This collection comprises of images, spreadsheets, report, site record and vector data from a trial trench at Chattle Hill, Warwickshire, 2020-2021 (HS2 Phase One).

Project Summary

Between 2020 and 2021 MOLA-Headland Infrastructure (MHI) and Headland Archaeology (UK) Ltd undertook archaeological trial trenching at Chattle Hill, Warwickshire in advance of this land being used for the construction of High Speed Rail 2.

A total of 67 trenches were excavated out of an original total of 94 planned. The 27 trenches not excavated were descoped due to conflicts with existing buried utilities including high pressure gas mains, and sewers.

During the works, archaeological features were identified within 20 of the 67 excavated trenches, predominantly consisting of linear features interpreted as ditches. The majority of the features contained no finds and could not be dated. The exceptions were a corn-drying kiln located in Trench 14, medieval material in Trench 28b, Bronze Age pottery from a pit in Trench 44 and post medieval material from Trench 51.

Overall, the archaeological works of the Chattle Hill evaluation scheme demonstrated that past human activity in the area has not resulted in significant concentrations of archaeological remains. Parts of the site were waterlogged during the evaluation works and streams, ponds and modern land drains were all noted during excavation. The majority of features identified likely represent drainage ditches or post-medieval field boundaries. Other types of more significant feature appear to be sparsely distributed and plough-truncated.

Following trial trenching Headland Archaeology (UK) Ltd undertook a programme of contingency trench fieldwork at Chattle Hill, Warwickshire. The excavation was to further investigate features identified previously during archaeological evaluation of the evaluation area. Features identified in one of the trenches (TR44) in Area 1 were deemed worthy of further investigation. These comprised two small pits; one [440005] was previously excavated; the second [440007] could not be excavated due to its depth below ground level. A contingency trench area was opened over these features to gain further information about them.

Re-Use Value Statement

The finds imply there is potential for archaeological field work to uncover more in situ remains. The most significant areas of potential are represented by the prehistoric remains in Trench 44 and medieval remains in Trench 28B. The area around Trench 52 may also be worthy of investigation, based on the multi-period finds recovered there.

The finds assemblage as it stands, however, has little potential for further work. Finds are too few, too small and are typically of generic types. Several are clearly of recent date. Many are poorly stratified.

Contingency trench fieldwork did not reveal any other features of potential archaeological significance. Scatters of features within the contingency area shows that the features exposed were shallow and did not yield any direct dating evidence. The results are therefore inconclusive, and it is likely that most of the activity in the area could originate from relatively recent agricultural activity.