Site Data from an Archaeological Evaluation at Crescent House and Austin House, Abingdon School, Abingdon, Oxfordshire 2019

Oxford Archaeology (South), 2022. https://doi.org/10.5284/1095484. How to cite using this DOI

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Oxford Archaeology (South) (2022) Site Data from an Archaeological Evaluation at Crescent House and Austin House, Abingdon School, Abingdon, Oxfordshire 2019 [data-set]. York: Archaeology Data Service [distributor] https://doi.org/10.5284/1095484

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Digital Object Identifiers

Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) are persistent identifiers which can be used to consistently and accurately reference digital objects and/or content. The DOIs provide a way for the ADS resources to be cited in a similar fashion to traditional scholarly materials. More information on DOIs at the ADS can be found on our help page.

Citing this DOI

The updated Crossref DOI Display guidelines recommend that DOIs should be displayed in the following format:

https://doi.org/10.5284/1095484
Sample Citation for this DOI

Oxford Archaeology (South) (2022) Site Data from an Archaeological Evaluation at Crescent House and Austin House, Abingdon School, Abingdon, Oxfordshire 2019 [data-set]. York: Archaeology Data Service [distributor] https://doi.org/10.5284/1095484

Introduction

Working shot, Crescent House report Plate 3
Working shot, Crescent House report Plate 3

This archive collection comprises of site data (images, spreadsheets, reports and CAD) from an archaeological evaluation at Abingdon School Crescent House & Abingdon School Austin House. The work was undertaken by Oxford Archaeology (south) in October 2019.

Crescent House

In October 2019 Oxford Archaeology was commissioned by Ridge and Partners on behalf of Abingdon School to undertake an archaeological evaluation for a new boarding house at Crescent House, Abingdon School, Abingdon, Oxfordshire. The main purpose of the evaluation was to investigate any archaeological remains that would be impacted by the proposed development. Prehistoric and Roman activity have been previously discovered in the surrounding area. No archaeological remains were identified within the evaluation area, which had also been subjected to modern disturbance as part of a formal garden. Previous modern impacts at the site were identified in form of a fish pond, trees and garden landscaping, which will have reduced the survival of any archaeological remains in this area. Based on the results of the evaluation the site is considered to have low potential.

Abingdon School Crescent House; Two trenches measuring 30m by 1.8m were originally proposed within the footprint of the proposed development within Area 1. The trenches were located to provide a representative sample of the archaeological potential of the site in order to help inform any future mitigation strategy. Trench 1 could not be excavated as location of the trench proved to be both inaccessible and the current location of a pond and buried services, where there was nowhere the trench could be safely relocated. Trench 3 had to be shortened by 4m due to flower beds, and the southern end was shifted to the west to avoid a rabbit hutch. Again, the area was fenced off prior to excavation and plastic sheeting laid down onto which the spoil was placed. For the machine to access the lawn a wooden fence had to be dismantled and then re-instated when the trench was backfilled. The trench was excavated using a mechanical excavator fitted with a toothless 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 is encountered first. Once archaeological deposits were exposed, further excavation proceeded by hand and the appropriate use of a machine excavator. The exposed surfaces were sufficiently cleaned to establish the presence/absence of archaeological remains. Excavation and recording was sufficient to resolve the principal aims of the evaluation in line with the approved WSI (OA 2019).

Austin House

In October 2019 Oxford Archaeology was commissioned by Ridge and Partners on behalf of Abingdon School to undertake an archaeological evaluation for a proposed new boarding house at Austin House, Abingdon School, Abingdon, Oxfordshire. The main purpose of the evaluation was to investigate any archaeological remains that would be impacted by the development. Roman burials and settlement activity have been previously discovered in the surrounding area.

The evaluation exposed a dense concentration of medieval features and postmedieval quarrying pits. No evidence of earlier activity was identified and there was no sign that the nearby Roman burial activity continued into the development area. The site has high potential to contain further remains relating to medieval and post-medieval activity. It is possible that as-yet undiscovered Roman remains are present within the development area.

Austin House; A similar mehtodolgy was used as for Crescent House but a single trench measuring 30m by 1.8m was undertaken within the footprint of the proposed development within Area 2. The trench was located to provide a representative sample of the archaeological potential of the site in order to help inform any future mitigation strategy. The trench had to be shortened to 20m due to the presence of a footpath at the northern end and a tree at the southern end. The area was fenced-off prior to excavation and plastic sheeting was laid down onto which the spoil was placed.


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