Data from a Borehole Survey at Edgcote Battlefield, River Cherwell, Buckinghamshire, 2020 (HS2 Phase One)
High Speed Two Ltd., AOC Archaeology Group, Connect Archaeology, INFRA Archaeology, MOLA Headland Infrastructure, 2024. https://doi.org/10.5284/1124390. How to cite using this DOI
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This work is licensed under a The Open Government Licence (OGL).
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Resource identifiers
- ADS Collection: 4332
- DOI:https://doi.org/10.5284/1124390
- How to cite using this DOI
Introduction
The collection comprises digital raster data of site photos and scans of physical paperwork, reports, a CAD drawing, GIS data and spreadsheets and spreadsheet databases of the deposit model data from a borehole survey at Edgcote Battlefield. Work was undertaken between January and June 2021. Physical material collected included core samples, generally from alluvial sequences across the areas of investigation.
Project Summary
The results of the palaeoenvironmental investigation will inform the archaeological resource assessment for the Sites and identify whether any geoarchaeological remains present have the potential to contribute to the aims, objectives and knowledge gain defined in the GWSI: HERDS. The aims of the investigation were to determine the archaeological significance of the Site and assess the potential of the alluvium to preserve cultural archaeology or paleoenvironmental remains, and the terrace gravels to preserve palaeolithic or palaeoenvironmental remains. The general aims of the geoarchaeological investigation were to use a combined methodology of test pit and boreholes to:
- Characterise the Quaternary lithostratigraphy.
- Determine the mode of formation of Quaternary strata.
- Make an assessment of the preservation potential of biological palaeoenvironmental proxies.
C25075 and C25076 Twyford Padbury Brook
The site is located immediately north of the village of Twyford, Buckinghamshire (NGR SP 66610 26800). The investigation comprised 6 rotary boreholes, 13 trial pits up to 3m in depth, and 16 windowless samples of up to 5m in depth. 2 further locations were drilled for OSL sampling. The site is situated at around 84m OD and covers arable fields encompassing c.209.61ha in total. The evaluation results confirm the presence of the ubiquitous Jurassic bedrock geology underlying the site (Peterborough Mudstone Formation). The Holocene archaeological potential of the site is low, and it will not contribute significantly to the Specific Objectives. The Holocene geoarchaeological deposits recorded exhibit poor palaeoenvironmental preservation and do not warrant further investigation. The potential for the terrace gravel deposits to contain palaeolithic or faunal remains is considered moderate.
C25081 Godington Padbury Brook
The site is located approximately 0.5km northeast of the village of Godington, Oxfordshire (NGR SP 64875 28150). The investigation included the drilling of 5 rotary boreholes, 24 windowless samples to a maximum depth of 5m, and the excavation of 6 trial pits to a maximum of 3m depth. The site is situated approximately 4km upstream of Twyford, and 17km form the confluence between the brook and the River Great Ouse. The site covers arable fields lying at an elevation of around 86m OD and encompassing c.309.23ha in total. The evaluation results record the widespread basal Jurassic bedrock geology as Peterborough Mudstone Formation. The potential for Palaeolithic cultural materials or Pleistocene faunal remains from these deposits is still moderate and some form of CIR should accompany future works impacting these deposits. The archaeological potential of the site is low, and it will not contribute significantly to the Specific Objectives. The Holocene geoarchaeological deposits recorded exhibit poor palaeoenvironmental preservation and do not warrant further investigation.
C25065 Great Ouse South
The site is located approximately 3km to the southeast of the town of Brackley, Northamptonshire (NGR SP 61160 35770). The investigation included the excavation of 9 trial trenches to a maximum depth of 3m, and 9 windowless samples drilled to a maximum depth of 4m, including 3 locations substituted for TP26-28. The site is located approximately 3km southeast of the town of Brackley, Northamptonshire. The site covers arable fields and encompasses c.263.52ha in total. The evaluation results confirm the presence of Jurassic bedrock geology (White Limestone Formation; Rutland Formation; Whitby Mudstone Formation; Horsehay Sand Formation; Taynton Limestone Formation). The archaeological potential of the site is low, and it will not contribute significantly to the Specific Objectives. The geoarchaeological deposits recorded exhibit poor palaeoenvironmental preservation.
C30028 Great Ouse North
The site is located immediately north of the village of Turweston, Buckinghamshire (NGR SP 60055 38290). The investigation included the drilling of 16 windowless sample locations to a maximum depth of 5m, which included two additional locations for OSL dating and did not include 2 descoped locations (WS59 and WS60). Work was carried out between the 2nd of March and the 8th of April 2021. The site covers arable fields and encompasses c.251.01ha in total. The evaluation results record the widespread basal Jurassic bedrock geology White Limestone Formation on the high interfluves. The bedrock transitions to Rutland Mudstone, Taynton Limestone, Horsehay Sand, and then Whitby Mudstone moving downslope to the centre of the site and the modern channel route. The archaeological potential of the site is low to moderate, and it will not contribute significantly to the Specific Objectives. The geoarchaeological deposits recorded exhibit poor palaeoenvironmental preservation.
C32025 Thorpe Bridge
The site is situated immediately west of Southam, Warwickshire, at the Thorpe Bridge crossing of the River Itchin (NGR SP 40134 61527). The investigation comprised 22 completed windowless samples, one of which was an extra location for the retrieval of OSL samples. Five locations were descoped due to the recent positioning of dewatering ponds. The work was carried out between the 29th of March and the 13th of May 2021. The site covers arable fields and encompasses c.9.01ha in total. The evaluation results record the widespread basal Jurassic bedrock geology Salford Mudstone Formation on the high interfluves in the south of the site. The bedrock transitions to Langport Limestone and then Penarth Limestone and mudstone moving downslope to the centre of the site and the modern channel route. Alluvium is recorded on site, immediately north of the modern channel, and is of a Holocene date. The archaeological potential of the site is low, and it will not contribute significantly to the Specific Objectives. The geoarchaeological deposits recorded exhibit poor palaeoenvironmental preservation
Re-Use Value Statement
The investigation was successful in meeting its aims and no further work is recommended. The data created by the geoarchaeological investigation is valuable to any archaeological interventions which may occur in the surrounding area as it provides useful data regarding the area’s underlying geology, and potential for the survival of biological paleoenvironmental entities.
The dataset presents ample opportunity for reuse in future works, providing guidance for the archaeological and palaeoenvironmental potentials of five riverside locations along the central stretch of the HS2 phase 1 project. Not only can the models themselves be used to target area of greater potential, but the data used to generate them can be fed into future projects which may be occurring adjacent to the development and enhance the reach and detail of investigation.
