| Title: |
Bicester MOD Graven Hill Bicester Oxfordshire |
| Series: |
Oxford Archaeological Unit unpublished report series
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| Downloads: |
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oxfordar1-519078_214798.pdf (3 MB)
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Download
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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.
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| Licence Type: |
ADS Terms of Use and Access
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| DOI |
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| Publication Type: |
Report (in Series)
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| Abstract: |
Due to the presence of livestock within much of the evaluation area a rolling programme of access between areas was agreed between the tenant farmer and the consultant archaeologist in combination with OA's Field Supervisor. Immediately prior to starting excavation within each field, the trench layout was established using GPS equipment by an OA surveyor according to the trench plan as agreed within the WSI and subsequent layout revisions issued to and approved by the planning archaeologist for OCC. Minor alterations to trench locations were also made in the field where potential service conflicts were noted. More substantial changes to the trench arrangement were made within the eastern part of the site where it was possible to investigate the projected line of Akeman Street. Additional trenches were also excavated here to identify and confirm the presence of the road. It should also be noted that Trench 44 was not accessible or excavated as this was placed within an area of standing woodland. Following survey of the trench locations within an area/field, each trench was machine excavated under the supervision of OA's Field Supervisor to the first significant archaeological horizon or the surface of the geological horizon depending upon which was encountered first. Where significant 20th century activity relating to the military camp was encountered, this was noted and machine excavated to reveal potential underlying features and/or deposits. Once archaeological deposits or those with the potential to contain artefacts were exposed, further excavation proceed by hand with the appropriate additional use of machine excavation. The excavation and recording of archaeological features was undertaken following established OA practices in line with CIfA and OCC standards Oxford Archaeology was commissioned by Graven Hill Village Development Company Ltd to undertake the evaluation of the Land Transfer Area 1 (LTA1) within the greater development boundary at Graven Hill. This comprised the excavation of 55 evaluation trenches measuring 50m by 4m. The scope and arrangement of the trenches was agreed between the client's consultant archaeologist, Waterman Infrastructure and Environment Ltd, and the Planning Archaeologist for the Cherwell District. In the event two furhter trenches measuring 30m by 2m were added to the scope. A variety of positive results were gained at five separate and distinct locations. These spanned the late Iron Age, Roman and medieval periods, indicating the varied potential of the site. The earliest significant find was a Neolithic polished flint axe fragment. This was recovered from a subsoil deposit within the western part of the evaluation area (Trench 3) although additional artefacts or features of this date were absent. Late Iron Age activity was evidenced by a dispersed group of ditches and pits focused upon Trenches 21, 22 and 24. These remains appear to be moderately well preserved and entirely of pre Roman conquest origin. The related activity seems to be relatively sprawling with the features spread over a 100m long area around the lower slopes of Graven Hill. Further late Iron Age ditches were recorded to the north of Circular Road within Trenches 12 and 13. Comparatively dense Roman remains were encountered within the northern part of the LTA1 adjacent to the current Rodney House building. Trenches 39-42 each produced a number of linear ditches, three of which produced moderate-large assemblages of pottery dated mid-late 2nd century. The relative sterility of several other ditches and the apparent phasing represented by intersections and recuts demonstrate a degree of longevity to the activity here. The ditch arrangements are suggestive of field boundaries or other small enclosures. |
| Author: |
Guy Cockin
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| Publisher: |
Oxford Archaeology
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| Other Person/Org: |
Oxfordshire HER (OASIS Reviewer)
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| Year of Publication: |
2016
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| Locations: |
| Country: |
England |
| County: |
Oxfordshire |
| District: |
Cherwell |
| Parish: |
Ambrosden |
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Grid Reference: 458862, 220833 (Easting, Northing)
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| Subjects / Periods: |
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| Identifiers: |
| OASIS Id: |
oxfordar1-519078 |
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| Source: |
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| Relations: |
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| Created Date: |
30 Nov 2023 |
