1116100. Cite this using datacite

Title:

Evaluation at Land East of the A419, Kingsdown, Swindon, Wiltshire

Series:

Oxford Archaeological Unit unpublished report series

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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

https://doi.org/10.5284/1116100

Publication Type:

Report (in Series)

Abstract:

The trenches were laid out using a GPS with sub 50mm accuracy. Minor adjustments to the original positions of Trenches 38, 42 and 44 were required due to the presence of overhead electricity cables. Trench 37 was shortened in length slightly due to the presence of a live service. Trench 98 was extended slightly to pick up an anomaly from the geophysical survey. Trench locations were scanned with a Cable Avoidance Tool (CAT scanner) prior to and during excavation. The trenches were excavated using an appropriately powered mechanical excavator fitted with a toothless ditching bucket under the direct supervision of an archaeologist. Spoil was stored adjacent to, but at a safe distance from, trench edges. Machining continued in spits down to the top of the undisturbed natural geology or the first archaeological horizon depending upon which was encountered first. Once archaeological deposits had been exposed, further excavation proceeded by hand. 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. Small finds and samples were allocated unique numbers. Bulk finds were collected by context. Digital photos were taken of any archaeological features, deposits, trenches and evaluation work in general. Plans were drawn at an appropriate scale with larger scale plans of features as necessary. Section drawings of features were drawn at a scale of 1:20. All section drawings were located on the appropriate plan. The absolute height (mOD) of all principal strata and features, and the section datum lines, were calculated and indicated on the drawings. The trench and sample sections were located using either a GPS unit or total station. Co‐ordinates relative to Ordnance Survey and Ordnance Datum were obtained for each sampling location. The majority of revealed features were sample excavated, unless with the agreement of the Wiltshire County Archaeologist. Where features were undated then greater levels of hand excavation than outlined in the agreed WSI were undertaken, including 100% excavation of some smaller features. Upon agreement with the Wiltshire County Archaeologist, the trenches were backfilled. During September and October 2018 Oxford Archaeology undertook a trial trench evaluation comprising 105 trenches targeted on geophysical anomalies at land at Kingsdown to the north‐east of Swindon, Wiltshire (centred on NGR SU 15763 89598). The site is bisected by the Bythemill Brook, and to the north of this the only dated features were a Roman posthole, a medieval ditch and a post‐medieval ditch. A number of struck flints were recovered from topsoil and subsoil layers in the trenches immediately to the north of the brook, but none were present in features, and no associated in situ archaeology was identified. To the south of the Brook, features of Iron Age date, including a ditch, pit and posthole, were present in Trenches 68 and 69 within the centre of the site. These trenches also contained substantial ditches related to a sub‐rectangular enclosure with an eastern entrance, which was identified by the geophysics. The enclosure proved to be of Roman date and contained a single instance of cremated human bone, and donkey bone. To the south of the Roman enclosure, a ditch identified from the geophysical survey was investigated by Trenches 74 and 75. A single sherd of pottery recovered from its fill suggests that the ditch may be of early Anglo‐Saxon date. Within the southern part of the site, Trench 99 contained a ditch of probable Iron Age date, and Trenches 94 to 99 contained a fairly dense array of features of middle Roman date, perhaps indicating the origin of a late Roman ladder enclosure that extends to the east, and which was recorded during an earlier phase of evaluation in 2010.

Author:

Ben Slader
Gerry Thacker

Publisher:

Oxford Archaeology

Other Person/Org:

Wiltshire and Swindon HER (OASIS Reviewer)

Year of Publication:

2019

Locations:

County:	Wiltshire
Parish:	Blunsdon
Country:	England
County:	Swindon
District:	Swindon

Grid Reference: 415762, 189597 (Easting, Northing)

Subjects / Periods:

DITCH (Monument Type England)

UNCERTAIN RIDGE AND FURROW (Tag)

CERAMIC (Object England)

ROMAN PIT (Tag)

TREE THROW (Monument Type England)

MEDIEVAL SHERD (Tag)

POST HOLE (Monument Type England)

EARLY NEOLITHIC LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Tag)

OYSTER SHELL (Object England)

NAIL (Object England)

ANIMAL REMAINS (Object England)

POST MEDIEVAL DITCH (Tag)

MIDDLE IRON AGE ANIMAL REMAINS (Tag)

HUMAN REMAINS (Object England)

ROMAN HUMAN REMAINS (Tag)

ROMAN CERAMIC (Tag)

MESOLITHIC LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Tag)

UNCERTAIN DITCH (Tag)

MEDIEVAL DITCH (Tag)

IRON AGE POST HOLE (Tag)

SLAG (Object England)

ROMAN SHERD (Tag)

PIT (Monument Type England)

HOB NAIL (Object England)

UNCERTAIN TREE THROW (Tag)

EARLY BRONZE AGE LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Tag)

ROMAN RIDGE AND FURROW (Tag)

UNCERTAIN SLAG (Tag)

LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Object England)

RIDGE AND FURROW (Monument Type England)

CLAY PIPE (SMOKING) (Object England)

UNCERTAIN NAIL (Tag)

UNCERTAIN PIT (Tag)

ROMAN DITCH (Tag)

POST MEDIEVAL CLAY PIPE (SMOKING) (Tag)

EVALUATION (Event)

IRON AGE PIT (Tag)

IRON AGE SHERD (Tag)

ROMAN TREE THROW (Tag)

SHERD (Object England)

ROMAN HOB NAIL (Tag)

ROMAN POST HOLE (Tag)

UNCERTAIN OYSTER SHELL (Tag)

ROMAN ANIMAL REMAINS (Tag)

EARLY IRON AGE DITCH (Tag)

IRON AGE (Historic England Periods)

EARLY BRONZE AGE (Historic England Periods)

ROMAN (Historic England Periods)

MEDIEVAL (Historic England Periods)

EARLY NEOLITHIC (Historic England Periods)

MIDDLE IRON AGE (Historic England Periods)

POST MEDIEVAL (Historic England Periods)

EARLY IRON AGE (Historic England Periods)

MESOLITHIC (Historic England Periods)

UNCERTAIN (Historic England Periods)

Identifiers:

OASIS Id:

oxfordar1-513962

Source:

OASIS (OASIS)

Relations:

Created Date:

30 Nov 2023