of an archaeologist. Spoil was stored adjacent to, but in a safe distance from trench edges. Machining was continued in even spits down to the top of the undisturbed natural geology. The exposed surface was sufficiently cleaned to establish the presence and absence of archaeological remains. A sample of each feature or deposit type, for example furrows, was excavated and recorded. The trenches were backfilled after agreement with the Archaeological Advisor to Swindon Borough Council. All features and deposits were issued with unique context numbers, and context recording was in accordance with established best practice and the OA Field Manual. Bulk finds were collected by context. Digital photos were taken of deposits, trenches and evaluation work in general, and will form part of the project archive. Plans were drawn at an appropriate scale. Section drawings were drawn at a scale of 1:20 and 1m wide sample sections of stratigraphy was drawn at a scale of 1:10. All section drawings were located on the appropriate plans. The absolute height (m. OD) of all principal strata and features, and the section datum lines were calculated and indicated on the drawings. In June 2019 Oxford Archaeology was commissioned by Willmott Dixon on behalf of Swindon Borough Council to undertake an archaeological evaluation at Queens Drive, Swindon. The site comprises approximately 1.4 hectares of land centred at National Grid Reference SU 16970 83487, on the eastern side of the A4259 approximately 1.6km to the south-east of Swindon town centre. The site is proposed as the location for 100 new apartments with associated landscape and storage. The evaluation involved the excavation of six trenches, two measuring 20m by 1.8m, and four measuring 15m by 1.8m. The results of the evaluation showed no significant archaeological remains within the area of investigation. The northern three trenches, trenches 1, 2 and 6, indicate a high level of modern disturbance in this half of the site. No archaeological features except for two plough furrows were present within any of the trenches in the investigation. The furrows in Trench 5 indicate that this part of the site is relatively undisturbed, but without any archaeology of significance present. The modern disturbances in Trenches 1, 2 and 6 seem to indicate that the northern half of the site was largely disturbed during the erection of the current buildings or during their subsequent maintenance. Trenches 3 and 4 in the south western part of the site were entirely blank. The only archaeological find recovered was a short piece of very abraded clay pipe stem from fill 504 of furrow 503 in trench 5. It dated from the late 17th to the early 18th century. |
| Author: |
Robert McIntosh
Gerry Thacker
|
| Publisher: |
Oxford Archaeology
|
| Other Person/Org: |
Wiltshire and Swindon HER (OASIS Reviewer)
|
| Year of Publication: |
2019
|
| Locations: |
| Parish: |
Central Swindon South |
| County: |
Wiltshire |
| Country: |
England |
| County: |
Swindon |
| District: |
Swindon |
|
Grid Reference: 416969, 183486 (Easting, Northing)
|
|
| Subjects / Periods: |
|
| Identifiers: |
| OASIS Id: |
oxfordar1-513909 |
|
| Source: |
|
| Relations: |
|
| Created Date: |
30 Nov 2023 |
